Three-Goal Second Period Lifts Badgers
December 30, 2005 | Men's Hockey
Forwards Robbie Earl and Joe Pavelski each recorded a goal and an assist as the top-ranked Wisconsin men's hockey team defeated Western Michigan 4-1 in the first round of the Badger Hockey Showdown Friday night at the Kohl Center.
Seniors A.J. Degenhardt (La Crosse, Wis.) and Ryan MacMurchy (Regina, Saskatchewan) added the other two goals as the Badgers (15-2-2 overall, 11-1-2 WCHA) scored four unanswered goals to earn a spot opposite Northern Michigan in the championship game Saturday night.
Junior Brian Elliott (Newmarket, Ontario) made 16 saves to earn his 15th victory of the season.
Goalie Daniel Bellissimo stopped 44 shots for the Broncos (4-10-3, 4-6-2 CCHA), who were out-shot 48-17 in the contest.
Western Michigan took a 1-0 lead 8:37 into the opening period. Mike Erickson was credited with the goal when his centering pass from behind the goal line deflected off of a UW defender's skate and past Elliott.
Wisconsin responded with three goals in the second period. Degenhardt tied the game at one when his shot found its way through Bellissimo at the 6:09 mark. The unassisted goal was Degenhardt's first of the season.
The Badgers took their first lead 10:30 into the second. Earl (Los Angeles) took a pass from Pavelski (Plover, Wis.) in the bottom of the right circle and knocked the puck into an open net. The power-play marker was Earl's ninth of the season and his second game-winning goal on the year.
UW broke the game open with four seconds left in the middle stanza. Pavelski snapped a shot past Bellissimo from the high slot to give Wisconsin a 3-1 lead after two periods. Earl and Tom Gilbert (Bloomington, Minn.) notched assists on Pavelski 's 11th goal of the season.
MacMurchy closed out the scoring at the 7:07 mark of the third with a slap shot from the right point. Kyle Klubertanz (Sun Prairie, Wis.) and Jeff Likens (Barrington, Ill.) assisted on the power-play conversion.
Wisconsin held Western Michigan to one shot in the final period and six shots over the game's final 40 minutes. By contrast, the Badgers fired 33 shots on goal in the final two periods.
UW finished the game 2-for-5 on the power play while Western Michigan was 0-for-3.
Wisconsin will play Northern Michigan in the championship game of the 17th annual Badger Hockey Showdown at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Kohl Center. The Wildcats advanced to the title game by beating Wayne State 6-2 Friday afternoon.
Western Michigan will play Wayne State in the consolation game at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
