1972–73 Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey season

The 1972–73 Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in college ice hockey. In its seventh year under head coach Bob Johnson, the team compiled a 29–9–2 record (18–9–1 against Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) opponents) and outscored all opponents 217 to 139. The Badgers received one of the WCHA's automatic bids to the 1973 NCAA University Division Men's Ice Hockey Tournament by winning the 1973 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. They defeated the Cornell Big Red in the Frozen Four semifinals and then beat WCHA-rival Denver Pioneers 4–2 to win their first national championship in Boston, Massachusetts.
Forward Dean Talafous was chosen as the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament. He had the winning goal in both of Wisconsin's victories as well as a tying score in the waning moments of the Badgers' semifinal match.
==Season==
Coming off of a then-season-best 27 wins, and second NCAA tournament appearance in three years, Wisconsin was looking to take the final step towards winning a National Championship. After losing to a dismal Colorado College team in their first game, Bob Johnson's Badgers went on an eleven-game tear and announced themselves as early-season contenders. In hindsight their 11-1 record was a bit misleading due to having faced CC and Michigan (the two worst WCHA teams) four times each as well as a series against 15th-place Colgate, going 9-1 in those games. Once Wisconsin began to face difficult opponents their record came back to earth. While their overall mark dipped as the season wore on, Wisconsin's home record remained in the stratosphere, not dropping a single match at the Dane County Coliseum until March and finishing with an astounding 17-1 record at home.
Key to the Badgers' success was a very evenly distributed offense. While none of Wisconsin's players finished anywhere near the top of the NCAA leaderboard, the team produced five 20-goal scorers and a further five 10-goal scorers, a feat some NHL teams struggle to achieve in twice as many games. The balanced Badger attack kept Wisconsin alive as they slowly dipped in the standings especially with their trouble on the road. After Minnesota ended Wisconsin's winning streak the Badgers won the St. Louis Invitational Tournament over the Christmas break but split the next two true away series. Starting with a loss to Michigan State on January 13th the Badgers dropped the final five road games and were in jeopardy of slipping to 4th in the conference when the Golden Gophers beat them at home in the penultimate game of the regular season. A win in the last match, however, kept them tied with Michigan State in the standings and with the tie-breakers in Wisconsin's favor the Badgers were able to avoid a potential matchup with league-leading Denver in the WCHA tournament.
Wisconsin began the conference tournament facing Minnesota and got a measure of revenge for earlier struggles with a pair of two-goal victories. The second round saw the Badgers pitted against Notre Dame and, because of a weekend sweep by the Fighting Irish at the end of February, Wisconsin was forced to face their foe in the opponent's building. Despite the game technically being a neutral-site meeting the hostile crowd let everyone know was favored. The two teams battled to a 4-4 tie in the first game, leaving the second match as a winner-take-all affair. Miraculously Wisconsin proved the victor with a 4-3 score and won their way into the NCAA tournament for the third time.
For their first match Wisconsin was set against the powerhouse ECAC Hockey champion Cornell Big Red. The boys from Ithaca possessed one of the strongest defenses in the nation, surrendering only 83 goals in 27 games en route to posting a 23-3-1 record. The favored Big Red didn't disappoint, scoring the opening goal 40 seconds into the game. After a second marker in the first frame and another 30 seconds into the middle period the Badgers were behind the eight-ball. Cornell score yet again four minutes later and before the game was even half over the Badger's already appeared to have been defeated. The decentralized Badger attack finally made itself known in the second half of period two with a pair of markers to cut Cornell's lead in half. With the Wisconsin faithful chanting 'SIEVE' at Dave Elenbaas Cornell didn't seem to mind and scored their third goal in the first minute of a period to take a 5-2 lead. Somehow, despite being outplayed, Wisconsin pulled to within one with goals at 12- and 3-minutes to play. With time winding down the Badgers furiously fired the puck and with five seconds left on the clock Dean Talafous notched the tying goal and sent the building into a frenzy. The overtime session saw several opportunities by both squads but as fatigue began to set in mistakes were made and just before the first extra frame ended a trio of Badgers rushed towards the goal. Elenbaas tried to meet them head-on but the puck found its way onto the stick of Talafous who shot it into the net and allowed Wisconsin to capture an improbable 6-5 overtime win.
