Everything was right there for the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team. Just take care of business against the last-place team in the conference — which had lost seven in a row — and lead the Big Ten for the first time in months. Turns out it’s not that easy.
With a chance to overtake Michigan State for first place in the Big Ten with a sweep last weekend, the Badgers (22-8-2, 13-6-1 Big Ten) took one of a possible six points from Ohio State (11-15-4, 3-15-2 Big Ten), who entered the weekend with just one conference win in 18 tries, in Columbus.