Box Score Dec. 5, 2009
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MADISON, Wis.-The UW men's hockey team (10-5-1, 7-4-1 WCHA) completed its sweep of the Michigan Tech Huskies (3-11-0, 2-10-0 WCHA) Saturday night in the Kohl Center. Junior defenseman Brendan Smith (Mimico, Ontario) registered two goals and an assist in the game, giving him seven points on the weekend. Sophomore forward Derek Stepan (Hastings, MInn.) tallied three assists in the team's victory tonight, as well.
After a scoreless opening 14 minutes of the first period, the Badgers were able to tally the game's first goal. Following a major penalty by Husky defenseman Mikael Lickteig, the Badgers were on the power-play. Skating with a five-on-four advantage, Stepan was able to find a wide open Brendan Smith standing in the middle of the MTU defense for the one-timer. Smith's goal was his sixth of the season. Senior Michael Davies (St. Louis) had the secondary assist on the play.
Less than 30 seconds later, senior John Mitchell (Neenah, Wis.) was able to cash in his third goal of the season. Senior tri-captain Ben Street (Coquitlam, British Columbia) controlled the puck behind the MTU goal and found Mitchell standing just outside the crease. Mitchell finished top shelf, putting the Badgers up, 2-0, late in the first period. Freshman Craig Smith (Madison, Wis.) contributed the secondary assist on the score.
However, the Badgers kept taking advantage of the power-play, as Brendan Smith recorded his second goal of the game with 21 seconds remaining in the first. It was a mirror of the sequence of events of his first goal. Now on a five-to-three advantage, though this time Stepan found Smith at the point for the score. Davies, again, set up the action by tallying the secondary assist on the score that put the Badgers up 3-0.
Less than three minutes into the second, John Mitchell scored his second goal of the game. On the power-play, Brendan Smith started the scoring sequence by finding Craig Smith right in front of the Badger bench. He forwarded the puck to Mitchell, who was positioned just past mid-ice. Mitchell charged at the Husky goaltender and was able to notch a goal from right between the faceoff circles. The Badgers were now four-for-six on the power-play and leading, 4-0.
Wisconsin added to the lead roughly five minutes into the final period. Stepan distributed his third assist of the game, this time to Michael Davies, who scored his fifth goal of the year. Stepan's pass across the front of the net found Davies, who was nestled in behind the MTU defense. Davies smacked home the one-time to put the Badgers up, 5-0. Freshman Derek Lee (North Vancouver, British Columbia) was credited with the secondary assist on the goal.
With 7:28 remaining in the final period, Wisconsin added to its lead. Senior Andy Bohmbach (Hudson, Wis.) maneuvered his way behind the Husky defense, and junior forward Sean Dolan (St. Louis) was able to direct a pass through a crowd of defenders to find Bohmbach who put UW up, 6-0. Senior forward Ben Grotting (Birmingham, Ala.) contributed his third assist of the season on the play as well.
This was the final goal of the game, as UW completed its shutout, 6-0. The Badgers outshot the Huskies, 40-15, in the contest.
Junior Scott Gudmandson (Sherwood Park, Alberta) was back in the net for UW and halted all 15 MTU shots en route the Badgers' first shutout of the season. This was his second career shutout, with his first coming in a Wisconsin, 6-0, victory last season over the same Michigan Tech squad. His record climbed to 4-2-1 on the year. MTU goaltender Kevin Genoe took in the loss by stopping 35 Badger shots, as his record fell to 2-6-0 on the season.
The Badgers get right back into the action next weekend, as the team heads west for a crucial WCHA showdown against No. 3 North Dakota. The puck will drop at 7:30 p.m. Friday night and 7 p.m. Saturday night.
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Brady Hartung, UW Athletic Communications