In Wisconsin's first championship game they faced the other top team in the NCAA, Denver. The Pioneers possessed an even stingier defense, led by WCHA Most Valuable Player and All-American Ron Grahame. While Denver had a good offense and four First Team All-WCHA players, the Badgers' unheralded bunch had combined to score more than Denver had and managed to earn two Second Team positions. The Badgers got out to an early lead just over three minutes into the game but the Pioneers responded with one of their own less than a minute later. While the play favored Wisconsin the score didn't and Denver was able to take a lead with a power play marker 54 seconds into the second period. just over three minutes later Bob Young took Denver's only penalty of the game and it proved a costly one as Wisconsin was able to tie the score on the ensuing man-advantage. Just over four minutes after that Dean Talafous scored his third goal of the tournament to put the Badgers into the lead for the second time. The score remained that way until the third minute of the final period when Jim Johnston gave Wisconsin a two-goal lead. Denver was unable to match the Badger's fervor and Jim Makey's stellar goaltending allowed Wisconsin to skate off with their first National Title.
Wisconsin's win brought the crown back to the WCHA for the first time in four seasons and started a five-year run of western dominance where no eastern team could even make the title match. Dean Talafous scored both game-winning goals for the Badgers as well as notching the tying marker in the semifinal so it came with no surprise that he was named as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Along with Talafous, Jim Makey, John Taft and Stan Hinkley were named to the All-Tournament Team After the tournament had ended the NCAA wanted to enforce a new policy that would make students who had played for Canadian junior team ineligible as they received a nominal stipend for room and board which the NCAA considered a payment making those players professionals. To ease the transition the NCAA told the universities that they wanted their programs to declare their own players ineligible and afterwards the NCAA would restore status to the players, effectively 'grandfathering' in the prohibition on major junior players. While most teams, including Wisconsin, acquiesced to the NCAA, Denver refused to follow suit and had their players not only ruled ineligible but their participation in the 1973 tournament vacated.
==Standings==
===Schedule===
During the season, Wisconsin compiled a 29–10–2 record, the best year the program had produced to that point. Its schedule was as follows.
Date 	Opponent 	Score 	Result 	Venue 	Location 	Record (WCHA / Big Ten)
Nov. 3, 1972 	Colorado College † 	6–10 	Loss 	Broadmoor World Arena 	Colorado Springs, CO 	0–1 (0–1 / 0–0)
Nov. 4, 1972 	Colorado College † 	5–0 	Win 	Broadmoor World Arena 	Colorado Springs, CO 	1–1 (1–1 / 0–0)
Nov. 10, 1972 	Colgate 	13–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	2–1 (1–1 / 0–0)
