MSU hockey (15-14-2, 9-6-2-2 Big Ten) picked up a vital conference win in a 3-0 victory over Wisconsin Friday night. Junior goaltender treated Munn Ice Arena to his fifth shutout of the season and ninth of his career.
Senior forward Matt Berry scored two power play goals for the Spartans, and junior captain Michael Ferrantino scored his team-leading 11th goal in the victory.
Hildebrand finished with 21 saves on the night, moving him past Ryan Miller for sixth all-time at MSU.
Berry opened up the scoring on MSU’s second power play of the first period. After the Badgers got caught with an extra skater on the ice, sophomore forward Mackenzie MacEachern made a great pass to set up the goal.
MacEachern skated down the right side of the ice and zipped a backhand pass across the net that found its way to Berry at the far post. Berry tapped in the goal on a wide-open net with sophomore forward Thomas Ebbing screening the UW goaltender.
The Spartans were forced to kill off a late power play after junior defenseman John Draeger got called for tripping 15:44 into the first period. The Spartans led the Big Ten in penalty kill percentage entering the game (.854) and did not allow a single shot on the Badgers power play.
After generating just one shot on goal in the first period, the Badgers came out and forced Hildebrand to make two big saves in the opening minute of the second period.
Ferrantino made it 2-0 14:25 into the second period off a backhand shot. Senior forward Brent Darnell tried to stuff a shot past Rumpel from behind the net, and made a nice play to tip the puck over to Ferrantino. With Rumpel out of position, the Spartans captain shoveled in his 11th goal of the season.
Berry made it 3-0 with his second power play goal of the night 2:25 into the final period. Junior forward Matt DeBlouw nearly lost the puck after a whiffed shot attempt, but made a nice play to keep the puck in the zone.
Berry picked up the puck off his skate and wheeled around to the center of the ice. With traffic in front of the net, Berry fired a wrist shot that beat Rumpel high to the blocker side.
Berry had a few chances at his second career hat trick, but could not find the net for the third time.
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