(Published Friday, March 16, 2007 10:29:30 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. - The 2007 Wisconsin hockey team is different from the 2006 crew that finished the season with the national championship in hand. But come playoff time, these Badgers are apparently reverting to last season's script.
Brian Elliott stopped 26 shots as Wisconsin beat Michigan Tech 4-0 in the opening game of the WCHA Final Five on Thursday night. It was the eighth consecutive postseason victory and the 16th career shutout for Elliott, a senior, who backstopped the Badgers to the NCAA title last season.
"It's like starting pitching in baseball. When you have good starting goaltending, you give yourself a chance to be successful," said Badgers coach Mike Eaves, after Elliott set a WCHA career record for shutouts. "He's our starting pitcher. He's our ace."
Andrew Joudrey had a goal and an assist for Wisconsin (18-17-4), which will face WCHA regular season champion Minnesota on Friday night.
Michigan Tech, which was making its first appearance in the tournament since 1996, out-shot the Badgers in the final period, but the Huskies (18-17-4) were shut out for the fifth time this season and the second time in the past three games.
"We're not a team that's built to generate a lot of offense, so coming from behind was difficult," Huskies coach Jamie Russell said. "I have to give Wisconsin a tremendous amount of credit for the game they played. When we got down it was a steep hill for us to climb to get back in the game."
Rookie forward Blake Geoffrion got Wisconsin on the board just 1:45 into the game, scoring his second collegiate goal when his pass intended for a teammate hit the stick of Tech defenseman Geoff Kinrade and deflected past goalie Michael-Lee Teslak.
"They had a lot of jump in their step tonight," said Huskies defenseman Lars Helminen about the Badgers. "They got some good bounces early and kept it going from there."
Michael Davies and Joudrey added second period goals as the Badgers, who finished tied for sixth in the WCHA during the regular season, extended their unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1). Tom Gorowsky scored the only goal of the third period for the Badgers, who likely need to win the tournament to get an invite to the NCAAs on Sunday.
"Last year is what it is. This is a new team and a new tournament," said Joudrey. "We finished step one and now everything is focused on Minnesota. This is our season and we have to keep winning to keep playing."
Teslak finished with 27 saves for the Huskies, who are on the bubble, hoping for the school's first invite to the NCAA tournament since 1981.
Thursday night's paid attendance of 16,449 was a tournament record.
