Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State fell to Wisconsin 6-0 in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association contest played Friday at the Verizon Wireless Center in downtown Mankato.

 

The 18th-rated Badgers scored twice, forty seconds apart, midway throught the opening frame and never looked back

 

The first goal of the game came 11:02 when Wisconsin center Derek Stepan beat MSU freshman netminder Kevin Murdock.  Then junior defenseman Brendan Smith, at 11:42, went top shelf on Murdock with a nice individual effort to give UW a 2-0 first period advantage.  With 4:36 to go in the first period Badger center Blake Geoffrion scored the third goal of the opening frame with a MSU player in the penalty box.

 

Badger defensemen Cody Goloubef put another tally on the board during a Wisconsin power play at 10:17 of the second stanza and then, at 14:10, Podge Turnbull chased Murdock when his shot from the side found the back of the net. 

 

MSU freshman goaltender Phil Cook, making his collegiate debut, took the place of Murdock but he too was beat with 1:39 to go in the second period when Badgers’ wing Jordy Murray shot from the blue line made it's way past the Maverick goal line.

 

A scoreless third period gave Wisconsin goaltender Brett Bennett a shutout victory and marked the first time MSU had been shutout in its own building since Colorado College's Matt Zaba accomplished the feat Oct. 28, 2005.  Bennett stopped all 19 shots the Mavericks sent his way.

 

The Mavericks, who were out shot by the Badgers 40-19 on the night, went zero-for-eight on the power play, while the Badgers finished two-for-nine with the man advantage.

 

Now 2-3-0 overall and 0-3-0 in WCHA conference play, the Mavericks square-off with the Badgers (1-1-1 overall, 1-1-1 WCHA) for the second contest of the series Saturday at 7:07 p.m.