MADISON, Wis. - The statistics sheet will show that fifth-ranked North Dakota may have deserved a better fate.
But the scoreboard, the only measure that truly matters, showed a 5-4 Wisconsin victory tonight at the Kohl Center, completing a series sweep for the host Badgers.
The Sioux carried the bulk of the play throughout the night and held a dominant 42-15 edge in shots on goal, including a 16-3 margin in the second period alone, yet ultimately suffered their first WCHA-opening sweep since the 1994-95 season.
For the second straight night, five different Badgers found the net. After UND's Taylor Dickin (So., Winnipeg, Manitoba) opened the scoring with his first of the season midway through the first period, Wisconsin answered with three straight goals, the third of which was a short-handed effort by UW captain John Ramage at 4:25 of the second period.
UND, as was the case all night long, would not go away quietly.
Junior forward Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) scored his first of two goals midway through the second period, beating UW goalie Joel Rumpel with a rifle of a wrist shot from the high slot to make it a 3-2 game.
Kristo struck again to tie the game at 7:12 of the third period. Kristo brought the puck into the Badger zone, toe-dragged the puck to use the defenseman as a screen and beat Rumpel with another wrist shot through the legs.
But the Badgers regained the lead for the good just under four minutes later on Mark Zengerle's second goal of the weekend.
Wisconsin made it a 5-3 game with 3:22 remaining, but not until after Aaron Dell (Jr., Airdrie, Alberta) had stopped Joseph LaBate on a penalty shot, and Jefferson Dahl on a breakaway.
UND pulled Dell for an extra attacker with just over two minutes remaining and were able to pull within one with less than a minute to go. Corban Knight (Jr., High River, Alberta) threaded a cross-ice pass to the right faceoff dot, where Brock Nelson (So., Warroad, Minn.) blasted a one-timer past Rumpel with 42.5 seconds remaining.
The Sioux pressed for the equalizer, but could not find it.
Rumpel finished with 38 saves to earn the win. Dell had 10 saves for the Sioux.
UND was scoreless on four power plays while the Badgers went 1-for-4.
The Sioux (2-3-1, 0-2-0 WCHA) return home to host St. Cloud State next Friday and Saturday.
Notes: Nelson led the Sioux with a goal and two assists ... Freshman defenseman Nick Mattson (Chanhassen, Minn.) had two assists ... Kristo had a 4-point weekend and led all players with nine shots on goal tonight. He has reached the scoresheet in 20 of his last 23 games and has a team-leading 11 points (4g, 7a) in six games this season ... Knight had an assist and now has a point in all six games this season.
~Go Sioux ~
