MADISON, Wis. -- Joe Pavelski's two goals carried No. 2
Wisconsin to a 2-1 victory over Minnesota State, Mankato, on
Saturday in the WCHA.
Pavelski, a sophomore center who was playing with two new
linemates, extended his team-high season goal total to eight and
Wisconsin ran its unbeaten streak to a national-high nine games.
Brian Elliott made 31 saves for the Badgers (8-1-2 overall,
7-0-2 WCHA).
Elliott, a junior, had a shutout streak of 155 minutes, 9
seconds snapped when Joel Hanson scored in the third period,
cutting the Wisconsin lead to 2-1.
Dan Tormey stopped 31 shots for the Mavericks (2-7-2, 2-5-2),
who had a four-game unbeaten streak snapped. Pavelski scored twice
in the second half of the first period to put the Badgers ahead.
On a power play, he took a pass from Tom Gilbert and slapped the
puck past Tormey's blocker for a 1-0 lead.
He got a fortunate bounce for his second goal. Pavelski rounded
the net and, while still behind the goal line, tried a pass out
front.
But it hit the skate of Maverick's defenseman Steve Wagner and
deflected over a crouched Tormey's right shoulder and into the net.
The Mavericks pulled within one with 8:28 remaining in the third
period when Hanson converted a rebound of a Ryan Carter shot on a
3-on-2 break.
The Badgers played without two members of their top scoring
line, which is centered by Pavelski.
Right winger and team captain Adam Burish was serving an
automatic one-game suspension resulting from his game
disqualification penalty in last Saturday's game against Colorado
College. Left winger Robbie Earl missed a team meeting Saturday
morning and was held out of the game by the team.
Pavelski centered a line that, at the start of the game,
included wingers Andrew Joudrey and Jack Skille.