MADISON, Wis. – Despite lighting the lamp first, the No. 17 Wisconsin men's hockey fell to No. 12 Minnesota in a back-and-forth battle on Friday night at the Kohl Center.
 
The Badgers (14-14-4, 8-10-3-1 Big Ten), who led early, came back from a one-goal deficit early in the third to tie the game, but Minnesota (17-13-1, 8-10-1-1 Big Ten) scored late in the third and added an empty-net score for the conference win.
 
Wisconsin took a 1-0 lead at the 12:45 mark of the first period after junior forward Matthew Freytag caused a turnover at the Minnesota blue line, chipping the puck to senior linemate Matt Ustaski. Ustaski dropped the puck back to Freytag, who one-timed a shot from the circle past Minnesota goaltender Mat Robson.
 
The lead held through the first intermission and into the second period, until Minnesota scored at the 1:56 mark to tie the game at one apiece.
 
The score remained 1-1 until Minnesota took a 2-1 lead in the opening minute of the third stanza.
 
It wasn't long before UW drew even again as Ustaski tallied his own goal at the 2:14 mark after senior Jason Ford backhanded a pass through the top of the crease that Ustaski knocked past Robson.
 
Minnesota took the lead for good in the final five minutes, then added an insurance goal on the empty net for the 4-2 win.
 
Senior goaltender Kyle Hayton made 35 saves for the Badgers.
 
Notes to Know
-Matt Ustaski and Matthew Freytag each tallied a goal and an assist in the loss. It was Ustaski's first multi-point game this season and the third for Freytag. Freytag's last multi-point outing was on Dec. 2 in a 3-2 win at Minnesota.
-Ustaski's goal was his first of the season.
-11,511 fans were in attendance at the Kohl Center, the largest Friday night crowd of the season.
-Both squads went 0-for-4 on the man-advantage, but Wisconsin took 14 power-play shots to Minnesota's eight.
-UW held a 40-39 shot-advantage in the game.
 
Straight From the Rink
Associate Head Coach Mark Osiecki
On it being close game
"The Big Ten right now, the last couple of years playing Minnesota, you know it's going to be tough and you know it's going to be close, and that it'll most likely be a one-goal game. That's the Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry, and that's what we need in college hockey. You knew it was going to come down to that and it did today."
 
On the performance of the power play getting 14 shots and special teams
"Well, certainly look at the other side. Penalty kill did a good job. Power play, you'd like to see a goal scored, but it's not always going to happen. Other team could be outstanding on the kill, their goaltender could be great. I thought he did, I thought Matt (Robson) played well, certainly on the penalty kill for them. He was their leader on the penalty kill. We generated opportunities, but we wanted to bury the puck. You can't get frustrated. I thought our guys got a little bit frustrated by not scoring a goal, but you can't. You just have to use that as a springboard and play the next couple of shifts on your toes."
 
On if there was anything he would change about the second period
"Score a goal. We played well, and I think we played where we wanted to play. Maybe we have to make it a little bit nastier in front of the net, and we have to find a way to bury one in the net. It's going to have to be an ugly one if he's going to play that well. We played well in the second period, and that's how we want to play."
 
On absorbing another loss and coming back the next night
"We've done it all year. We as a staff have a lot of faith in our guys that they'll respond. They may not win again, but they'll respond. I thought our guys played smart, they played within themselves and they were disciplined."
 
On the lines
"It's just one of those games. I thought we had some good looks at the net in a few of those lines. Our fourth line played extremely well. You look at the flip side and at who scored a few goals for Minnesota, and it was one of their go-to guys. He's a shooter, and he somehow finds the back of the net."
 
Junior forward Matthew Freytag
On missed opportunities, especially in the second period
"It's pretty upsetting that none of those chances went in but it's a good thing that we were making those plays. Good things were happening and I think if we stick with the consistency of playing our game like that and dominating teams like that, the bounces will eventually come. Sticking with it is the big part."
 
On offensive performance
"We were getting pucks to the net, and that was our game plan right away. I think we just need to keep getting pucks to the net, getting more shots, getting more guys to the net and taking Robson's eyes away. If you look at those goals we scored, he couldn't see the puck and we were just getting to the net and the hard areas which is good for our team. That's what we've got to get going, that's how we have to score. If we keep doing that more, good things will happen."
 
"I think tonight we did a good job of being energetic and getting pucks right to the zone, but it's just keeping the consistency of playing our game and not letting back. After tonight's game is over, all we can do is be ready for tomorrow and take it to them." 
 
On chippiness of the game:
"As a team we want to stay away from chippiness but we also have to stick up for each other. The refs are going to call whatever they're going to call, but it's just kind of sticking together as a team, and playing for our team and for each other. If things like that start happening, it's just being out there for each other but trying to be smart at the same time."
 
Senior forward Matt Ustaski
On his line's performance
"We were capitalizing on the chances that we got. I think we were hard on their D all night, causing a lot of turnovers. We got some pucks to the net and capitalized when we should have. I thought we had a good game tonight." 
 
Senior goaltender Kyle Hayton
On his performance
"I felt good. I was seeing most everything until that last goal. There were a couple layers of screen on that last one. I couldn't tell you who scored or where he was." 
 
Up Next
The Badgers take on Minnesota on Saturday for the final regular-season home game of the year. The 7 p.m. matchup is sold out but will be televised on Fox Sports Wisconsin Plus and broadcast on WIBA 1310.