The University of Wisconsin men’s hockey season came to an end in crushing fashion after being swept by Michigan in Ann Arbor in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals last Saturday.
The loss makes it two straight seasons and eight of the last nine of no postseason play for the Badgers, ending with a record of 13-23-0. Michigan, with a record of 22-11-3, moves on to play in the tournament semifinals against Notre Dame next weekend.
Here’s how the best-of-three series from Yost Ice Arena went.
Game 1
Game one was a high scoring affair that was about as back-and-forth as you can get, with five lead changes, five ties and a hat trick.
The Badgers turned to junior Kyle McClellan in the first game of the weekend after his fabulous performance in last weekend’s series finale versus Penn State. This week, however, he would match his goal total from the whole of that game within the first 1:29 of this one.
Sophomore Mackie Samoskevich, one of a litany of high draft picks on this Michigan roster, scored on the Wolverines’ first shot of the game to give the home team an early 1–0 lead.
The Badgers would respond, though. The cardinal and white put up two goals to take a 2–1 lead into the break. The first came from junior Sam Stange and the second from junior Mathieu De St. Phalle on a Michigan delayed penalty just 2:20 later.
In the second period, it was Michigan who would score twice in quick succession to regain the lead. New Jersey Devils draft selection Seamus Casey would tie the game and then freshman Adam Fantilli gave Michigan a 3–2 lead.
The teams would each get their power play on the board in the final four minutes. De St. Phalle potted his second of the night with 3:16 to go in the middle frame, but Fantilli would counter with one of his own to give Michigan the 4–3 lead into the second intermission.
With 13:40 to play in the third, De St. Phalle scored again — his first career hat trick with the Badgers and the first by a Badger this year — thanks to a great play behind the goal by freshman Cruz Lucius. Then, just 19 seconds later, captain Dominick Mersch gave UW a 5–4 lead on a breakaway, beating Michigan goaltender Erik Portillo on the low glove side.
Unlike last week versus Penn State, UW’s attempt to hold on to their lead for dear life came painstakingly short. With just 23 seconds left to play, a pinballing puck out front found its way past McClellan and just moments after they had a tying goal taken away, Michigan evened the score again. The goal was credited to Samoskevich — his second of the night.
In overtime, junior Steven Holtz would play hero for Michigan on a seeing-eye shot from the point that just snuck over the shoulder of McClellan, giving Michigan the 6–5 win and a 1–0 series lead.
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Game 2
After an eventful evening which saw the UW team’s hotel lose power, according to announcer Brian Posick on the team’s radio broadcast, the teams returned to the ice for game two.
UW would turn to goalie Jared Moe in this must-win game for their season, and he played well. But, Michigan would still strike first, thanks to freshman Rutger McGroarty, to give the Wolverines another 1–0 lead.
The Badgers would rebound to tie the score in the first period on the power play, which would finish 2-for-9 on the weekend, with Lucius’ first tally of the weekend.
Once UW tied the game at one, Fantilli took over. The freshman, who many have as the second best prospect in the 2023 NHL Draft Class after Canadian Connor Bedard, would score Michigan’s next three goals to give him a hat trick not even halfway through the game. It looked like Michigan was off and running to the semifinals.
But, Wisconsin would not go quietly. De St. Phalle scored two straight UW goals in the middle frame to push UW to a one-goal deficit entering the third period.
Wisconsin would then tie the game thanks to junior Carson Bantle, and it was a whole new hockey game.
It would be 14:31 of game time before someone would score again. Unfortunately, it was Michigan who would score next, thanks to yet another unlikely hero — this time, graduate student Nolan Moyle.
The goal would hold up as the eventual winner after the Wolverines would add two more in the final few minutes to complete the sweep.
Stars of the Weekend
1. Mathieu De St. Phalle
The junior forward did his best to try and carry UW and extend their season. He had five goals on the weekend and three points in each contest to lead the Badgers offense to their best weekend output since Nov. 18-19 versus Lindenwood.
2. Cruz Lucius
The freshman scored a power play goal as part of a three-point weekend to finish as this year’s leading scorer. UW better hope he sticks around for next season.
3. Brock Caufield
The fifth-year senior finishes his career with a three-point weekend and a point in four of his final five games as a Badger.
Up Next
The season comes to a close for UW with questions abound for the offseason — starting with who the next head coach will be. With a solid recruiting class coming in, assuming the new coach can retain most of them, UW should be in position to improve next year just as they did this year.
