3 things that stood out as Wisconsin men’s hockey return to TIE No. 10 Michigan – Madison.com

Because as improved as the Badgers’ play has been from a 2-8 start to the season, they haven’t been able to string together more than three wins.

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They rallied from a two-goal deficit in the second period and scored late to earn a 4-4 tie with No. 10 Michigan on Saturday. But that didn’t even bring them back for the season.

The Wolverines got the extra point in the shootout with Michael Hage scoring the only goal of the third round.

Michigan’s field goal midway through the third period went off the skate of Wisconsin defenseman Ben Dexheimer, but he made up for it later with a tying score.

Evan Werner followed after initially being denied by Badgers goaltender Tommy Scarfone in the left post and fired a shot past the skates of Wisconsin defensemen Zach Schultz and Dexheimer for a 4-3 lead with 11:36 remaining.

But Dexheimer got the final touch in front of the Michigan net on a bouncing puck with 3:41 left. It was his first goal of the season; Three defensemen have earned that designation in the last four games.

The Badgers (11-12-3, 6-9-1 Big Ten, 24 points) allowed three goals in the first period for the first time since a 6-1 loss at Denver on Oct. 26. But they rallied from a 3-1 deficit after the first period with goals from Quinn Finley and Christian Fitzgerald in the second.

Finley, Wisconsin’s leading scorer, returned to the lineup on the night after leaving with what appeared to be a serious upper-body injury. Michigan forward Phillip Lapointe threw him down the ice and landed on him in the first period, and Finley went directly to the locker room.

3 things that stood out in Wisconsin hockey’s rally to beat No. 10 Michigan

The sophomore left winger didn’t look limited Saturday and threw a check on the boards seven minutes into the first period. But he and the rest of Wisconsin’s top line were on the ice for the second and third goals the Wolverines (14-10-2, 8-7-1, 22 points) scored in the opening 20 minutes.

Things turned around in the second period when he started a rally with a goal off a long pass up the ice from Anthony Kehr to cut Michigan’s lead to 3-2. It was Finley’s 19th goal of the season, one behind NCAA leader Isaac Howard of Michigan State.

Wisconsin’s Tyson Dyke had one of his best performances of the season, with a first-period goal and a second-period assist for his first two-point game in 49 outings.

Dyck won a faceoff that led to his goal from the slot after Fitzgerald was kicked out of the circle. And his effort to get the puck into the net and around Michigan goalie Logan Stein in the second period set up Fitzgerald for a touchdown to make it 3-3.

DYCK’s only other two-point game in two seasons with the Badgers also came against Michigan, on Nov. 3, 2023.

William Gramm stopped just one of four shots that came his way in his first start since Nov. 9, when he played his second straight game against Minnesota in place of the injury.

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Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings lifted Scarfone from Friday’s game after he allowed four goals on 14 shots in just under 31 minutes. Gramm stopped all eight shots he faced from the Wolverines on Friday.

But he gave up three goals in 12:13 Saturday and Hastings made a change for the second night in a row. Scarfone turned back.

No. 3: Michael Hage, Michigan. He had the lone goal in the Wolverines Shootout win, which could prove big for the final standings.

#2: TJ Hughes, Michigan. He scored the Wolverines’ three goals in the first period.

#1: Tyson Dyke, Wisconsin. He had a goal and an assist for the Badgers.