UW 5, Michigan 2: Offense heats up when it matters most

MADISON - A three-goal outburst in the final period carried the Wisconsin hockey team to a 5-2 win over Michigan on Friday night at the Kohl Center.

The Badgers (16-10-1, 9-4-0-0 Big Ten) entered the final period with a 2-1 lead, but the Wolverines (9-15-3, 2-9-2-2) tied it at 8:48 of the period on a goal from Evan Allen.

It didn’t take long for UW to regain the lead as Trent Frederic scored his second goal of the game, his 12th of the season.

The goal was set up when Corbin McGuire intercepted a clearing pass and got the puck to Luke Kunin along the right boards. Kunin then sent a pass to Frederic, who was planted in front of the Michigan net and sent a one-timer past Wolverines netminder Jack LaFontaine at 10:23 of the period.

The Badgers widened their lead to 4-2 when Aidan Cavallini was working the puck along the back boards and he sent a backhand pass to Jarod Zirbel to the left of Michigan’s net. Zirbel beat LaFontaine over the right shoulder at the 17:43 mark for his first goal of the season.

It took just 18 seconds for the Badgers to put the game out of reach as Seamus Malone, who was unmarked at the top of the crease, took a pass from McGuire and buried it in the Wolverines’ net.

Michigan 0 1 1 — 2 
Wisconsin 1 1 3 — 5

First period — 1, UW, Frederic (Linhart, Tischke), 10:53. Penalties — UM, Boka (tripping), 16:52.

Second period — 2, UM, Marody (Slaker, Piazza), 1:00 (PP); 3, UW, Hughes (Kunin, Ustaski), 12:06 (PP). Penalties — UW, TEAM (too many players on ice), :39; UM, Boka (high-sticking), 8:11; UM, Luce (holding), 10:57.

Third period — 4, UM, Allen (Winborg), 8:48; 5, UW, Frederic (Kunin, McGuire), 10:23; 6, UW, Zirbel (Cavallini, Greenway), 17:43; 7, UW, Malone (McGuire, Besse), 18:01. Penalties — UW, Hurley (playing with a broken stick), 2:04; UM, Martin (roughing atw), 18:41; UW, Cavallini (roughing atw), 18:41; UW, Ustaski (playing with a broken stick), 19:22.

SAVES

LaFontaine, UM 10 10 6 — 26 
Berry, UW 9 8 8 — 25

Shots — UM 9-9-9—27; UW 11-11-9—31. Penalties / minutes — UM 4 for 8; UW 4 for 8. Power plays — UM 1 for 3; UW 1 for 3. A — 9,274. T — 2:17.