Nov. 11, 1972 	Colgate 	13–1 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	3–1 (1–1 / 0–0)
Nov. 17, 1972 	Colorado College † 	6–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	4–1 (2–1 / 0–0)
Nov. 18, 1972 	Colorado College † 	5–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	5–1 (3–1 / 0–0)
Nov. 24, 1972 	Michigan ‡ 	5–3 	Win 	Yost Ice Arena 	Ann Arbor, MI 	6–1 (4–1 / 1–0)
Nov. 25, 1972 	Michigan ‡ 	7–2 	Win 	Yost Ice Arena 	Ann Arbor, MI 	7–1 (5–1 / 2–0)
Dec. 1, 1972 	Notre Dame † 	5–4* 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	8–1 (6–1 / 2–0)
Dec. 2, 1972 	Notre Dame † 	5–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	9–1 (7–1 / 2–0)
Dec. 8, 1972 	Michigan ‡ 	6–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	10–1 (8–1 / 3–0)
Dec. 9, 1972 	Michigan ‡ 	10–4 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	11–1 (9–1 / 4–0)
Dec. 22, 1972 	Minnesota 	4–4* 	Tie 	Williams Arena 	Minneapolis, MN 	11–1–1 (9–1–1 / 4–0–1)
Dec. 23, 1972 	Minnesota 	2–4 	Loss 	Williams Arena 	Minneapolis, MN 	11–2–1 (9–2–1 / 4–1–1)
Dec. 28, 1972 	Colorado College % 	6–2 	Win 	St. Louis Arena 	St. Louis, MO 	12–2–1 (9–2–1 / 4–1–1)
Dec. 31, 1972 	Minnesota % 	5–1 	Win 	St. Louis Arena 	St. Louis, MO 	13–2–1 (9–2–1 / 4–1–1)
Jan. 5, 1973 	Denver † 	3–2 	Win 	Denver Coliseum 	Denver, CO 	14–2–1 (10–2–1 / 4–1–1)
Jan. 6, 1973 	Denver † 	1–2 	Loss 	Denver Coliseum 	Denver, CO 	14–3–1 (10–3–1 / 4–1–1)
Jan. 12, 1973 	Michigan State ‡ 	4–3 	Win 	Munn Ice Arena 	East Lansing, MI 	15–3–1 (11–3–1 / 5–1–1)
Jan. 13, 1973 	Michigan State ‡ 	5–7 	Loss 	Munn Ice Arena 	East Lansing, MI 	15–4–1 (11–4–1 / 5–2–1)
Jan. 19, 1973 	Clarkson 	5–4* 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	16–4–1 (11–4–1 / 5–2–1)
Jan. 20, 1973 	Clarkson 	8–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	17–4–1 (11–4–1 / 5–2–1)
Jan. 26, 1973 	North Dakota † 	8–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	18–4–1 (12–4–1 / 5–2–1)
Jan. 27, 1973 	North Dakota † 	4–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	19–4–1 (13–4–1 / 5–2–1)
Feb. 2, 1973 	Michigan Tech † 	1–7 	Loss 	Student Ice Arena 	Houghton, MI 	19–5–1 (13–5–1 / 5–2–1)
Feb. 3, 1973 	Michigan Tech † 	3–5 	Loss 	Student Ice Arena 	Houghton, MI 	19–6–1 (13–6–1 / 5–2–1)
Feb. 9, 1973 	Michigan State ‡ 	5–2 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	20–6–1 (14–6–1 / 6–2–1)
Feb. 10, 1973 	Michigan State ‡ 	6–4 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	21–6–1 (15–6–1 / 7–2–1)
Feb. 16, 1973 	Minnesota–Duluth † 	6–2 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	22–6–1 (16–6–1 / 7–2–1)
Feb. 17, 1973 	Minnesota–Duluth † 	9–2 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	23–6–1 (17–6–1 / 7–2–1)
Feb. 23, 1973 	Notre Dame † 	5–8 	Loss 	Joyce Center 	Notre Dame, IN 	23–7–1 (17–7–1 / 7–2–1)
Feb. 24, 1973 	Notre Dame † 	3–4 	Loss 	Joyce Center 	Notre Dame, IN 	23–8–1 (17–8–1 / 7–2–1)
Mar. 2, 1973 	Minnesota † 	3–4 	Loss 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	23–9–1 (17–9–1 / 7–3–1)
