By: Anthony Winker (@anthonywinker6)

For so long, it's felt like two was the ceiling for the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team. Not this time. 

The Badgers (4-8-0, 3-5-0 Big Ten) erupted to the tune of 11 goals in picking up two key wins over No. 18 Penn State (4-5-0, 0-4-0 Big Ten) last weekend at State College. 

Both games were exciting – the Badgers needed overtime to win the first one and saw a four-goal lead dwindle down to just one in the second. But, it's a key sweep for UW as they look to continue to recover from the disastrous 2-8 start to begin the year. 

Here's how the games went down at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park: 

Game 1: Wisconsin 5 (OT), Penn State 4 

It didn't take too long for UW to get going in the opening game. Ryland Mosley tipped home a shot from Quinn Finley to give the Badgers a 1-0 lead just 3:27 into the contest. 

UW would hold that lead for most of the first period, but surrendered a power play goal to Aiden Fink with just 1:25 left in the period. At the end of the first, the game remained tied, 1-1. 

In the second period, the Badgers owned all the scoring despite getting outshot 14-11. Goals from Sawyer Scholl and Cody Laskosky gave UW a 3-1 lead at the end of the second period. 

In the third period, Penn State wasted little time in getting the game back to even. Within seven minutes, they beat UW goaltender Tommy Scarfone twice. The first, scored by Charlie Cerrato, drew a little bit of controversy and survived a UW challenge for a kicking motion. 

UW pulled back in front on freshman Ryan Botterill's second of the season. The play started with a great steal by Scholl at the defensive blue line sending Tassy and Botterill in on the rush. Botterill made no mistake in putting hom the go-ahead goal. 

Following that tally, an ill-timed penalty bit the Badgers yet again. Mosley went off for holding with a minute to go in regulation, allowing the Nittany Lions a chance 6-on-4 with the goalie pulled. It took them just nine seconds to tie the game at four. An extra session proved necessary to decide a winner. 

In the overtime, who else but Daniel Laatsch to score the winner? He went end-to-end, taking on the Penn State defense all by himself for a highlight-reel game-winner. It's Laatsch's second overtime winner this season, and sixth of his career. He's scored just eight goals total in his four-year UW tenure. 

Game 2: Wisconsin 6, Penn State 3 

In game two, it sure seemed like the dam holding back the Badgers offense officially broke. The Badgers erupted for four goals in the first ten minutes of Saturday night's contest, scored by Kyle Kukkonen, Quinn Finley, Christian Fitzgerald and Tyson Dyck. UW took that four-goal lead into the locker room after the first period. Unfortunately, the Badgers stopped scoring for a bit . . . and that's when the Nittany Lions discovered their game. 

The four-goal lead became two in a second period dominated by Penn State. It then became one at the beginning of the third, and UW was on the verge of a devastating collapse.

However, with 8:36 left to play in the game, Penn State's Matt DiMarsico took a killer boarding penalty, a major penalty, to give UW a five-minute power play. The Badgers capitalized twice on that power play. Goals by Mosley and Cody Laskosky squashed the threat of a Penn State comeback to give the Badgers the win, 6-3, and the sweep. 

After missing last weekend's series against Minnesota with injury, goaltender Tommy Scarfone started both games of this series, making 62 saves on 69 Penn State shots throughout the weekend. 

Stars of the Weekend 

3 – F Sawyer Scholl, Wisconsin. A goal and two assists in the game one overtime win. 

2 – F Cody Laskosky, Wisconsin. A guy the Badgers would love to get going. Had his first two goals, and points, in a Badgers sweater this weekend. 

1 – F Quinn Finley, Wisconsin. UW's star in the making enjoyed another four-point weekend and scored his Big Ten-leading eighth goal of the season. 

Up Next 

The Badgers get a week off before returning home to the Kohl Center for a Thanksgiving weekend battle with old WCHA rivals, Alaska Anchorage. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 pm on Friday and 8 pm on Saturday.