ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Wisconsin earned a signature early-season victory with a 4-2 win at No. 2 Michigan on Friday at Yost Ice Arena for its first Big Ten win on the season. ;
The Badgers (3-5-0, 1-1-0 Big Ten) broke out on offense after getting shutout last night, on their second stab at the Wolverines (6-2-0, 1-1-0 Big Ten).
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The Badgers struck first thanks to a goal from freshman forward Caden Brown at 3:12 in the first period. Sophomore Sam Stange won a puck battle along the boards in the Badger's zone and hit Brown with a pass coming through the neutral zone. Brown used his sharp speed to beat the Michigan defenders and cut to the net, slipping the puck past Michigan goaltender Erik Portillo. Freshman Liam Malmquist claimed the secondary assist for his first point as a Badger.
📽️: This kid's got speed! Brown slips it past Portillo for a 1-0 lead!
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey)
🍎: Stange
Michigan received the first power-play opportunity of the game in the final minutes of the first period, but the Badgers successfully held them off to head into the second period with their 1-0 lead intact.
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Wisconsin kept the pressure on in the second period. With under two minutes remaining in the period, captain Tarek Baker scored to make it 2-0. The senior forward pressured a Michigan player as he tried to clear the puck in front of their net but Baker blocked the pass and tapped it in for his second goal of the season.
Goaltender Cameron Rowe stayed solid in net, backstopping two scoreless periods to help fuel the Badgers.
📽️: Rowe makes the save(s)!
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey)
Michigan scored on the power-play at 4:45 in the third period to make it a one-goal game. Thomas Bordeleau and Brendan Brisson passed along the perimeter before finding Kent Johnson on the edge of the crease. Johnson flipped the puck over Rowe's shoulder to make it 2-1.
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Max Johnson quickly restored Wisconsin's two-goal lead, tapping in a rebound out in front of Michigan's net. Stange and Brown notched assists on the play.
Michigan continued to nip at the Badger's heels, scoring at the 10-minute mark to make it 3-2. Mackie Samoskevich netted the Wolverines goal, assisted by Jimmy Lambert and Erik Portillo.
📽️: Johnson on the rebound!
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey)
Michigan pulled their goalie with under two minutes remaining on the clock and Brock Caufield took advantage of the empty net, solidifying Wisconsin's 4-2 win.
Rowe made 32 saves on the night to split the series with Michigan.