Mar. 3, 1973 	Minnesota † 	3–0 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	24–9–1 (18–9–1 / 8–3–1)
WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT
Mar. 5, 1973 	Minnesota 	8–6 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	25–9–1 (18–9–1 / 8–3–1)
Mar. 6, 1973 	Minnesota 	6–4 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	26–9–1 (18–9–1 / 8–3–1)
Wisconsin Wins Series 14-10	Wisconsin Wins Series 14-10	Wisconsin Wins Series 14-10	Wisconsin Wins Series 14-10	Wisconsin Wins Series 14-10	Wisconsin Wins Series 14-10	Wisconsin Wins Series 14-10
Mar. 9, 1973 	Notre Dame † 	4–4* 	Tie 	Joyce Center 	Notre Dame, IN 	26–9–2 (18–9–1 / 8–3–1)
Mar. 10, 1973 	Notre Dame † 	4–3 	Win 	Joyce Center 	Notre Dame, IN 	27–9–2 (18–9–1 / 8–3–1)
Wisconsin Wins Series 8-7 	Wisconsin Wins Series 8-7 	Wisconsin Wins Series 8-7 	Wisconsin Wins Series 8-7 	Wisconsin Wins Series 8-7 	Wisconsin Wins Series 8-7 	Wisconsin Wins Series 8-7
NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT
March 25, 1973 	Cornell 	6–5* 	Win 	Boston Garden 	Boston, MA 	28–9–2 (18–9–1 / 8–3–1)
March 26, 1973 	Denver 	4–2 	Win 	Boston Garden 	Boston, MA 	29–9–2 (18–9–1 / 8–3–1)
 	 	217–139 	 	 	 	29–9–2 (18–9–1 / 8–3–1)
* Denotes overtime periods† WCHA game‡ Big Ten and WCHA game% St. Louis Invitational Tournament
==National Championship==
===(W1) Denver vs. (W2) Wisconsin===
Scoring summary	Scoring summary	Scoring summary 	Scoring summary 	Scoring summary	Scoring summary
Period 	Team 	Goal 	Assist(s) 	Time 	Score
1st 	WIS 	Dave Pay 	Johnston and Reay 	3:05 	1–0 WIS
1st 	DEN 	Jim Miller 	McNab and Pearson 	3:55 	1–1
2nd 	DEN 	John Pearson – PP 	McNab 	:54 	2–1 DEN
2nd 	WIS 	Tim Dool – PP 	Cherrey and Bentley	4:17 	2–2
2nd 	WIS 	Dean Talafous – GW	Lundeen and Deprez 	8:30 	3–2 WIS
3rd 	WIS 	Jim Johnston 	Winchester and Pay 	2:34 	4–2 WIS
Penalty summary	Penalty summary	Penalty summary 	Penalty summary 	Penalty summary	Penalty summary
Period 	Team 	Player 	Penalty 	Time 	PIM
1st 	WIS 	Jim Johnston 	Tripping 	19:32 	2:00
2nd 	DEN 	Bob Young 	Interference 	4:01 	2:00
2nd 	WIS 	Peter McNab 	High–Sticking 	13:07 	2:00
2nd 	WIS 	Dave Pay 	Tripping 	17:59 	2:00
3rd 	WIS 	Dave Pay 	High–Sticking 	14:18 	2:00
Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period
Team 	1 	2 	3 	T
Wisconsin 	12 	9 	8 	29
Denver 	14 	11 	9 	34
Goaltenders	Goaltenders	Goaltenders	Goaltenders 	Goaltenders
Team 	Name 	Saves 	Goals against	Time on ice
WIS 	Jim Makey 	32 	2 	
DEN 	Ron Grahame	25 	4 	
Jim Makey, John Taft, Stan Hinkley and Dean Talafous were named to the All-Tournament Team
==Roster and scoring statistics==
No. 	Name 	Year 	Position	Hometown 	S/P/C	Games	Goals	Assists	Pts	
12 	Dennis Olmstead 	Freshman 	C 	Calgary, AB 	 	40 	23 	32 	55 	16
17 	Dean Talafous 	Sophomore	C 	Duluth, MN 	 	40 	21 	32 	53 	34
22 	Lloyd "Max" Bentley	Junior 	C 	Sault Ste. Marie, ON	 	40 	23 	29 	52 	29
8 	Gary Winchester 	Junior 	C 	Calgary, AB 	 	40 	24 	24 	48 	12
21 	Norm Cherrey 	Senior 	RW 	Souris, MB 	 	39 	24 	21 	45 	10
9 	Dave Pay 	Freshman 	LW 	St. Catharines, ON 	 	36 	18 	17 	35 	36
