Gophers hockey drops Big Ten opener at Wisconsin, losing streak grows to three

Minnesota's struggles continue to mount in the early part of the 2025-26 season.

Gophers defenseman Cal Thomas (22) skating with the puck against Minnesota-Duluth. | Picture credit via Kelly Lynn

The Gophers' backs were against the wall heading into another rivalry series against the No. 14 Badgers on the road, and their struggles continued. Wisconsin dominated all three periods for a 4-2 win.

In a big game for both Minnesota and Wisconsin, you could feel the tension in a relatively empty Kohl Center during the first period. The Badgers had 10 shots on goal compared to only four from the Gophers, and neither team found the back of the net through the first 20 minutes.

Wisconsin and Minnesota are underway at the Kohl Center.

Seems like the verdict on 8 p.m. Thursday games is a 👎 pic.twitter.com/p8cKilSiIp

— Todd Milewski (@ToddMilewski) October 31, 2025

Senior Badgers forward Christian Fitzgerald opened the scoring at the 14:34 mark of the second period. Gophers freshman Mason Moe quickly responded with a shorthanded unassisted goal less than one minute later. It was the second time this season that he had found the back of the net.

FRESHMAN ENERGY 🔋

📺: B1G pic.twitter.com/guUSSbYzmH

— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) October 31, 2025

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Moe's goal felt like a lot more of an anomaly rather than a trend. Wisconsin added another goal at the 8:47 mark of the second period, and then one more 43 seconds later. Minnesota quickly found itself in another big 3-1 hole on the scoreboard. An action-packed second period continued, as Brodie Ziemer found the back of the net for the fourth time this season on assists from LJ Mooney and Jimmy Clark.

Minnesota was outshot 27-13 after two periods, and Wisconsin dominated most of the first 40 minutes of the game. The Badgers had a 3-2 lead heading into the third period.

It was much of the same in the final period, and another goal from Fitzgerald extended Wisconsin's lead to 4-2. Another empty net goal gave him a hat trick and the Badgers a 5-2 win. Wisconsin outshot Minnesota 42-16, and it was an absolute beatdown, anyway you put it.

The Gophers are now 2-6-1 on the season, which continues their worst start as a program since 2018-19. Their only two regulation wins have come against Michigan Tech in the season opener and an increasingly confusing 5-1 win at North Dakota. They will have a day off before the final game of the series on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT at the Kohl Center, which will be broadcast on BTN+.