Box Score Jan. 3, 2010
Box Score | Quotes | Box Score | News Conference | Game Highlights
MADISON, Wis.--The Wisconsin men's hockey team (12-5-3, 8-4-2 WCHA) won the championship game of the Badger Hockey Showdown against the Yale Bulldogs (8-3-3, 4-1-2 ECAC) Sunday night in the Kohl Center. The game was tied through three periods and overtime, and it took a shootout to determine the winner. The Badgers saw three goals (two in regulation, one in the shootout) by senior forward Michael Davies (St. Louis) to help solidify the title.
Yale got on the board first 3:08 into the contest when freshman center Andrew Miller slid the puck past an outstretched Badger goaltender Scott Gudmandson (Sherwood Park, Alberta). This gave Yale the early advantage, 1-0.
This would be all the scoring the first period would see. The Bulldogs also led the Badgers in shots-on-goal in the period, outshooting Wisconsin, 14-7.
The Badgers tied the matchup just 2:26 into the second, when junior defenseman Brendan Smith (Mimico, Ontario) found Davies for his seventh goal of the season. Four Badgers charged the Yale defense, and Smith slid a pass to Davies just outside the crease. From there, Davies' top-shelf wrister was too hot for Yale goaltender Nick Maricic to stop, and UW tied the game at one a piece.
Wisconsin took its first lead of the game with 5:49 left in the second. Davies was at it again, this time on the UW power play. Taking a pass near the blue line, Davies drove around a defender, towards the goal and then backhanded a shot that found the far side of the net. Freshman Derek Lee (North Vancouver, British Columbia) notched his eighth assist of the season on the scoring sequence. This put The Badgers on top, 2-1, heading into the final period. The Bulldogs still edged UW, 21-17, in shots-on-goal.
Late in the final period, Yale tied things back up with just under three minutes to go in the game. Sophomore forward Brian O'Neill found the back of the net for the Bulldogs, knotting things at two on a power-play goal.
This is what the scoreboard would read at the end of regulation. Heading into the five-minute overtime period, Yale was outshooting Wisconsin, 39-20.
The overtime period went scoreless, with the teams tied in shots-on-goal in the extra period, 3-3. Since this is a tournament, a shootout followed to determine the Badger Hockey Showdown Championship. However, the game went down in the books as a tie.
Yale shot first in the shootout, and Gudmandson denied the goal. Next up was Davies for UW.
Davies handled the puck deep enough into the crease to get Maricic out of position. Davies lifted the puck behind the goaltender, putting UW up, 1-0, in the shootout period.
Gudmandson stopped the next Yale shot, but Brendan Smith's shot was denied as well.
When the third and final Bulldog made his goal, the pressure was on senior tri-captain Blake Geoffrion (Brentwood, Tenn.) to secure the Badger victory.
Charging the goaltender, Geoffrion crossed over right in front of Maricic, getting him out of position just enough to win the tournament for UW. His left-handed shot smacked the back of the net, winning the championship for the Badgers.
Gudmandson's record went to 6-2-3 on the year, after he stopped 40 Bulldog tries. Maricic's record changed to 3-1-2 on the year, as he stopped 20 Badger shots.
In earlier action in the Badger Hockey Showdown, Ferris State topped Merrimack, 5-1, in the third-place game.
The all-tournament team consisted of three Badgers, with Michael Davies being crowned the Showdown's MVP. At forward, Ferris State's Blair Riley, Wisconsin's Michael Davies, and Yale's Sean Backman secured positions on the all-tournament team. On defense, Yale's Thomas Dignard and Wisconsin's Justin Schultz (West Kelowna, British Columbia) were represented. Scott Gudmandson was the tournament's top goaltender.
UW gets back on the ice next Saturday evening, as it welcomes the U.S.-Under 18 team into the Kohl Center for an exhibition contest. The game is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m.
-----------------------------------
Brady Hartung, UW Athletic Communications
