CC wins 4-3 to split weekend series

MADISON, Wis. • After trying different forwards with Chad Rau and Bill Sweatt on the top line, Colorado College's coaches figured they had nothing to lose by promoting Brian McMillin.

The Tigers needed a spark, and McMillin had scored four goals in a recent three-game stretch.

The move paid off with one of the bigger wins of the season as McMillin stuck a rebound past Wisconsin goaltender Shane Connelly with just less than 4 minutes remaining to lift CC 4-3 at the Kohl Center.

"We said, ‘You know what? The hell with it, we're going to put him up there and see what happens,'" coach Scott Owens said.

CC is 13-8-5 and 9-7-2 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Wisconsin is 13-10-3 and 10-6-2.

After scoring only three goals in two-and-a-half seasons, McMillin has five goals in the past six games.

"It's been something different for me," he said. "I'm just going to keep playing my game."

McMillin was playing his usual role in the first period by applying some big hits, but the Tigers fell behind. The Badgers scored on their first two shots, with defenseman Cody Goloubef hitting slap shots past goaltender Richard Bachman, who was pulled in the third period of Friday's 6-1 loss.

The goals were described by Goloubef as "lucky," but Owens still considered pulling Bachman. He elected to stick with Bachman, and the sophomore settled down.

Wisconsin gave CC some motivation at the end of the first period when a late hit by the Badgers' John Mitchell sparked a fight. Wisconsin center Blake Geoffrion skated past CC's bench and either "talked some smack" (Geoffrion's version) or challenged the Tigers' bench (Owens' version).

Also, Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves seemed to be barking at someone on CC's bench.

"I don't know what he was chirping at," Owens said. "I was surprised. I think he might have been chirping at me, but I was just staring at him. I was a little bit in disbelief."

The fight seemed to give the Tigers a spark. They took the lead with three goals - from Tyler Johnson, Mike Testwuide and Matt Overman - during a 2:12 stretch in the second period.

Wisconsin tied the score later in the period, but CC wouldn't back down.

"They had guys running their mouths that probably shouldn't have been," McMillin said. "It helped us a lot."

"We don't always stand in there and battle like that," Owens added. "It wasn't a pretty deal, but I was proud of our guys for standing in there."

McMillin's goal in the third period capped CC's comeback, which was described by Owens as a much-needed "character win."

"We knew we had to win," Testwuide said. "We battled back and fought and battled so hard, and we're proud of ourselves right now. It's a good feeling."