MADISON, WI (WSAU) — A pair of future University of Wisconsin hockey players helped the US National Team Development Program U-18 squad score a 6-2 exhibition win over the Badgers on Saturday night.
Cole Caufield and Alex Turcotte combined to score three goals. Turcotte added one assist in the win. Spencer Knight made 21 saves on 23 shots faced.
Wisconsin played three goaltenders in the game with Jack Berry being tagged with the loss. He allowed three goals against 12 shots in the second period. Daniel Lebedeff (2 goals against, 11 shots faced) and Johan Blomquist (one goal against, 14 shots faced) played in the first and third periods, respectively.
Dominick Mersch and Jake Bunz each scored for Wisconsin.
The power play was not kind to the Badgers. Wisconsin failed to score on each of their five opportunities, mustering just three shots with the man-advantage.
The U-18’s went 2-4 with the man advantage.
The game was an exhibition and will not count for the Badgers’ regular-season record. The Under 18 team plays a split schedule each winter featuring exhibition contests against college hockey teams and games against United States Hockey League teams, with USHL games counting towards league standings.
Wisconsin returns to Big Ten play next weekend with a set against Notre Dame. Friday’s game will be played in Madison, with the second game at the United Center in Chicago on Sunday afternoon.
The Badgers aren’t the only Division I team to be beaten by the U-18’s. Harvard, Notre Dame, Minnesota-Duluth, and Maine have all been beaten by the squad this season.
