Senior netminder Brian Foster stopped a career-high 47 shots on Friday night, but it was not enough as the UNH men’s ice hockey team was swept by No. 19 Wisconsin, 4-1 and 6-1, in a two-game series at the Kohl Center in Madison Wis.
The Wildcats move to 2-4-1 overall record, while Wisconsin improved to 3-2-1 overall. UNH is now 0-3-0 on the road this season.
In Friday’s game, the Badgers controlled the majority of play in a scoreless first period, outshooting the Wildcats 18-5.
The period also included a five-minute penalty kill by UNH, which was interrupted by a Badger penalty.
Wisconsin broke the scoreless deadlock with an even-strength goal at 5:43 as John Ramage scored on a one-time slap shot from the right point that beat Foster.
The tally was assisted by Aaron Bendickson, who won the faceoff in the offensive zone and passed back to Ramage.
The Badgers extended its lead to 2-0 as John Mitchell scored at 12:47 with assists from Ben Street and Cody Goloubef.
Wisconsin was on the power play when the Wildcats broke into the scoring column, as Peter LeBlanc stole the puck on the kill at the top of the blue line and starting a rare 2-0 shorthanded opportunity that ended with LeBlanc beating Badgers netminder Brett Bennett for the short-handed tally at 14:03.
The Badgers held a 37-9 advantage through two periods, but were 0-5 in power play opportunities and allowed one UNH short-handed tally.
The Badgers regained its two-goal advantage at 5:22 of the third when Jake Gardiner scored on a shot that was deflected in off a Wildcat defender. The goal was aided by Ryan McDonagh and Michael Davies.
Wisconsin added to its lead with a four-on-four goal at 9:15 of the third as Derek Stepan scored on a one-time shot from the right circle that was assisted by Brendan Smith.
Foster, whose previous career-high was a 41-save performance at Providence (11/19/07), notched double-figure saves in all three periods including 18 in the opening stanza. He moved to 2-3-1, while Bennett turned away 12 shots and improved to 2-1-0.
The Wildcats limited the Badgers to 0-6 on the power play including a short-handed goal, while UNH was 0-3 on the power play.
In Saturday’s game, the Badgers scored three goals in a three-minute stretch in the second period to put the game out of reach.
The three-goal second period included a pair from Jordy Murray.
Murray broke the scoreless deadlock at 2:54 with a power-play tally on a redirect of a Ryan McDonagh shot from the left point.
Ben Grotting scored his first goal of the season just under two minutes later, off assists from Sean Dolan and Smith.
Murray potted his second in three minutes intercepting a pass in the offensive zone and scoring an unassisted goal at 5:54.
Wisconsin held a 16-6 shot advantage in the second.
Ramage and Dolan scored even-strength goals at 7:18 and 12:56, respectively to extend the lead to 5-0.
The Wildcats got on the board at 15:07 of the second as Mike Borisenok collected a pass from Greg Burke and drove into the offensive zone. His initial shot was stopped by Badger netminder Scott Gudmandson, but Stevie Moses was on the doorstep to knock in the rebound.
Wisconsin’s Michael Davies netted the Badgers’ sixth goal and closed out the scoring at 18:21.
In a scoreless first period, the Badgers held a 13-7 shot advantage. The Wildcats had three power play opportunities, while Wisconsin had one.
Wisconsin was 1-2 on the power play, while the Wildcats were 0-5 with the advantage. However, the Badgers held a 44-22 shot advantage.
Senior netminder Brian Foster turned away 30 shots and allowed four goals in his 47:16 of ice time, while his replacement Matt DiGirolamo allowed a pair of goals and stopped eight shots in his 12:42 in net for UNH.
Gudmandson recorded 21 saves and improved to 1-1-1 on the season for Wisconsin.
UNH returns home on Saturday at 7 p.m. against Hockey East foe Boston College.
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