Wisconsin Badgers
Michigan State
Quick Six: No. 2 Badgers set for top-four matchup against No. 4 Spartans
January 13, 2026 | Men's Hockey
Wisconsin enters on five-game Big Ten win streak
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MADISON, Wis. – The No. 2 Wisconsin men's hockey team jumps back into Big Ten play with a top-four matchup against No. 4 Michigan State on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 15-16, at the Kohl Center.
Thursday's game starts at 8 p.m. CT and airs on the Big Ten Network, while Friday's contest begins at 7 p.m. CT and streams on B1G+.
Here are six quick things to know before tuning in:
Rosters: Badgers || Spartans
1 - WINNING IS A HABIT: Through 20 games played this season, the Badgers sit at 15-3-2, already improving on their 13 total wins from last season.
UW's three losses are the fewest in NCAA Division I men's hockey.
"They've been pretty resilient," said Head Coach Mike Hastings about what's fueled the group's success this year. "We haven't had the same lineup consistently throughout this season. It's not because coaches are incredibly disgruntled with the guys that are out there and how they're playing. It's been from availability, it's been from opportunity, whether it's guys earning it, injuries, or opportunities from guys going and playing in other situations, like the World Juniors or the Spengler Cup. We've had different guys step up at different times."
In 20 games, Wisconsin owns six season sweeps, including three at the Kohl Center. The six sweeps rank tied for fifth most season sweeps in a year dating back to UW's 2009-10 NCAA runner-up season. The Badgers posted seven sweeps during the 2020-21, 2013-14 and 2010-11 seasons.
Wisconsin produced one sweep last season, but nine the season before. During the 2023-24 campaign, UW posted five home sweeps.
Starting 2026 off strong 🧹 pic.twitter.com/li5s9ljIbt
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 11, 2026
A major contributor to UW's wins this season is freshman goaltender Daniel Hauser, who ranks second in the country with a .824 win percentage after adding two wins against Alaska Anchorage last weekend to his 13-2-2 record. He posted a 5-0 shutout in Friday's game against the Seawolves to total three perfect performances on the year, which is good enough to tie for first in the nation.
"I thought he was definitely a difference maker in finding a way to close the door on Saturday's game," Coach Hastings said.
Protected the Haus last night
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 10, 2026
Daniel Hauser's third shutout of the season ties him for the national lead pic.twitter.com/LfMfqa7dEn
2 - FIN(N)-TASTIC: Junior forward Quinn Finley owns five goals in his last four games played after posting a pair last Saturday in UW's 3-2 win over Alaska Anchorage. He opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period, then tallied his first career short-handed goal in the second frame to make it a 3-0 game.
His short-handed goal marked his second game-winning goal of the season.
Ben Dexheimer hit Christian Fitzgerald deep and Quinn Finley scored his 10th for what proved to be the short-handed game-winner.
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 11, 2026
Badgers sweep. pic.twitter.com/3JiDBPgAV2
Finley also added the primary assist on senior defenseman Ben Dexheimer's game-winning goal on Friday that came on the power play at 16:24 of the second period in UW's 5-0 win over UAA. He boasts five goals, three assists and eight points during his current four-game point streak. His 10 total goals share the team lead with senior forward Christian Fitzgerald.
Freshman Finn Brink scored his third goal in five games with his tally on Saturday against UAA. He had just one goal in his first seven career games.
Brink played in seven of UW's first 15 games, but played in each of its last five games.
SNEAKY 🤫
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 10, 2026
Brink (@FinnBrink) with his fourth tally of the season!
🍎: Luke Osburn & Tyson Dyck pic.twitter.com/SZOOB4Qfij
3 - HOME'S WHERE THE HEART IS: This week's games mark the midway point of the Badgers' six-game homestand, which began last weekend against Alaska Anchorage.
Wisconsin is running promotions during each week of the homestand. There's a flash sale for Thursday's game and Friday's game against Michigan State is Youth Night.
No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 4 Michigan State at the Kohl Center
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 13, 2026
Puck drops Thursday at 8 p.m.
