By Virg Foss
GRAND FORKS, N.D.--University of North Dakota senior captain Ryan Duncan (Calgary, Alberta) takes the role of team leader seriously.
So it wasn't surprising that he took on the blame tonight after the Sioux squandered a 2-0 lead after two periods in a 5-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association setback to the Wisconsin Badgers.
Duncan had a great individual effort to score a shorthanded goal to give the Sioux a 1-0 lead halfway through the game and he led his team in shots on goal with seven.
But coughing up five goals in the final period didn't sit well with Duncan or coach Dave Hakstol as the Badgers (1-6-1 overall) won for the first time this season.
"I think the second half of the game they outplayed us and won most of the one-on-one battles,'' Duncan said. "That turned us taking long shifts and taking some penalties at crucial times.''
Freshman forward Jason Gregoire (Winnipeg,Manitoba) extended UND's lead to 2-0 when he sniped a high wrist shot short side on Badger goalie Shane Connelly (31 saves) from an extreme angle to Connelly's left. It was the second goal in two nights for Gregoire.
But late in the second period, defensemen Zach Jones (Lisle, Ill.) and Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) took back-to- back minor penalties sending the Badgers on a 5-on-3 power play that carried over to the third period.
That's when it went downhill fast for the Sioux. Thirty seconds after the penalty to Jones had expired, Derek Stepan scored on a power-play rebound on a scramble just 56 seconds into the third period.
Wisconsin followed with another power-play goal at 1:48 by Blake Geoffrion after an interference call on Sioux rookie defenseman Corey Finehage (Apple Valley, Minn.).
Tom Gorowsky capped a flurry of three Badger goals on three shots in a span of 81 seconds when he finished a 2-on-1 rush at 2:17, giving the Badgers their first lead at 3-2.
A breakaway goal by Gorowsky at 13:42 and an empty-netter by Geoffrion at 17:41 closed the scoring and dropped the Sioux to 2-2 in the WCHA and 2-4 overall.
It was the first time UND has given up five goals in the third period since Dec. 29 of last season when a 3-2 Sioux lead after two periods over New Hampshire turned into a 7-4 loss at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
"They capitalized on some chances and scored in bunches,'' Duncan. "Obviously it's a pretty disappointing loss.''
The previous two games, the Sioux came from behind to win in the third period,. The skate was on the other foot Saturday night as 11,748 stunned fans looked on.
"Lot of credit to them,'' Duncan said of Wisconsin. "They're a desperate hockey team and they came out and did what they had to do. We weren't willing to play a full 60 minutes tonight. We've got a learning to do. The onus is on me. I've got to play better in the third period. to lead the team better. Hopefully we can forget about this whipping.''
The Sioux seemed to be in control through two periods, outshooting the Badgers 26-18 over the first 40 minutes and outscoring them 2-0. But it turned in a hurry against the Sioux in the final period.
"We were finding a way through two periods,'' Hakstol said. "We weren't that sharp, but we were finding a way. We made a couple of bad decisions toward the end of the second period, not just the penalties, but what led to those penalties, and we ended up with some tired bodies on the ice.''
The Badgers had all the fresh legs in the third period, outshooting the Sioux 14-7 and outscoring them 5-0.
Wisconsin's first power-play goal seemed to give the Badgers life. "It always does,'' Hakstol said. "You come out and have success on a power play early on, that's going to give you a jump.''
For the night, the Badgers were 2-of-5 on the power play, the Sioux 0-5 despite having nine shots on net on power plays to six for Wisconsin.
"We didn't do a good job killing those penalties, bottom line,'' Hakstol said.
Wisconsin's first three goals in the 81-second stretch came on a rebound, on a deflection out high, and on the 2-on-1 rush.
"That's a tough way to give up three quick goals,'' Hakstol said. "Not a very good two-minute stretch.''
Wisconsin seemed hungy to pick up its first win of the season. "That shouldn't be a surprise to anybody in our lockerroom,'' Hakstol said. "I've said time and again, they're a good hockey team, and haven't had a lot of things go right for them. They had a lot of things go right for them in the third period.''
Sioux freshman goalie Brad Eidsness (Chestermere, Alberta) finished with 27 saves in dropping his season record to 2-2.
SIOUX NOTES: The loss snapped UND's 11-game regular season unbeaten streak at home dating back to Jan. 11 of last season . . . The sellout was the 40th since Engelstad Arena opened and the 21st in the last 24 home games . . . Genoway and sophomore forward Matt Frattin (Edmonton, Alberta) tied for second behind Duncan in shots on goal with five.
Foss covered Fighting Sioux hockey for the Grand Forks Herald for 35 seasons until his retirement. He reports exclusively for UND home games for the fightingsioux.com website.
