DETROIT — Wisconsin wasted little time showing why it is a college hockey superpower and that Rochester Institute of Technology isn’t quite ready for the sport’s biggest stage.
The Badgers scored in the opening minutes of the first two periods and went on to rout the Tigers 8-1 in the Frozen Four on Thursday night at Ford Field.
“Like a snowball, it just got rolling and got bigger and bigger,” said Derek Stepan, who scored Wisconsin’s second and eighth goals.
Third-seeded Wisconsin, shooting for its seventh NCAA hockey title, will play Boston College for the championship Saturday night in a rematch of the 2006 final won by the Badgers.
RIT, seeded 15th in the 16-team field just five years after moving to Division I, ended its first Frozen Four appearance with a thud.
“We ran into a powerhouse,” Tigers coach Wayne Wilson said.
John Mitchell scored 1:27 into the game and Jordy Murray made it 3-0 at 2:18 of the second, allowing Wisconsin (28-10-4) to coast against the overmatched Tigers. Scott Gudmandson made 13 saves for the Badgers.
RIT’s Jared DeMichiel stopped 27 shots before being replaced late in the game by Shane Madolora, who gave up a goal on the only shot he faced. Jan Ropponen then came on and allowed one goal on three shots.
Boston College 7, Miami (Ohio) 1.
Cam Atkinson scored the first of three goals in a 1:35 stretch midway through the third period of the Eagles’ rout.
Boston College’s John Muse made 17 saves. Connor Knapp and Cody Reichard gave up seven goals on 30 shots for RedHawks.
Ben Smith put Boston College ahead 1-0 by scoring a power-play goal with 1:28 left in the first period.
Atkinson, Patch Alber and Paul Carey silenced the red- clad fans, who made the short drive from Ohio, with three goals midway through the third period.
Boston College coach Jerry York is a win away from his second national title in three years and the school’s fourth.
