Wisconsin slipped past Michigan State 4-3 in overtime Saturday night in Worcester, turning a tense regional final into a breakthrough moment that was 16 years in the making. Ben Dexheimer ripped home the sudden-death winner and sent the Badgers back to the Frozen Four for the first time since 2010, capping a wild night and securing the program’s 12th trip to the national semifinals.
Dexheimer ended it just 24 seconds into the extra period on a feed from Gavin Morrissey, sealing the 4-3 win, and Morrissey wrapped up his evening with one goal and two assists, as reported by TMJ4. The quick-strike overtime play was the payoff to a frantic finish in regulation, where momentum swung hard toward Wisconsin before Dexheimer finally found the net.
How The Badgers Pulled It Off
For a while, it looked like Michigan State might slam the door. The Spartans built a 3-1 cushion behind goals from Patrick Geary and Matt Basgall, putting Wisconsin on the ropes before the Badgers started clawing back, according to Wikipedia.
Wisconsin had opened its scoring earlier in the second period when Quinn Finley struck first. Gavin O’Connell then cashed in on the power play to keep the Badgers within reach, and that special-teams spark kept the game from getting away.
Late in regulation, the comeback finally caught fire. Luke Osburn cut the deficit to 3-2, and just 34 seconds later Morrissey buried the tying goal, according to Wikipedia. From there, timely shooting and sharp special teams set the stage for Wisconsin to finish the job in sudden death.
What’s Next For Wisconsin
With the regional title in hand, Wisconsin now heads to Las Vegas, where it will face the winner of North Dakota vs. Quinnipiac in a national semifinal on April 9 at T-Mobile Arena, per TMJ4. The national semifinals and championship game are set to air across ESPN platforms, with the title game scheduled for April 11.
This run marks Wisconsin’s 12th Frozen Four appearance and its first since 2010, a milestone that signals the program’s return to college hockey’s biggest weekend, according to Wikipedia. Over the next two weeks, the conversation in Madison will revolve around matchups, depth, goaltending and whether this group can stretch its surge all the way to the title game under the bright lights in Las Vegas.
