MADISON – The Wisconsin men’s hockey team should take pleasure in two wins that weren’t in the opening home series of the season.

The Badgers scored their second straight shootout win over Minnesota State Friday Oct. 17, an outcome that will reflect on each team’s record as a 2-2 tie.

That said the games were winning efforts for Wisconsin and from coach Mike Hastings’ perspective experiences for his young team to draw from moving forward.

“The shootouts are just their experience,” he said. “That’s really what they are. They’re nothing more than that. Those are two tight games. But I am going to tell you, I can’t replicate that experience in practice. … I think it’s is a great experience because I will tell you it does make a difference in conference play.”

Blake Montgomery’s goal in the seventh round allowed the Badgers to score a shootout victory Friday. Thursday it was Bruno Idzan who scored the game-winner in the fourth round of the shootout.

And both nights freshman goalie Daniel Hauser delivered. In Game 1 he allowed one goal and had 21 saves. Friday he gave up two power play goals in the first period but nothing else for the final 50 minutes.

The Game 2 comeback was spurred by goals by junior Quinn Finley and senior Simon Tassy, but in order to complete it UW had to kill a 5-minute major penalty in the third period and survive a 3-on-3 overtime period when Minnesota State dominated the puck and outshot UW, 3-0.

“I feel like the boys grew a lot over this weekend, especially with the circumstances that we were challenged with,” Montgomery said. “But it’s a learning process. I feel like we were very good 5 on 5, and just got to learn to stay out of the box,  but that’s what I’m looking forward to.”

Here is what we learned.

Quinn Finley can take a hit

Finley was on the receiving end of the play of the night when sophomore Jack Phelan hit him with a pass through two zones that resulted in a Badgers goal at the 43-second mark of the second period. Finley had just left the box after serving a 2-minute penalty for roughing. After receiving the puck and taking after a couple of strides, he fired from the right circle.

The Badgers junior forward was also on the receiving end of one of the hardest hits of the night when he was kneed by Campbell Cichosz at the 3:26 mark of the third period.

Finley lay on the ice for a couple of minutes before being helped to the locker room. He returned a few minutes later.

 “You know, so anytime you see a knee on a knee contact in our sport, there’s a potential for a major injury. And that didn’t happen, so we’re, we’re blessed there,” Hastings said.

Goalie Daniel Hauser continues to be clutch performer

Hauser finished with 23 saves. When you count both shootouts, he stopped 11 straight shots.

“There’s a calmness to him,” Hastings said. “Tonight and even last night, I thought he did a really good job of waiting out the shooter. It’s great getting to know him in this short period of time because you get to learn about somebody when the pressure and the lights are brightest and he just kind of goes about his business.”

Blake Montgomery has most active game

In addition to scoring the game-winner in the shootout, Montgomery had a season-high three shots and a block.

He was part of a late rush in regulation that led to six shots during the final 5 ½ minutes. Two came off his stick. Hastings liked what he saw.

“I thought Blake Montgomery really showed himself tonight and I’m not just talking about the shootout goal,” the coach said. “I thought he grew tonight.”