This check in question would end the night for the Badgers Mersch as he was given a five minute major for contact to the head and a game misconduct. In watching the video, I honestly don't understand how that hit could be a five and a game. To me it looked like a legal check. Here is what Jess Meyers had to say on the hit.
The score was tied 1-1 in the second when the Badgers missed a golden opportunity to take the lead, misfiring with two white jerseys alone in front of Patterson. Just seconds later, Wisconsin's Michael Mersch leveled Kyle Rau along the boards and drew an iffy call for contact to the head. Mersch was tossed from the game, and the Gophers got a five-minute power play. While they did not score on the extended man-advantage, the Gophers captured momentum that they would not relinquish.The Gophers were unable to score on the five minute power play. The Badgers head coach Mike Eaves looked highly agitated with the Todd Anderson call and gave Anderson an earful at the Wisconsin Badgers players bench.