Wisconsin falls at No. 1 Denver
Morrissey, Mosley pick up two-point nights
DENVER – Goals from Gavin Morrissey and Quinn Finley weren’t enough as the Wisconsin men’s hockey team fell, 4-2, at No. 1 Denver on Friday night at Magness Arena.
Playing in Denver for the first time since 2016 against its longtime WCHA rival, Wisconsin (1-4-0, 0-2-0 Big Ten) lit the lamp early in the first period on a goal from Gavin Morrissey, but Denver (5-0-0, 0-0-0 NCHC) quickly responded to tie the game at one. Each team traded goals again, with Quinn Finley scoring for Wisconsin, to head into the second period tied at two. Denver tallied the go-ahead goal 7:35 into the third period before adding an empty-net goal with 1:49 remaining to emerge victorious, 4-2.
How it Happened
Freshman forward Gavin Morrissey got the Badgers on the board first 4:12 into the contest. Tied up with a Denver player, graduate student forward Ryland Mosley skated with the puck around the offensive zone. Before the DU player could gain possession, Morrissey quickly skated over and poked the puck to himself. The freshman then skated in front of the net and let a wrist shot fly to put home his second goal of the season.
Denver tied it up with 12:50 left in the period on a shot from Eric Pohlkamp.
Three minutes and four seconds later, sophomore forward Quinn Finley gave Wisconsin its lead back. Morrissey picked the puck away from a DU player to Mosley, who passed to Finley in front of the Pioneer net. Finley slowly skated in front of DU goaltender Matt Davis before flicking a backhand shot past him to make it 2-1, Badgers.
To cap off a combined four-goal first period, the Pioneers tied it up again with 2:28 remaining on a power-play goal from Sam Harris.
The second period was quiet on the scoresheet, with neither team finding the back of the net. Each team had three power-play opportunities in the second, but no one was able to convert on any scoring chances to pull ahead.
The Pioneers made it 3-2, 7:35 into the third period after Cale Ashcroft beat UW senior goaltender Tommy Scarfone.
DU added an empty-net goal with 1:49 remaining to win, 4-2.
Wisconsin went 0-for-6 on the power play and 5-for-6 on the penalty kill. UW finished the contest with a 33-25 advantage in shots on goal.
Notes to know:
– The Badgers continue to dominate in the faceoff circle, winning 50.7 percent of faceoffs tonight. Through four games this season, UW has won 59.2 percent of faceoffs (168 wins in 284 attempts)
– So far this season, Wisconsin has outshot its opponents 181-104, including a 57-32 advantage in shots made in the third period
Up Next: The Badgers continue their series against top-ranked Denver on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. CT. The contest streams on NCHC.tv. Audio play-by-play airs on 1070 The Game, the Badgers app and The Varsity Network app. Follow along on X/Twitter and Instagram @BadgerMHockey.