Sliding Seawolves blanked by Badgers

Friday night, the Seawolves were shut out for the fourth time in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play this season.

That gave them their fourth straight loss.

And now they have surrendered at least four goals in nine of their last 10 games.

Wisconsin 4, UAA 0.

Badgers All-America defenseman Justin Schultz tagged UAA for a goal and two assists, and center Mark Zengerle racked the same totals, to lead Wisconsin to the win at the Kohl Center in Madison.

Both of those stalwarts -- Zengerle leads the Badgers in points and Schultz leads the nation in points by a defenseman -- got back in the point business after Wisconsin was shut out 3-0 at Minnesota State-Mankato last Saturday.

Schultz, a junior whose three-game point drought was his longest since the middle of his freshman season, owns 12-23--35 totals in 23 games. Zengerle, who lost his 20-game point streak against Mankato, has delivered 10-26--36 totals in 23 games. Schultz went plus-4 Friday and Zengerle went plus-3.

The Seawolves (6-13-2, 3-13-1 WCHA), who have lost all three games on a four-game road trip that opens the second half of their season and wraps tonight in Madison, were shut out for the first time since Nov. 19, when they fell 5-0 at home to Michigan Tech.

UAA remains in a last-place tie with Minnesota State-Mankato in the 12-team WCHA -- Mankato lost 2-1 in overtime to visiting Nebraska-Omaha on Friday.

The Seawolves are 10 points out of home-ice playoff position with 11 WCHA games remaining, making it almost certain they will hit the road for the first round of the league playoffs for the 19th consecutive season.

Zengerle got the Badgers (11-10-2, 6-9-2), who won for just the second time in their last eight WCHA games, on the board midway through the first period. After a diving Schultz nudged the puck to Joseph LaBate in the left circle, LaBate attacked the net. UAA goaltender Chris Kamal (18 saves) poke-checked the puck off LaBate's blade, but it went right to Zengerle, who snapped home a wrist shot.

Defenseman Frankie Simonelli's goal 40 seconds into the second period capped a dominant shift and put the Seawolves in a 2-0 hole. Jake McCabe scored later in the period and Schultz scored late in the third period.

Wisconsin freshman goalie Joel Rumpel stopped 23 shots to notch his second shutout in the last three games.

UAA senior Curtis Leinweber had his four-game point streak snapped and sophomore Brett Cameron had his three-game point streak halted.

Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.

UAA 0 0 0 -- 0

UW 1 2 1 -- 4

First Period -- 1, UW, Zengerle 10 (LaBate, Schultz), 9:04. Penalties -- None.

Second Period -- 2, UW, Simonelli 3 (Zengerle, LaBate), :40; 3, UW, McCabe 3 (Schultz, Zengerle), 11:18. Penalties -- Mellor, UAA (slashing), 3:36; Allen, UAA (holding), 9:02; Simonelli (tripping), 13:00.

Third Period -- 4, UW, Schultz 12 (Lee, Mensch), 15:38. Penalties -- Coldwell, UAA (slashing), 8:16.

Shots on goal -- UAA 4-11-8--23. UW 7-7-8--22.

Power-play Opportunities -- UAA 0 of 1. UWA 0 of 3.

Goalies -- UAA, Kamal, 3-7-0 (22 shots-18 saves). UW, Rumpel, 8-5-2 (22 shots-22 saves).

A -- 10,532 (15,325). T -- 2:10.

Referees -- Butch Mousseaux, Peter Friesema. Assistant referees -- Ed Moberg, Dan Carey.