Wisconsin Rolls Past Dartmouth, Ending Big Green's Historic Season

Badgers advance to face Michigan State in the Frozen Four after dominant NCAA Tournament First Round win

Mar. 27, 2026 at 12:00pm

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Wisconsin put its 15-day layoff to good use, dominating Dartmouth 5-1 in the NCAA Tournament First Round. The Badgers outshot the Big Green 28-14 and got two goals from Simon Tassey to end Dartmouth's historic season, which included the program's first conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 46 years.

Why it matters

Wisconsin had struggled in the NCAA Tournament in recent years, failing to win a game since 2010. But the Badgers used their extended rest period to their advantage, coming out with energy and controlling the game against a Dartmouth team that was making its first tournament appearance in nearly five decades.

The details

Wisconsin scored early in the first period on a power-play goal by Tassey and never looked back, outshooting Dartmouth and limiting the Big Green's high-powered offense. Dartmouth did get on the board in the first to make it 1-1, but Wisconsin pulled away with two second-period goals to open up the game. The Badgers' strong defensive play, allowing just 14 shots, was a key factor in the victory.

  • Wisconsin last played on March 12, losing 7-1 to Ohio State in the Big Ten quarterfinals.
  • Dartmouth won the ECAC championship in overtime just five days earlier on March 22.

The players

Mike Hastings

The head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, who got his team prepared and rested for the NCAA Tournament after a disappointing Big Ten quarterfinal loss.

Simon Tassey

A Wisconsin forward who scored two goals in the win over Dartmouth.

Hank Cleaves

A forward for Dartmouth who scored the Big Green's lone goal in the game.

Reid Cashman

The head coach of the Dartmouth Big Green, who led the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 46 years.

Cam MacDonald

A senior forward for Dartmouth who was part of the team's historic turnaround over his four years.

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What they’re saying

“We took some time off. The group was able to spend some time together and this group has always had each other's back, so for us to get off to a good start was very important for us. (Dartmouth) is incredibly disciplined, so for us to take advantage of that early power play, it gave us a big momentum boost.”

— Mike Hastings, Wisconsin head coach

“We were just trying to play to our identity. Our mindset is to play good defense first, to create offense. I think we did a great job with this tonight.”

— Simon Tassey, Wisconsin forward

“Our coaching staff did a really good job maintaining us and getting us ready for this start. By the time it finally came, we were just really happy for this opportunity and just the opportunity to play again. We really put that out there and it lifted us up those first couple of minutes.”

— Jack Horbach, Wisconsin senior forward

“The vision is us being a championship team, competing in the NCAA Tournament, and having players sign NHL deals. We had three players in this class that already went to the NHL. There is a commitment from the top-down at Dartmouth College to make a program that sustains this success. Now it is on me to make sure I sustain the momentum.”

— Reid Cashman, Dartmouth head coach

“I look back on that freshman year spring when we won five games, and the bond that we had with that original group and how we knew that we were capable and special. We didn't just turn around, we made it to Lake Placid every year. We knew we could do something and turn this team into a national contender and to see the community buy into that and being able to reward them for supporting us all those it was really special, and it's something that this group is going to continue to enjoy.”

— Cam MacDonald, Dartmouth senior forward

What’s next

Wisconsin will face 1-seed Michigan State on Saturday with a Frozen Four bid on the line.

The takeaway

Wisconsin's dominant defensive performance and ability to capitalize on its extended rest period proved to be the difference, ending Dartmouth's historic season. The win shows the Badgers have learned from past NCAA Tournament struggles and are now poised to make a deep run.