[media-credit name=’AJ Maclean’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]With stiffer competition on the horizon, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (4-0-0, 2-0-0 WCHA) took care of business against perennial cellar dweller Michigan Tech (0-4-0, 0-4-0 WCHA), sweeping the weekend series. After going down 2-0 after the first period of Friday night’s game, the Badgers came back and out-scored the Huskies 10-1 throughout the rest of the weekend, with a 7-3 victory Friday and a 3-0 win Saturday. With defending national champions Denver coming to the Kohl Center next weekend, followed by series with Minnesota and North Dakota, the sweep was an important boost for a young Wisconsin team.

“It’s important that our young guys get confidence,” head coach Mike Eaves said. “They come out of these last two series with confidence, and as we get prepared to play this next group of teams they have that confidence within their skill set.”

Freshman Joe Pavelski showed that his confidence is high as he assisted on the first goal of the night and scored the second to lead the Badgers past the Huskies 3-0 Saturday.

Wisconsin came out with fire in the first period, unleashing 19 shots on goal. Two of those shots found their mark as Jeff Likens and Pavelski staked the Badgers to a 2-0 lead after one period of play.

Likens goal came just 6:40 into the game as he slid down from his defensive position to receive a pass from Matt Auffrey for an easy tap-in goal. The power-play effort was Likens’ first goal of the year. Pavelski was also credited with an assist on the play.

Just under three minutes later, Pavelski notched his third goal of the year when Robbie Earl drew the defense to himself with some fancy stick work before centering the puck to Pavelski. With Huskie goalie Bryce Luker out of position Pavelski’s fluttering shot still found the back of the net.

“[Our line] likes to score on the rush,” Earl said. “We get our chances off our speed and creativity.”

The two first period goals were more than enough for sophomore netminder Brian Elliott who shut the door on Michigan Tech, recording his second straight shutout. With the Huskies managing just 13 shots on goal, the Badger defense took much of the pressure off of Elliott.

“I think it was a team shutout and not my shutout,” Elliott said. “I think Tommy Gilbert had more saves than I did because he blocked so many shots.”

With All-American Bernd Brückler on the roster, Elliott’s chances may be few and far between. However, a shutout performance last weekend against Mercyhurst got Elliot another start this weekend.

“Based on his performance last weekend, we thought he played well enough that he deserved another shot in goal,” Eaves said.

Elliott wasn’t tested often during the game, but he was able to come up with two crucial saves.

With four seconds left in the first period Elliott preserved the lead with a great glove save on a long blast by Lars Helminen.

In the second period, Elliot came up even bigger stretching out as far as he could to deflect a one-timer shot off a great centering pass. The highlight reel save was the last tough save for Elliott who would only face one shot in the entire third period.

The final Badger goal was scored by junior Ryan MacMurchy, the first of the year for Wisconsin’s top returning scorer.

Friday night’s game was eerily similar to the Friday night affair with Mercyhurst last weekend, as Wisconsin again gave up two fist period goals, only to come back and secure the victory 7-3.

Down 0-2, Wisconsin came out strong to start the second period and the results were immediately felt as Nick Licari cashed in a rebound chance just 12 seconds into the period. Just 1:18 later the Badgers tied the game on a Kyle Klubertanz goal.

The Badgers first goal came when Carlson tried to score a wrap-around goal but was stopped by Huskie netminder Cam Ellsworth. The puck bounced loose and fell to Licari in front of the goal who flipped it into the back of the net for his first goal of the season.

That line continued to pile on the pressure and forced a Michigan Tech penalty that would lead to Wisconsin’s second goal.

On the ensuing power play, Earl took a pass from Likens and then kept cycling the puck around to Klubertanz who blasted a one-timer for his first collegiate goal.

A.J. Degenhardt scored a wrap-around goal at 13:16 of the period to give Wisconsin the lead 3-2, a lead it would never relinquish.

Four minutes later Adam Burish got a short-handed goal ripping a shot over the glove hand of the Michigan Tech goalie after receiving a pass on the 2-on-1 break from Licari. The goal put the Badgers up 4-2, and put them in the driver’s seat for the rest of the game.

The Huskies got one back 38 seconds from the end of the period when Lars Helminen’s shot through traffic beat Brückler to tighten the score heading into the third period.

In that third period Wisconsin’s stamina proved too much for Michigan Tech as the Badgers would wrap up the win with three more goals. Pavelski had a power-play goal while Earl and Dowell each scored even strength goals late in the period to seal the victory.

“The third period proved to be one of our better periods because of what we do away from the rink,” Eaves said.

To start the game Wisconsin dug itself a hole, giving up two first period goals despite controlling much of the play. It was a frustrating start for the Badgers who should have had a comfortable lead after out shooting the Huskies 17-8.
“We were down 2-0, but we out chanced them 2-to-1,” Eaves said.

The first Michigan Tech goal came on a bit of a fluke play as Colin Murphy’s slap shot deflected off of Dowell right to Jordan Foote on the backside of the net. Foote was able to get a stick on the puck and deflect it past UW goalie Bernd Brückler.

“Their first goal was bing-bang, off two sticks and into the goal and you really can’t stop that,” Tom Gilbert said.

Gilbert was involved in the second goal, as he lost the puck at the Tech blueline only to have Chris Conner pick up the puck and skate the length of the ice creating an odd-man rush. Conner dumped the puck off to Brandon Schwartz who finished the short-handed chance off for his second goal of the year.

While the scoreboard didn’t show it, Earl claims that the games against Michigan Tech can be harder than games against some of the conference’s best, because of the difficultly preparing mentally for the game.

“You can’t take Michigan Tech lightly because they are the kind of team that can destroy your chances of winning a WCHA championship,” Earl said. “These games are the hardest games because they’re harder to get up for.”