Wisconsin Men's Hockey Stumbles Down the Stretch

Badgers' losing streak puts NCAA tournament hopes in jeopardy

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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The Wisconsin men's hockey team has hit a rough patch, going on a six-game losing streak that has dropped them from No. 2 in the country to No. 13. With tough matchups against top-ranked Michigan and Penn State still to come, the Badgers' chances of making the NCAA tournament are in serious doubt.

Why it matters

Wisconsin was once in the national championship discussion, but their recent struggles have put their postseason aspirations in jeopardy. The Badgers' decline has been surprising given their strong offensive statistics, but they've struggled to translate that to wins on the ice.

The details

The Badgers' freefall began with a loss to No. 4 Michigan State on Jan. 15 and has continued with a series sweep at the hands of unranked Minnesota. Wisconsin still has to face the Big Ten-leading Wolverines and third-place Penn State in their final four games. Individually, the Badgers have seen production drops from key players like junior forward Quinn Finley and freshman forward Blake Montgomery, while the goaltending duo of Daniel Hauser and Eli Pulver have been inconsistent.

  • The Badgers' six-game losing streak began after their Jan. 15 loss to Michigan State.
  • Wisconsin's next two series are against unranked Notre Dame and Ohio State on Feb. 6-7 and Feb. 13-14, respectively.
  • The Badgers will face No. 1 Michigan on Feb. 20-21 and third-place Penn State on Mar. 5-6 to close out the regular season.

The players

Quinn Finley

A junior forward for Wisconsin who is in the midst of a six-game point drought.

Daniel Hauser

A freshman goaltender who has started the majority of games for the Badgers, but has struggled with consistency in his last four starts.

Eli Pulver

A sophomore goaltender who has played in six games this season and has a .868 save percentage.

Blake Montgomery

A freshman forward who had a hot streak earlier in the season but has only recorded one point in his last 10 games.

Mike Hastings

The head coach of the Wisconsin men's hockey team.

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What they’re saying

“Nobody wants to score or do well more than [Finley]…It's about him getting back to his process and understanding what makes him good and what doesn't. We need his entire game, not just the idea of him contributing offensively.”

— Mike Hastings, Head Coach (dailycardinal.com)

“Having a more aggressive mentality from our goaltender is something that's important for us to be successful on the weekend.”

— Mike Hastings, Head Coach (dailycardinal.com)

“It's nice to get opportunities now and be able to capitalize on them, but I think it just goes back to all the work that I've been able to put in.”

— Tyson Dyck, Senior Forward (dailycardinal.com)

What’s next

The Badgers' next two series are against unranked Notre Dame and Ohio State, which provide an opportunity to get back on track before facing top-ranked Michigan and Penn State to close out the regular season. Their performance in those final four games will determine their seeding and chances of making the NCAA tournament.

The takeaway

Wisconsin's recent struggles have put their NCAA tournament hopes in jeopardy, but they still have a chance to turn things around and make a late-season push. The Badgers will need their top scorers to regain their form and their goaltenders to provide more consistent play if they want to secure a spot in the postseason.