Alex Kangas made a career-high 45 saves and Minnesota received scoring from some unlikely sources in a 5-2 win at Wisconsin on Saturday.

Kangas was the story all night, making one big save after another and helping the Gophers overcome a 47-28 disadvantage in shots. He carried a shutout into the third period before the Badgers mounted a rally that fell short.

Minnesota got two goals and an assist from freshman Zach Budish, while senior Brian Schack tallied a goal and an assist in his first game played this season. Tony Lucia continued his stellar start to the year with a goal and two assists, while Patrick White scored a goal for the third straight game and added an assist.

The Gophers avoided a sweep in Madison for the first time since 1999-2000, fighting off the sweep on the second night for the fifth time. Minnesota concluded a stretch of eight straight league games to open the year by running its record to 3-4-1 overall. Wisconsin is now 4-3-1 overall and 2-3-1 in the conference.

Minnesota played without leading goal scorer Mike Hoeffel, who suffered an allergic reaction prior to the game and was scratched after warm-ups. Hoeffel was treated during the game and is fine.

After allowing an early goal in Friday’s 4-2 loss, Minnesota turned the tables on the Badgers with an early goal of their own on Saturday. Lucia picked up the score with assists from Budish and Schack just 1:17 into the game.

Minnesota pushed its lead to 2-0 at 8:53 of the first period with a goal from Budish that was assisted by Lucia and White. The Badgers had 13 of the game’s first 16 shots, but Minnesota scored on two of its first three shots and held its 2-0 advantage at intermission as Kangas stopped 17 shots in the opening period.

Kangas made one of his biggest saves of the night about four minutes into the third period when Wisconsin’s Brendan Smith came out of the penalty box and took a perfectly timed pass for a wide open breakaway, but Kangas made a blocker save.

White gave the Gophers a 3-0 lead at 15:38 of the second period with a backhanded shot from the slot that was set up by a pass from Kevin Wehrs at the point. The Gophers spent much of the second period shorthanded as Wisconsin had three of its five power plays during the stanza, but Minnesota killed all of them and has now killed 19 straight penalties over the past four games. Kangas made 10 of his saves during Badger power plays.

Wisconsin finally solved Kangas when Jake Gardiner scored on a long shot from the right point at 28 seconds of the third period.

Schack provided a key insurance goal at 8:31 of the final period with a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle. It was the senior’s second career goal with the other also coming at the Kohl Center during his freshman year. Schack, who missed the first four games this season with injury and the past three as a healthy scratch, had two points in his first game after totaling one assist all of last year. Lucia and Cade Fairchild assisted the goal that put the Gophers ahead 4-1. Lucia now has a team-high nine points with four goals and five assists, which have all come in the past two weeks.

Wisconsin closed to within 4-2 at the 12:14 mark as Ryan McDonagh swatted a puck out of mid-air and past Kangas for his first goal of the year. The shot was close to a high-sticking violation, but replay confirmed the original call.

The Badgers had some chances to add another goal, but Kangas was in position every time. Wisconsin pulled its goaltender in the final two minutes for an extra attacker and Budish converted an empty net goal with 1:01 left to finish the scoring.

Brett Bennett was in goal for the second straight night for the Badgers and finished with 23 saves. The Gophers were unable to score on two power play chances for the game.

Minnesota plays its first non-conference games of the season next weekend when the Gophers host Bemidji State on Saturday and Sunday at Mariucci Arena.

St. Cloud, Minnesota State IDLE