Wisconsin won their first B1G game and earned points in both games heading into the Border Battle.
The Wisconsin Badgers finally earned a regulation win, wrapping up a four-point weekend in South Bend to hopefully build some momentum before welcoming a red-hot Gopher squad to Madison.
The Badgers (2-6 overall, 1-3 B1G) can definitely feel a bit better coming out of this weekend. Friday’s overtime loss was deflating, but they bounced back with a 2-1 regulation win over No. 19 Notre Dame (5-2 overall, 1-1 B1G) and largely outskated the Fighting Irish in the final five periods of hockey.
The captain got the Badgers on the board early in the second. Senior Owen Lindmark took a cross-ice pass from junior transfer Kyle Kukkonen, snapping it over the shoulder of Irish goaltender Owen Say.
Notre Dame would notch it up at one just past the midway point of the period. Ryan Heliwell scored his first of the year, beating the glove of senior Tommy Scarfone with a shot from the top of the circle that the goaltender likely wants back.
Wisconsin’s game-winning goal came with 35 seconds remaining in the second period, a nice tuck from junior Simon Tassy. Junior Christian Fitzgerald chipped in with the assist, finding an awaiting Tassy on the back post to convert on the power play.
Neither team scored in the third, but there was no lack of drama. Notre Dame started to hold the offensive zone and make the Badger defense work, then Kukkonen was sent to the box for tripping with 3:21 remaining. With Wisconsin on their heels, the Irish turned their man advantage into a two-man advantage after pulling Say. The Badgers ultimately killed the penalty.
Despite not converting the empty netter, the defense limited Notre Dame’s chances and continued to get timely clearances until time expired, earning their first B1G win and salvaging a weekend where the boys played their best hockey of the season.
Wisconsin needed a win Saturday in the worst way. We’re still waiting on the scoring outburst, but they rose to the occasion and played tough both nights. If you disregard the 1-5 record coming into the weekend, you’d leave thinking this Wisconsin team can be a solid contender in the B1G, and the good news is there is still plenty of time for that to happen.
You can stack their first line of sophomore Quinn Finley, freshman Gavin Morrissey, and fifth-year Ryland Mosley against most in the country. The group continues to create chances, and this weekend it was the other lines chipping in and getting the goals.
Scarfone got the start both nights, showing you which way head coach Mike Hastings is leaning as far as his goaltenders go. His .885 save percentage won’t blow you away, but he’s done enough to keep the Badgers in games. And there is still the hope that he can return to his Richter Award semifinalist form from last year.
Wisconsin will need them all to be ready to contribute with a lot riding on next weekend’s Border Battle. Minnesota entered this weekend ranked fourth and swept then-No.18 Penn State in Happy Valley. A split in this upcoming series would feel like a win, but anything can happen when it comes to the Gophers.
One thing is for sure, things aren’t going to get easier in this year’s B1G. The Badgers were the league’s only unranked team going into last weekend. The shiny end of that coin is that means Wisconsin will have plenty of opportunities to earn ranked wins, including eight more before we usher in 2025. Buckle up, there is plenty of hockey left to play.