MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – A hat trick from Christian Fitzgerald helped the No. 19/20 Wisconsin men's hockey team rout the Lindenwood Lions, 7-2, on Saturday night at Centene Community Ice Center to earn its first sweep of the season.
Wisconsin (2-0-0) got on the board first, 5:23 into period one, when senior forward Fitzgerald scored his first goal of the evening on the power play. UW added two more goals in the first period, one at 9:48 into the frame from freshman defenseman Luke Osburn and another Fitzgerald power-play goal at 11:51 into the period, to skate into the second with a 3-0 lead.
Lindenwood (0-2-0) scored its first goal of the series at 4:16 into the second period on the power play, before Fitzgerald completed his hat trick 8:22 into the middle frame. The Lions struck again at 17:32 into the second period during a five-on-three power play to make it a 4-2 game heading into the third.
The Badgers continued to explode offensively in the final period, scoring three more times, including a power-play goal from junior forward Quinn Finley at 1:16 into the period, a goal from senior forward Simon Tassy at 3:24 into the period, and, finally, a power-play goal from freshman forward Finn Brink at 18:45, to complete the sweep over Lindenwood with a 7-2 victory.
How it Happened
Fitzgerald opened the scoring 5:23 into the first period on the power play after one-timing the puck into the net off a pass from sophomore forward Gavin Morrissey.
At 9:48 into the opening frame, Osburn tallied his first collegiate goal after letting a shot fly from the top of the left circle.
Fitzgerald scored his second power-play goal of the night and third of the weekend at 11:51 into the first after capitalizing on a rebound.
Less than five minutes into the second period, at 4:16 into the frame, Lindenwood got on the board with a power-play goal scored by Louis-Philippe Fontaine.
Wisconsin responded at 8:22 into the second after Fitzgerald tucked home his third goal of the game and fourth of the series to complete his first collegiate hat trick.
At 17:32 into the second, LU made it a 4-2 game after Giovanni Morneau capitalized on a five-on-three power play.
To kick off a three-goal third period, at 1:16 into the frame, Finley scored his first goal of the year on the power play after one-timing a shot from the top of the right circle.
Just over two minutes later, at 3:24, Tassy lit the lamp off a pass from sophomore defenseman
Jack Phelan.
To cap off the night, Brink scored his first NCAA goal on the power play at 18:45 into the final period.
Wisconsin went 4-for-9 on the power play and 3-for-5 on the penalty kill. UW finished the contest with a 45-30 advantage in shots on goal.
Notes to know:
-
Christian Fitzgerald tallied his first-career collegiate hat trick, UW's first since
Quinn Finley had three against Lindenwood on Jan. 12, 2024. He also notched his first-career four-point game, the first since
Ryland Mosley (2g,2a) against Notre Dame on Feb. 21
- Three Badgers each had three or more points tonight – Fitzgerald,
Simon Tassy (1g, 2a) and
Gavin Morrissey (3a)
- Freshmen
Luke Osburn (1g, 1a),
Finn Brink (1g) and forward
Vasily Zelenov (1a) each picked up their first collegiate point(s) tonight
- This marks the first Badger series sweep since posting 5-4 (overtime) and 6-3 wins at then-No. 18 Penn State on Nov. 15-16, 2024
Up Next: The Badgers return to the Kohl Center in Madison for an exhibition game against the U.S. Under-18 Team on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. The game streams on B1G+. Audio play-by-play can be found on 1310 WIBA as well as on the Badgers app and the Varsity Network app. You can also follow along on X/Twitter and Instagram at @BadgerMHockey.
UW's official home opener against Minnesota State is set for Thursday and Friday, Oct. 16-17. Both games start at 7 p.m.
Buy tickets here.
