Saturday, for instance, the Seawolves led 1-0 when defenseman Austin Coldwell scored on the power play 3 minutes, 36 seconds into the second period at the Kohl Center in Madison. That advantage vanished in a mere 16 seconds later when Wisconsin's Tyler Barnes forged a 1-1 tie. Derek Lee added another strike for the Badgers 63 seconds after Barnes' goal.
Squandering the lead proved a repeat of the Seawolves' experience a week ago at Michigan Tech in Houghton, when its lone lead in each game vanished in a hockey heartbeat.
In the series opener on the Upper Peninsula, UAA led 1-0 in the first period, but surrendered that lead 98 seconds later in an eventual 6-2 loss. The next night, UAA stormed back from an early 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead in the third period, but lost that lead 38 seconds later.
Road-trip roundup: The Seawolves owned three leads in their four losses, and those leads lasted a combined 2:32.
In the other game on the trip, UAA on Friday lost 4-0 to Wisconsin.
Saturday, UAA (6-14-2, 3-14-1 WCHA) worked back from that 2-1 deficit in the second period to deliver a rapid response of its own. Curtis Leinweber's game-tying goal came 1:56 after Wisconsin took its 2-1 lead.
The 2-2 tie held until 4:03 remained, when Joseph LaBate generated the game-winning goal for the Badgers (12-10-2, 7-9-2 WCHA).
That marked the 11th straight game UAA has surrendered at least three goals. UAA has given up four or more goals in nine of those 11 games.
UAA's fifth straight loss, coupled with Minnesota State-Mankato's 5-4 overtime win against visiting Nebraska-Omaha, dropped the Seawolves into sole possession of last place in the 12-team WCHA. Those five UAA losses have all come on the road.
The Seawolves have eight of their remaining 10 league games on home ice at Sullivan Arena, starting with a series against Denver that opens Friday night. The series against the Pioneers starts a run of three straight home series for the Seawolves.
Leinweber's goal was his seventh of the season, tying him for the team lead with winger Mitch Bruijsten and the departed Mickey Spencer. It also marked his team-high and career high-tying 12th point of the season, all of which have come in the last 10 games.
Seawolves notes
Center Matt Bailey's assist on Coldwell's goal snapped his eight-game point drought and marked his second point in the last 14 games.
Bailey as a freshman last season bagged 10-10--20 totals in 30 games, which made him the club's leading returning goal scorer and its second-leading returning point producer. He owns 3-3--6 totals in 20 games this season.
Coldwell's power-play goal snapped UAA's four-game drought without a man-advantage goal -- the Seawolves had gone 0 for 13 in that span.
UAA's short-handed unit killed both Wisconsin power plays Saturday and killed all 16 opposing power plays on the road trip.
Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.
UAA 0 2 0 -- 2
UW 0 2 1 -- 3
First Period -- None. Penalties -- Pettitt, UAA (tripping), 3:40; Mersch, UW (tripping), 6:03; Lee, UW (boarding), 10:00; Coldwell, UAA (interference), 17:29.
Second Period -- 1, UAA, Coldwell 2 (Warner, Bailey), 3:36; 2, UW, Barnes 8 (LaBate, Zengerle), 3:52; 3, UW, Lee 4 (Schultz, Mersch), 4:55; 4, UAA, Leinweber 7 (Sproule), 6:55. Penalties -- Springer, UW (elbowing), 2:49; Wood, UW (cross-checking), 10:18.
Third Period -- 5, UW, LaBate 5 (Schultz, Zengerle), 15:57. Penalties -- Little, UW (slashing), 6:03; Cameron, UAA (roughing), 6:03.
Shots on goal -- UAA 8-11-8--27. UW 8-11-10--29.
Power-play Opportunities -- UAA 1 of 4. UWA 0 of 2.
Goalies -- UAA, Kamal, 3-8-0 (29 shots-26 saves). UW, Rumpel, 9-5-2 (27 shots-25 saves).
A -- 13,713 (15,325). T -- 2:13.
Referees -- Butch Mousseaux, Peter Friesema. Assistant referees -- Ed Moberg, Dan Carey.
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