10 	Jim Johnston 	Junior 	RW 	Peterborough, ON 	 	40 	14 	19 	33 	35
23 	Tim Dool 	Junior 	LW 	Sault Ste. Marie, ON	 	40 	12 	19 	31 	22
20 	Stan Hinkley 	Junior 	LW 	Ponoka, AB 	 	40 	12 	18 	30 	48
7 	John Taft 	Freshman 	D 	Minneapolis, MN 	 	40 	9 	18 	27 	28
4 	Bob Lundeen 	Sophomore	D 	Minneapolis, MN 	 	36 	7 	20 	27 	26
11 	Steve Alley 	Freshman 	LW 	Anoka, MN 	 	40 	8 	15 	23 	12
5 	Dave Arundel 	Junior 	D 	Minneapolis, MN 	 	40 	1 	18 	19 	26
15 	Billy Reay, Jr. 	Junior 	RW 	Chicago, IL 	 	32 	10 	6 	16 	38
3 	Jack Johnson 	Freshman 	D 	Bloomfield Hills, MI	 	38 	4 	11 	15 	16
2 	Tom Machowski 	Sophomore	D 	Chicago, IL 	 	40 	1 	13 	14 	48
19 	Don Deprez 	Sophomore	LW 	Stony Mountain, MB 	 	28 	4 	4 	8 	12
16 	Bob Shaughnessy 	Junior 	C 	Blind River, ON 	 	17 	1 	2 	3 	4
24 	Doug Kelso 	Senior 	C 	Madison, WI 	 	8 	1 	0 	1 	2
30 	Doug McFadden 	Sophomore	G 	Peterborough, ON 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
23 	Steve Short 	Freshman 	D 	Roseville, MN 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	4
1 	Dick Perkins 	Senior 	G 	St. Paul Park, MN 	 	17 	0 	0 	0 	0
30 	Jim Makey 	Senior 	G 	Dunnville, ON 	 	22 	0 	0 	0 	0
13 	Tom Kuklinski 	Junior 	LW 	Mosinee, WI 	 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–
14 	Ernie Blackburn 	Senior 	D 	Bemidji, MN 	 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–
18 	Mark Lomenda 	Freshman 	RW 	Esterhazy, SK 	 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–
25 	Chris Wright 	Senior 	C 	Milwaukee, WI 	 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–
1 	Doug Spitzig 	Junior 	G 	Saskatoon, SK 	 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–
Total	 	 	 	 	 	716 	217 	318 	535	458
==Goaltending Statistics==
No. 	Name 	Games	Minutes	Wins	Losses	Ties	Goals Against	Saves	Shut Outs	 	
30 	Doug McFadden	1 	60 	1 	0 	0 	1 	19 	0 	0.950	1.00
1 	Dick Perkins 	17 	1021 	 	 	 	58 	478 	2 	0.892	3.41
30 	Jim Makey 	22 	1322 	 	 	 	79 	680 	0 	0.896	3.59
Total	 	40 	2403 	 	 	 	138 	1177 	2 	0.895	3.45
==Players drafted into the NHL/WHA==
===1973 NHL Amateur Draft===
	= Did not play in the NHL
Round	Pick	Player 	NHL Team
4 	53 	Dean Talafous	Atlanta Flames
7 	101 	Tom Machowski	Atlanta Flames
9 	132 	Dave Pay 	Toronto Maple Leafs
9 	140 	Jack Johnson 	Chicago Black Hawks
9 	141 	Steve Alley 	Chicago Black Hawks
===1973 WHA Amateur Draft===
	= Did not play in the WHA
Round	Pick	Player 	WHA Team
1 	13 	Dean Talafous	Cincinnati Stingers
6 	65 	Dave Pay 	Alberta Oilers
7 	85 	Tom Machowski	Minnesota Fighting Saints
7 	90 	Steve Alley 	New England Whalers
10 	113 	Jack Johnson 	Cincinnati Stingers
==See also==
*1973 NCAA University Division Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
*List of NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament champions
==References==
Category:Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey seasons
Category:NCAA men's ice hockey Frozen Four seasons
Category:NCAA men's ice hockey championship seasons
Wisconsin 
Wisconsin 
Wisconsin