The Wisconsin Badgers hockey team began their post-season campaign in Ann Arbor yesterday. The best-of-three quarterfinal series against the Michigan Wolverines hockey team got off to a tough start. It was certainly a tough fight, but the Badgers could not hold onto the lead in overtime and lost 6-5.
Wisconsin Badgers Hockey Still Alive After Game One Loss
The Badgers opened the game by allowing a goal on Michigan’s first shot. Following the goal, Michigan allowed three straight power plays because of minors for slashing, cross checking, and high sticking. Despite the power plays, only four of the Badgers 12 first period shots came during the plays. The Badgers responded two goals in the first period, the first coming from Sam Stange seven minutes into the period. A minute later, Mathieu De St. Phalle notched a goal to give the Badgers a 2-1 lead halfway through the first.
The second period opened rather slowly until Michigan began shooting away at the goal. Two quick back-to-back goals to bring the score to 3-2, Wolverines, half way through the second period. Dylan Duke of the Michigan Wolverines hockey team received a major and a game misconduct for contacting a Badgers player in the head. The Wisconsin Badgers hockey team made quick work of the power play, taking three shots as Mathieu De St. Phalle scored his second goal of the game. The Badgers brought the score back to three each before the end of the second period.
Matty with the hatty! https://t.co/gPIN9iJ85a
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) March 4, 2023
Wisconsin was not able to get out of the second period as easily as they hoped. Zach Urdahl received a minor after he hit a Michigan player in the back. The Wolverines made quick work of the power play, scoring twenty seconds in on their first and only power play shot of the game. Heading into the third period down a goal, the Badgers needed to create something special to win. After a beautiful pass from Cruz Lucius, Mathieu De St. Phalle netted his third goal of the game, giving himself the hat trick and the Badgers a tie game once again.
After less than twenty seconds, Zach Urdahl assisted Dominick Mersch to give the Wisconsin Badgers hockey team the lead in the third period. The Badgers did an excellent job holding off the Michigan Wolverines until the final few seconds. Mackie Samoskevich scored his second goal for the Michigan Wolverines to tie the game at five and bring on overtime. The overtime period produced great hockey as the Badgers limited the Wolverines to seven shots. Unfortunately, the push from the Wisconsin Badgers hockey team was not enough, and the Wolverines walked away with the 6-5 overtime win following a goal from Steven Holtz.
The season is not over yet for the Badgers, who still have another chance tonight to keep their season alive. A win tonight will even the series at one and force a game three on Sunday. It is win or go home now for the Wisconsin Badgers hockey team, and hopefully they are able to keep fighting.
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