Colorado College overcame a three-goal first period deficit, but would never lead as the Tigers earned a 5-5 tie with Wisconsin Friday night at the Colorado Springs World Arena. With the tie, the Tigers’ record went to 18-8-3 (11-7-3 WCHA), while the Badgers moved to 12-13-4 (10-8-3 WCHA).
“I’m sure that was a great game to watch,” said CC head coach Scott Owens. “But it was an awful game to coach. We just came out flat, and they took advantage of that. It is a tie, and we got a point, but it feels like a loss.”
“It was a good effort tonight,” said Wisconsin head coach Jeff Sauer. “It’s a big point for us on the road. We were shorthanded tonight, especially on defense and we pulled together and put a good effort forward. It will be good to get some fresh bodies into the lineup tomorrow night.”
CC came out sloppy and Wisconsin took advantage early, scoring three times before CC could put one on the board. Wisconsin opened the scoring just 1:30 into the game when forward Rene Bourque scored on a one-timer. Forward Alex Leavitt won an offensive zone faceoff to Bourque, who sent off a quick shot to beat CC goaltender Curtis McElhinney.
Wisconsin extended its lead to 2-0 at 7:42 of the period forward David Hukalo beat McElhinney on an outstanding individual effort. Forward Andy Wheeler fed Hukalo a pass in his skates at the CC blue line. Hukalo kicked the puck up to his stick and skated in, faked to draw McElhinney out of the net and then beat him from a low angle.
The Badgers made it 3-0 at 17:20 of the period when forward Matt Hussey fired a wrist shot from just inside the blue line past McElhinney’s outstretched arm. Defensemen Mark Jackson and Andy Wozniewski assisted on the goal. The goal also chased McElhinney as Owens sent goaltender Jeff Sanger into the game.
CC got one goal back in the first period on forward Peter Sejna’s first of three goals. On the power play, forward Mark Cullen got the puck at the half boards, and fed Sejna on the point. Sejna skated in, faked a pass to freeze Wisconsin goaltender Bernd Bruckler, then beat him high on the glove side.
CC made it a one-goal game 3:23 into the second period on Mark Cullen’s first goal of the game. Cullen received a pass from defenseman Mike Stuart in the neutral zone, then entered the Wisconsin zone on the off-wing and wrested a shot past Bruckler.
Wisconsin regained the two-goal lead midway through the period when Kent Davyduke scored on his own rebound. Forward Brad Winchester passed the puck to Davyduke on the doorstep. Davyduke took an initial shot that Sanger stopped, but Davyduke was able to stuff the rebound under him for his eighth goal of the year.
CC made it a 4-3 game four minutes later on Peter Sejna’s second goal. While on the power play, Sejna deflected a point shot from defenseman Tom Preissing through the legs of Bruckler. The Tigers evened up the score at four at 17:26 of the period on Sejna’s third goal. It was also the second goal that Sejna deflected in front. This time he deflected a Mark Cullen point shot for his 19th goal of the season.
Each team added one goal in the third period, both coming on the power play. At 9:43, Badger Mark Jackson scored on a point shot to give Wisconsin a 5-4 lead. However, just 1:15 later, CC evened it up when Mark Cullen scored from the goal line, beating Bruckler high on the glove side just under the post.
CC outshot the Badgers in overtime 4-0, but could not beat Bruckler and the game ended in a 5-5 tie. Bruckler made 50 saves to earn the tie, while Sanger made 13 saves in relief of McElhinney.
Both teams return to action Saturday night when they face off at 7:00 p.m. MST at the Colorado Springs World Arena.