🔥🎟️ https://t.co/LK1tyEdwdE pic.twitter.com/Vu0icErvIt
During the contest on Saturday, Jan. 24, against Penn State, the Badgers will celebrate 20 years of the 2006 championship. Students will receive an '06 jersey replica t-shirt, while supplies last. Buy tickets to upcoming games here.
Hard to believe 20 years have passed since Robbie Earl, Joe Pavelski, Adam Burish and company won the NCAA title.
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 7, 2026
We're celebrating them all on Jan. 24 at the Kohl Center pic.twitter.com/DFitTWV8Z2
4 - LAST TIME OUT: On Friday and Saturday, Jan. 9-10, the Badgers swept Alaska Anchorage at the Kohl Center to open 2026 on a high note, winning game one, 5-0, and game two, 3-2.
On Friday, freshman Hauser backstopped the Badgers to a 5-0 win. After a quiet first period, Wisconsin opened the scoring 16:24 into the second with a power-play goal from Ben Dexheimer. The Badgers exploded offensively in the third frame, tallying four goals. Goal came from Ryan Botterill, Bruno Idžan and Oliver Tulk got on the board, before Luke Osburn scored a power-play goal, 16:42 into the third, to lead Wisconsin to a 5-0 victory. Alaska Anchorage posted 16 shots on net, but Hauser stayed perfect to earn his third shutout win of the year.
Chucked five pucks into their net, kept all of them out of ours 🙌 pic.twitter.com/4D6UwPQVNa
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 10, 2026
Two special teams goals from Quinn Finley helped UW to a 3-2 win on Saturday. Wisconsin jumped out to a 3-0 lead, then held on for the win over the Seawolves. It opened the scoring with two goals in the first period, one from Finley on the power play at 15:01 and another from Brink at 16:10. UW extended its lead to three goals when Finley scored his first career short-handed goal. Alaska Anchorage crept back in with a power-play goal at 14:06 of the second, then a second tally at 3:27 of the third period, but it wasn't enough to complete a comeback as Wisconsin won 3-2, to complete the sweep.
Love us some home cookin' on a Saturday night. Swept it clean against Alaska Anchorage
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 12, 2026
See you again Thursday and Friday for a top-5 matchup against Michigan State. pic.twitter.com/Ldr8H8YnAt
5 - SCOUTING THE SPARTANS: The Spartans own a 15-5-0 overall record through 20 games, including going 6-4-0 in Big Ten play. They enter the weekend after splitting a series a Ohio State on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 9-10, winning game one, 6-2, before losing game two, 2-1.
Senior forward Charlie Stramel leads the roster with 26 points (12g, 14a) in 20 games played, while freshman forward Porter Martone leads with 14 goals in 18 games. Junior goaltender Trey Augustine has 13 wins in 18 starts, accumulating a .938 save percentage and 1.72 goals-allowed on average.
This marks Wisconsin's first repeat Big Ten series of the year. The Badgers visited then-No. 1 Michigan State in East Lansing on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22. Then-No. 7 Wisconsin swept the series, winning game one 5-4, after erasing a two-goal deficit after the first period, and game two, 2-1, in overtime.
"How much fun was that?"
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) November 25, 2025
Pure cinema in Michigan State pic.twitter.com/caYJpa1sHx
"We're a different team," said Coach Hastings about this week's series. "They're a different team. They've got different guys in the lineup, so do we, who weren't there for that weekend. They're playing really well defensively. They've got one of the best goaltenders in the country. They've got a line that is as productive as anyone else in the country, too. They're veteran-laden, they're very well coached. If you have cracks in your foundation, that will shine a light through it. I think you've got two very good teams that are excited about playing at this time of the year, playing against each other in two meaningful games."
6 - HOW TO WATCH: Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. CT on Friday and 7 p.m. CT on Saturday. Friday's game airs on the Big Ten Network, while Saturday's contest streams on B1G+. Audio play-by-play can be found on 1310 WIBA, as well as the Badgers app and the Varsity Network app. You can also follow along on X/Twitter and Instagram at @BadgerMHockey.
