ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Ryan MacMurchy had no way of knowing his night would get a lot better. On one of his first shifts, the University of Wisconsin junior forward fired a shot off the goalpost. He shortly thereafter took a penalty and, after being whistled for another infraction only 22 seconds after being freed from the penalty box, he let out a left-handed swipe at air as he took a seat again.
“I was angry,” MacMurchy said. “I’m an emotional player.” Cue the sign-of-maturity alert. Instead of letting his game spiral downhill from there, MacMurchy made a change for the better.