Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves acknowledged that the casual observer looking at his team’s winless record through six games could see a lack of success. In the same breath, however, he boasted the Badgers have made significant steps forward over the first three weeks of the college hockey season, despite not notching one in the win column.
On Friday, the Badgers finally got that mark of validation.
Sophomore center Ryan Wagner scored two goals in a 1:52 stretch in the second period, helping Wisconsin erase an early deficit in a four-goal period en route to a 5-1 nonconference victory over Arizona State in front of an announced crowd of 6,665 Friday.
“Coming off last year was tough, not getting many wins,” said Wagner, referring to the team’s 4-26-5 season. “Getting a win is definitely going to boost our team, get us rolling a little bit and a chance to get the sweep tomorrow.”
There’s no getting around the fact that Wisconsin (1-3-3) — which needed 10 games and the calendar to read November 29 before notching its first win last year — is relying on a plethora of newbies. On Friday’s line chart, Wisconsin skated eight freshmen, seven sophomores and only four upperclassmen, but what the group lacks in experience they make up for in resolve.
Three times Wisconsin has come back from a third-period deficit to forge a tie this season, including twice in the final 42 seconds. This comeback wasn’t quite as dramatic, but nonetheless important.
Down 1-0 after a goal 12 seconds into the second period, Wisconsin got three goals in the next 7:18, including a pair from Wagner when he finished off a feed from sophomore winger Jason Ford and cleaned up a loose puck on a power play in front of Sun Devils freshman goalie Ryland Pashovitz (51 saves).
It was the first of two goals on six chances for UW on the man advantage — the third straight game executing on special teams.
“The man advantage has been pretty good for us all season,” said Eaves, as UW is now 8-for-33 (24.2 percent) on the power play. “We’re creating chances, we’re running the zone well, we’re recovering pucks. With a third of the game being a specialty team game, it’s good to have that thing going.”
For a team looking for baby steps, Wisconsin got goals from four different players, points from five others, and saw its top line of junior Grant Besse, sophomore Cameron Hughes, and freshman Luke Kunin finish with two goals and three assists.
“I think we’re happy when we’re just creating those chances,” said Hughes, who capped the second-period scoring with a successful penalty shot, the first one he made that he could remember. “Creating those chances, eventually they are going to go in. A couple games we weren’t getting anything, but the chances were still there. It’s a good sign and nice to get a few.”
Arizona State (3-5-0, 1-5-0 against Division 1 foes) touts 15 freshmen, but a number of them have experience at lower levels. Throw in the fact the Sun Devils have multiple transfers from high-level NCAA programs and it’s understandable why Eaves called them “an older, grizzled team” earlier in the week.
So when freshman winger Jordan Masters chipped in the loose puck early into the second frame, a small sense of belief started to creep in. The feelings were obviously short-lived, with Besse scoring 48 seconds later to open the scoring binge and the Sun Devils struggling to generate offense with four penalties in the second period, two leading directly to goals.
“We strung together some pretty good play five-on-five; we’re just not good enough,” said Arizona State coach Greg Powers, whose team was penalized nine times for 19 minutes. “We’re not talented enough to parade to the box. We have a young team that takes penalties that they shouldn’t, and it has to be shored up. And if it doesn’t get shored up soon, we’re not going to win any time soon.”
Making his fifth start in goal and his fourth straight, freshman goalie Matt Jurusik didn’t face many shots (18 saves), but won’t make any apologizes for his first collegiate win.
“The comfort level has been growing this whole season, but it’s nice to get the first win under my belt,” said Jurusik. “Hopefully there is a lot to come.”
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