MADISON, Wis. -- Playing without a pair of defensemen after a pair of early misconduct penalties, the No. 3-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey program could not overcome the numbers game, falling 4-2 to their former conference rival, No. 17 Wisconsin on Friday night at the Kohl Center.

The two teams combined for 27 penalty minutes in the first period, and No. 3 UMD (1-2-0) took advantage of each of its chances with the man advantage, scoring a pair of power play goals, but the extra chances for the Badgers proved the difference.

No. 17 Wisconsin (2-1-0) scored an even-strength goal just 0:55 into the game courtesy of Cole Caufield. The Bulldogs had a quick answer with Jackson Cates making good on a 4-on-3 advantage to tie things up, assisted by Nick Swaney and Dylan Samberg, just minutes later at 2:55 in the period. UMD killed off the man advantage for Wisconsin after the major penalty, making good on its next chance on the power play with Swaney netting his first of the season, assisted by Samberg and Roth at 13:48. 

The Badgers would draw even once again on their own power play score at 17:19 of the first, this time credited to Linus Weissbach. Wisconsin scored early in the second to retake the lead; Owen Lindmark found the back of the net at 5:56 into the frame. The Bulldogs could not get things going offensively in the second, and the home team took the lead to the locker room. 

The scoring would not end there with the Badgers adding to their lead three times in the third, first with Takek Baker's first of the year at 4:19 before a pair of quick strikes from Lindmark, short-handed at 10:14, and Caufield off a turnover at 12:00.

NOTABLE
Hunter Shepard (1-2-0) made 31 saves in his 84th-consecutive start for the Bulldogs, adding to his program record, while  the Badgers' Daniel Lebedeff (2-1-0) stopped 26-of-28 pucks against UMD … after a hot start, the Bulldogs finished 2-for-4 on the power play while holding the Badgers to a 1-for-4 evening … UMD totalled 34 penalty minutes compared to just 10 for Wisconsin.

UP NEXT
The series continues between the Bulldogs and Badgers on Saturday. Puck drop is set for just after 7 p.m. broadcasting live on Fox Sports North Plus and Fox Sports Wisconsin. The game can also be heard locally on KDAL 610 AM/103.9 FM and streaming live on kdal610.com.

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