The top-seeded Wisconsin Badgers defeated the men’s hockey team 3-2 on March 26, ending the Catamounts’ season.

The game took place at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. and was televised on ESPNU.

Wisconsin senior Blake Geoffrion scored the game-winning goal and helped the Badgers overcome an earlier 2-1 deficit.

Sophomore goalie Rob Madore had 39 saves for the Catamounts, while junior Dan Lawson had a goal and an assist. Senior co-captain Brian Roloff also dded one of his own to the total.

“I’m proud of our team. I thought that we competed right to the final buzzer,” Vermont head coach Kevin Sneddon said. “The season had ups and downs, and I think in this game we had some adversity. We had a few guys go down with injuries and a short bench, but I am just so proud of our guys.”

Wisconsin started the scoring in the first period when freshman Justin Schultz scored from the point at 5:51.

Vermont tied things up at 7:22 with Lawson’s goal. This was Lawson’s first goal since he scored the game-winner in the East Regional championship game against Air Force last season and sent the Cats to the Frozen Four after double overtime.

The Catamounts topped off a successful first period with Roloff’s goal at 15:44. Roloff fired a wrister to give the Cats a 2-1 advantage.

“We were certainly very happy with the lead,” Roloff said. “But we knew there was a lot of time left, anything can happen with two periods left. Having an older team we didn’t get too up on it, we were just trying to keep getting it done.”

Wisconsin turned the tables on Vermont in the second period, scoring two goals and taking back the lead for the final time.

The first goal was scored by senior Michael Davies on the power play at 4:02 when he sent his shot over Madore’s shoulder.

The Cats were not able to score before Geoffrion’s goal came on the power-play with just 44 seconds left in the second.

Though the Catamounts had chances to tie in the third, and they pulled Madore from the net in the final two minutes for an extra attacker, they couldn’t score again, and the game ended in favor of the Badgers.

With the loss, the team’s season comes to a close. They ended with a record of 17-15-7.