Wisconsin Badgers
15-9-2, 8-8-0
Minnesota
10-16-1, 6-10-0
Wisconsin drops high-scoring affair at Minnesota
January 31, 2026 | Men's Hockey
Fitzgerald scores twice in 8-4 loss
MINNEAPOLIS – Four Minnesota Gopher power-play goals were the difference as the Wisconsin men's hockey team fell, 8-4, on Saturday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
A power-play goal and a short-handed tally gave Minnesota a 2-0 lead, before Tyson Dyck extended his point streak to eight games with a power-play goal for the Badgers to cut the lead to 2-1. Minnesota struck again with a power-play goal before the end of the period to make it 3-1 after the first. In the second, the Gophers (10-16-1, 6-10-0 - 20 points) scored just 38 seconds in, before Christian Fitzgerald cut the lead in half for the Badgers Wisconsin (15-9-2, 8-8-0 Big Ten - 22 points). UM scored twice more in the second, once on the power-play and again in the final minute of the period, to make it 6-2. The third frame was back and forth, with Fitzgerald scoring on the power-play 30 seconds in, before the Gophers retook their four-goal lead. Adam Pietila struck for the Badgers midway through the frame, but Minnesota had the final tally of the high-scoring affair on the power play to claim an 8-4 win
How it Happened
First Period
The Gophers took an early lead, 5:16 into the opening frame, with a power-play goal from Brody Lamb.
A penalty was called on UM, 9:10 into the first, but Brodie Ziemer extended its lead with a short-handed goal at 10:01.
On that same penalty, at 11:04, senior forward Dyck scored a power-play goal to cut the lead in half.
TDIZZLE CAN'T STOP SCORING 🔥
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) February 1, 2026
The senior's point streak is up to EIGHT games!
🍎: Ryan Botterill & Luke Osburn pic.twitter.com/So4PlUaR7u
At 14:59, Minnesota's Ziemer scored his second goal of the night on the power play to make it 3-1, UMN.
Wisconsin had another power-play chance at 16:03, but the Gophers killed it to keep it a 3-1 game.
Second Period
Sophomore Eli Pulver started the middle frame in net for the Badgers, but Erik Påhlsson scored just 38 seconds in to give Minnesota a 4-1 lead on a redirect.
At 11:28, senior forward Fitzgerald scored on a breakaway to cut the lead in half.
Fitzy breakaway beauty 🤌
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) February 1, 2026
Goal No. 12 on the year for No. 13 (@13Fitzgerald)
🍎: Joe Palodichuk pic.twitter.com/8qkLMZ65zV
The Gophers retook their three-goal advantage at 15:54, when Luke Mittelstadt scored on the power play.
In the final minute of the second, at 19:11, Minnesota made it a 6-2 contest when Beckett Hendrickson found the back of the net.
Third Period
After the buzzer sounded at the end of the second period, Minnesota took a penalty, so the Badgers started the final frame on the man advantage. Thirty seconds in, Fitzgerald capitalized on the power play to score his second goal of the night and team leading 13th of the season.
Fitzgerald's second goal of the night 🚨
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) February 1, 2026
🍎: Ben Dexheimer & Gavin Morrissey pic.twitter.com/rNvsYmJyqN
Påhlsson notched his second goal of the night at 2:53 to make it 7-3, Minnesota.
Sophomore forward Pietila added a fourth goal for the Badgers, 9:37 into the final frame, on a drive to the net.
AP from right out in front 🙌
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) February 1, 2026
Fifth goal of the year for the sophomore (@adampietila)
🍎: Luke Osburn & Gavin Morrissey pic.twitter.com/xcsyG5MXEM
To cap off a high-scoring game, UM's Leo Gruba scored a power-play goal, 15:13 into the third, to give the Gophers a four-goal advantage.
At 16:58 into the third, Minnesota had one final power-play chance, but the Badgers got the kill as UMN won, 8-4.
Wisconsin went 2-for-3 on the power play and 1-for-5 on the penalty kill. UW finished the contest with a 38-32 advantage in shots on goal.
Notes to know
-Tyson Dyck is on an eight-game point streak, the longest of his career. His 14 points and five goals are new career highs
Up Next: The Badgers return to the Kohl Center for a series against Notre Dame on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6-7. Both games start at 7 p.m. and stream 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.
Friday's game is Bucky-lympics themed – fans who participate in Olympics-themed activities will receive a gold medal, while supplies last. Look for ticket deals for the third level. Buy tickets here.
