Badgers hockey overwhelms Michigan State, 5-2

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:45 p.m. ET

foxsports

MADISON, Wis. -- The eighth-ranked Wisconsin men's hockey squad made relatively quick work of visiting Michigan State on Friday night, winning by a 5-2 margin.

After Michigan State seized a 1-0 lead by 6 minutes, 52 seconds of the opening period, the host Badgers rattled off four unanswered goals to wrestle away all momentum. Standout Michael Mersch tallied two goals during the Wisconsin scoring flourish, and the Badgers also got goals from Mark Zengerle and Brad Navin during that stretch.

Later, Nic Kerdiles added an empty-net goal in the game's waning moments, as Wisconsin improved to 18-9-2 overall and 9-5-1-0 in Big Ten action.

Badgers netminder Joel Rumpel stood tall in net, recording 24 saves to the delight of an announced crowd of 10,616 at the Kohl Center.

Michigan State (9-14-7 overall, 3-6-6-4 Big Ten) got goals from Lee Reimer and Mackenzie MacEachearn.