[media-credit name=’JAKE NAUGHTON/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]

When Wisconsin found itself trailing 2-1 midway through the third period, head coach Mike Eaves sent his top line out onto the ice. It came through with a tally ? just not from the likeliest of sources.

UW?s leading scorer Kyle Turris was quiet for much of the first three periods. This came a night after he scored a goal that made ESPN?s Top 10 Plays and notched an assist in the Badgers? 3-1 win. Instead, it was sophomore Aaron Bendickson, with the help of his teammates Patrick Johnson and Jaime McBain, who guided Wisconsin to a 2-2 tie and another point in an ever-important series against rival Minnesota.

Accustomed to playing on Eaves? third or fourth line for much of the season, Bendickson was moved up to skate alongside Johnson and Turris midway through the game.

?Whoever I play with, I have to do what I can do and control what I can control,? Bendickson said, not hiding that he relished the chance to play on the top line. ?Given an opportunity like that, I need to help out anyway I can.?

Sophomore Blake Geoffrion got the start, but it soon became evident, according to Eaves, that he just didn?t have the resolve or energy to play at that level.

Bendickson did.

?Bendy had real good energy tonight, and I think that Blake looked like he hit the wall a little bit,? Eaves said. ?God bless his soul, he was trying. He just didn?t have it in the tank tonight.?

The decision, as it turned out, led to positive results. Right away Bendickson provided a spark and, with 8:24 left in the third period, a goal.

Wisconsin was controlling the puck in its own offensive zone when a pass skipped out to McBain on the near point. Originally, the sophomore defenseman wanted to fake the shot and run around Minnesota forward Jay Barriball, who was closing out on the play. However, Barriball recognized McBain?s intentions and bodied him up. A wrestling match of sorts ensued.

?It was like a tug-of-war of who was going to gain possession of the puck,? Eaves said of the play.

All the while, the puck remained there for the taking. Johnson quickly skated over and took advantage of the moment of confusion by firing a quick shot on net.

?I just tried to make sure I kept Barriball away from it so Patty could come in, pick up the loose puck and take the shot,? McBain said.

Already screening Minnesota?s goaltender Alex Kangas, Bendickson got his stick on the shot and redirected it into the net.

The goal marked the sixth time this season the Badgers have come back to win or tie when trailing heading into the third period. It?s also the third time in the last three games that the team has come back from a two-goal deficit to tie, having done so twice in last weekend?s tie with Alaska-Anchorage.

For Eaves, however, this one meant a little bit more. Not only from the standpoint that the game and series had serious WCHA and NCAA implications, but for the simple reason that his team fought through being tired to come away with a point.

?I think they were spent in a lot of ways physically, but the lesson that was available (Saturday) was the fact that it doesn?t matter,? Eaves said. ?We were tired, we had traveled, we were beat up a little bit, but it?s interesting in the third period that we went to another level as a team because they pushed through and got it done.?