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Wisconsin hockey makes surprising move in polls after ties

Wisconsin hockey hosted the No. 20 Minnesota State Mavericks last weekend, leading to two indecisive results
Kedrick Stumbris|
Wisconsin men's hockey coach Mike Hastings guides the team through practice at La Bahn Arena in Madison, Wis. at Tuesday Sept. 26, 2026.
Wisconsin men's hockey coach Mike Hastings guides the team through practice at La Bahn Arena in Madison, Wis. at Tuesday Sept. 26, 2026. | Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Two comeback efforts for the Wisconsin men's hockey team did not result in victories inside the Kohl Center this past weekend, but they did not quite fall short either. Despite twice falling behind against the No. 20 Minnesota State Mavericks, the Wisconsin Badgers battled back for a pair of ties against head coach Mike Hastings' former program.

Wisconsin (2-0-2, 0-0-0 Big Ten) remains unbeaten on the young season, but without the perfect record it would certainly wish for. The Badgers managed a 1-1 tie after MSU scored first on Thursday, but had to dig themselves out of an 0-2 hole the following night before settling for a 2-2 result.

"We caused some of our own problems," Hastings, in his third season with Wisconsin, said. "And that's not a slight on Minnesota State at all."

Despite entering the weekend higher ranked than its opponent, UW was not dinged in the polls for failing to get a victory on home ice.

Wisconsin hockey remains put in one poll, slightly rises in the other

The low-scoring affairs led to little movement in the weekly polls. Wisconsin and Minnesota State each held steady in the USCHO.com poll, with the Badgers remaining at 17th and the Mavericks slotting in at 20th for the third-straight week. Each team did, however, move one spot in the USA Hockey poll.

MSU had been ranked 19th in the USA Hockey poll prior to its trip to Madison, but left Wisconsin down a spot. Voters rewarded the previously No. 20 Colorado College Tigers, who swept the Northern Michigan Wildcats in Marquette, Michigan, by moving NMU up three spots. That sent MSU down one, while UW curiously gained ground up to No. 16.

Wisconsin remains on home ice this weekend for a two-game non-conference series with the Alaska Nanooks. UW has never lost to UA at home.

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Kedrick Stumbris
KEDRICK STUMBRIS

Kedrick Stumbris has covered the Wisconsin Badgers since 2022 with a focus on the Badgers football, men's basketball, and women's hockey programs. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science.

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