Wisconsin Badgers
Penn State
Quick Six: No. 5 Wisconsin welcomes No. 8 Penn State
January 21, 2026 | Men's Hockey
Badgers wrap six-game homestand with top-10 matchup
BUY TICKETS
MADISON, Wis. – The No. 5 Wisconsin men's hockey team continues Big Ten play with a top-10 matchup against No. 8 Penn State on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 23-24, at the Kohl Center.
Friday's game starts at 7 p.m. CT and streams on B1G+, while Saturday's contest begins at 7:30 p.m. CT and airs on the Big Ten Network.
Here are six quick things to know before tuning in:
Rosters: Badgers || Nittany Lions
1 - HEARTY HOME CROWD: Last Friday, Wisconsin welcomed 12,114 fans to the Kohl Center for its contest against Michigan State, making it the third-highest attended game in college hockey this year. It's the highest-attended game at any school's home rink; the top two attended games were held at NHL arenas, Boston University vs. Cornell at Madison Square Garden (17,478) and Minnesota vs. Denver at Ball Arena (12,228).
Calm before the storm 🤫 pic.twitter.com/DLwr1dDwlJ
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 16, 2026
The number is also Wisconsin's season high at the Kohl Center. It's had two other crowds of over 10,000 fans: 10,963 on Nov. 15, a 6-5 overtime win vs. Ohio State, and 10,584 fans on Oct. 25, a 4-1 win over Alaska.
UW currently ranks third in the nation in total and average attendance, with 107,731 total fans walking through the KC doors across 12 home games. It averages 8,978 fans per game, behind North Dakota (11,525) and Minnesota (9,244), who have each had 14 home games.
This week's games mark the end of the Badgers' six-game homestand, which began two weekends ago against Alaska Anchorage. Buy tickets to this weekend's games here.
2 - 20 YEARS OF '06: On Saturday, the Badgers will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their 2006 NCAA championship as part of alumni night.
History lives on paper, and in the hearts of Badger fans ❤️
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 21, 2026
Drop your favorite memory or moment from the '06 championship run below, ahead of Saturday's celebration 👇#2006NCAAChamps pic.twitter.com/w3ElHWnw4r
Several members of the team will be in attendance, and the first 800 students will receive a 2006 replica jersey t-shirt.
Twenty years since defenseman Josh Engel took the puck off the wall and set up Madison native Jack Skille for the triple-overtime, game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory against Cornell at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to send the Badgers to the Frozen Four.
It's been 20 years since Robbie Earl tied the game in the second period and Tom Gilbert gave UW the lead in the third period with a power-play goal in the championship game against Boston College.
Twenty years since a Boston College shot hit the post at the buzzer, and the Badgers won the national title with a 2-1 victory at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
The '06 team's NCAA run began with a hat trick from Joe Pavelski in Green Bay
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 21, 2026
We're celebrating the 20th anniversary on Saturday at the Kohl Center#2006NCAAChamps pic.twitter.com/o33RV9Y4q3
"They're a special group," said Hastings about the '06 team. "I learned, in a hurry, from Steve Alley, when he talked about what it was to be a Badger and how important this university was in helping him not only become a really good hockey player, but a balanced human being who continues to crush it in life. These guys are no different. They're winners in the rink – they won a national championship, found a way to do that. Those people have still figured out how to be successful, champions away from the game of hockey. It's an opportunity for our guys to continue the relationships that are already built and hopefully start a few others."
3 - TDIZZLE WITH SOME SIZZLE: With an assist in each of his last four games, senior forward Tyson Dyck is on a career-best four-game point streak.
In last weekend's series against MSU, Dyck recorded an assist on Adam Pietila's third-period goal on Friday, before adding another on Logan Hensler's goal in the final minute of Saturday's contest.
TDIZZLE WITH THE SIZZLE 😤
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 16, 2026
Third goal of the year for the senior!
🍎: Joe Palodichuk pic.twitter.com/2hMYC51PtJ
Through 14 games this year, the senior has two goals and 10 points, three away from his career high of 13 set in 37 games played last year. His eight assists are tied for fifth on the roster, while his 10 points rank 12th.
4 - LAST TIME OUT: Wisconsin enters the weekend after being swept by then-No. 4 Michigan State on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 15-16 – the first time it's lost back-to-back games this season.
After MSU took a 4-1 lead, UW's comeback in game one fell short as it lost, 4-3. Michigan State opened the scoring, 18:51 into the first period. Wisconsin battled back in the second when Oliver Tulk scored at 2:50, but Spartan goals at 3:57, 12:17 and 16:51 gave them a 4-1 advantage. Wisconsin kept fighting, with Kyle Kukkonen scoring 17:59 into the second and Tyson Dyck lighting the lamp, 6:39 into the third, to make it a one-goal game, but a late post by Ben Dexheimer was as close as UW got.
Come for the goal, stay for the celly 💥
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 16, 2026
Second goal of the year for Kukkonen!
🍎: Grady Deering pic.twitter.com/jlDPEgxrht
In game two, the Badgers lost, 4-1. Michigan State got off to a quick start, tallying three goals in the first 13 minutes - one even strength, another short-handed and a third on the power play. It extended its lead late in the second period to take a 4-0 advantage heading into the final frame. Wisconsin got on the board with a tally from Logan Hensler in the final minute of the third frame to stop MSU goaltender Trey Augustine's shutout bid as UW fell, 4-1.
Henny! 🚨
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 17, 2026
Goal No. 4 on the season for No. 6 (@LoganHensler)
🍎: Tyson Dyck & Ryan Botterill pic.twitter.com/OaBqVoZCPn
5 - SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS: The Nittany Lions have a 16-6-0 record through 22 games, going 8-4-0 in Big Ten play to sit second in the conference with 25 points. They enter the weekend after sweeping Notre Dame at home on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 16-17, with 4-1 and 6-3 victories.
Junior forward Matt DiMarsico leads the roster with 14 goals and 26 points in 22 games played. Sophomore goaltender Kevin Reidler has nine wins in 12 games played, accumulating a .910 save percentage and 2.90 goals-allowed on average, while freshman Joshua Fleming has seven wins in 10 starts with a .943 save percentage and 1.8 goals-allowed on average.
"They're a very good rush-oriented team," Hastings said. They're good at delaying and finding lanes. Our play with and without the puck is going to be focused on this week. It's not that much different than what we do with anyone else in the Big Ten because there are so many teams that have a defensive core that like to get up into the play and forwards that can do some damage."
6 - HOW TO WATCH: Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CT on Friday and 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. Friday's game streams on B1G+, while Saturday's contest airs on the Big Ten Network. 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.
