What a difference a year makes.
Last season the Wisconsin men’s hockey team was licking its wounds following a 13-21-3 season that included a sixth-place finish in the Big Ten.
This year the Badgers (23-12-2) flipped that mark and earned a trip to college hockey’s Promised Land: the Frozen Four.
UW defeated Michigan State, 4-3, in overtime in a NCAA regional final at DCU Center in Worcester, Mass. on Saturday, March 28, to advance to the program’s first Frozen Four since 2010. The victory capped a series of tight matchups with the Spartans this season. Four of the five matchups were decided by one goal, including two in overtime.
On Saturday, UW erased a two-goal deficit with 5 minutes left in regulation to force overtime and then put away Michigan State 24 seconds into overtime on Ben Dexheimer’s fourth game-winning goal of the season.
The senior captain fired from just inside the blue line and got the help of a friendly bounce to get it past All-American goaltender Trey Augustine.
Up next for the Badgers will be a national semifinal matchup Thursday, April 9, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas against North Dakota. North Dakota defeated Quinnipiac, 5-0, in a regional final in Sioux Falls, S.D. Saturday.
A win in the national semifinal would send the Badgers to the title game Saturday, April. 11.
Check back to see which team the Badgers will face in the Frozen Four.
Ben Dexheimer delivers game-winner for Badgers
Wisconsin rallied from two goals down in the third period to force overtime. Once there, it didn’t take long for the Badgers to put away the Spartans.
Senior Ben Dexheimer fired from just inside the blue line and got a friendly bounce at the net to lift the Badgers to a 4-3 victory.
This will be UW’s first trip to the Frozen Four since 2010.
At look at Gavin Morrissey’s game-tying goal
How Luke Osburn’s goal looked
Tale of the tape after three periods
Wisconsin outshot the Spartans, 18-6, in the third period. Here is how the numbers match up heading into overtime.
Score: Wisconsin 3, Michigan State 3
Shots: Wisconsin 37, Michigan State 27
Faceoffs won: Wisconsin 39, Michigan State 40
Power plays: Wisconsin 0-3, Michigan State 2-3.
Blocks: Wisconsin 13, Michigan State 14
Wisconsin scored twice in 34 seconds to tie game
The Badgers have stormed back to tie the game with two goals during the 16th minute of the third period.
Luke Osburn struck first, scoring off passes from Oliver Tulk and Ryan Botterill to cut the Michigan State lead to one 15 minutes, 13 seconds into the final period.
Thirty-four seconds later Gavin Morrissey finished off passes from Christian Fitzgerald and Ben Dexheimer.
Wisconsin 3, Michigan 3, third period
Michigan State adds to lead with power play goal
The Badgers have not won a game this season when trailing after two periods. That job became harder at the 8:33 mark of the third period when Matt Basgall’s shot deflected off the post and into the net to give the Spartans a 3-1 edge.
The goal was Michigan State’s second power play goal of the night. Credit freshman Porter Martone for drawing a hooking penalty on Ben Dexheimer that created the power play opportunity.
Michigan State 3, Wisconsin 1, 8:33 mark of third period
Tale of the tape after two periods
Score: Wisconsin 1, Michigan State 2
Shots: Wisconsin 19, Michigan 21
Faceoffs won: Wisconsin 24, Michigan State 23
Power plays: Wisconsin 0-2, Michigan State 1-1
Blocks: Wisconsin 11, Michigan State 12
Daniel Hauser save prevents MSU from adding third goal
Daniel Hauser had his best save of the day with 4:17 left in the second period when he made a leg of stop of Ryker Lee’s one-on-one chance. After a few anxious minutes during a replay review, the call on the ice was confirmed. No goal.
Michigan State still leads, 2-1.
Michigan State’s Charlie Stramel out for game
The Spartans’ top center Charlie Stramel, who spent his first two seasons at Wisconsin, is done for the game, according to the television broadcast. The Hobey Baker top 10 finalist appeared to suffer a leg injury during a faceoff in the first period.
Spartans score twice in 31 seconds, lead, 2-1
Wisconsin got a goal early and almost killed a penalty early in the second period, but Michigan State quickly shifted momentum in its favor with two scores during the 9th minute.
The first came during the final seconds of a MSU power play. Gavin O’Connell got the first goal on a shot that was deflected off Ben Dexheimer’s stick and past goalie Daniel Hauser.
Thirty-one seconds later Patrick Geary finished passes from Tommi Mannisto and Tiernan Shoudy and just like that the Spartans had the lead.
Michigan State 2, Wisconsin 1, 8:41 mark of second period.
Wisconsin comes up empty on first power play
Quinn Finley paid for his second period goal 3 1/2 minutes into the period when he took a hard hit from behind from Porter Martone that drew a roughing penalty.
Wisconsin couldn’t make the Spartans pay with a goal, but had good possession during the power play and got off four shots on goal. Two came from Finley.
Wisconsin 1, Michigan State 0, 14:22 left in the second period.
Quinn Finley strikes first, Wisconsin takes lead
It took only 18 seconds into the second period for the Badgers to get on the board.
Quinn Finley scored his team-best 17th goal of the season off a set play. Credit Gavin Morrissey for winning the faceoff. He passed back to Finley who fired just beyond the left circle.
Wisconsin 1, Michigan State, 18 seconds into second period.
Daniel Hauser settles in
Wisconsin set the tone early, but during the final 12 minutes of the first period Michigan State outshot the Badgers, 8-5. Freshman goaltender Daniel Hauser has been up to the challenge so far. A couple of timely clearings of the puck after by Gavin Morrissey and a combined effort by Adam Pietila and Simon Tassy have helped keep the game scoreless.
Tale of the tape after one period
Score: Wisconsin 0, Michigan State 0
Shots: Wisconsin 11, Michigan State 9
Faceoffs: Wisconsin 14, Michigan State 15
Power plays: Wisconsin 0, Michigan State 0
Blocks: Wisconsin 8, Michigan State 5
No goals, but solid start for UW
After 8 minutes of play, we’re scoreless, but Wisconsin has come out fast. The Badgers have a 6-1 edge in shots on goal. Finn Brink has gotten off two attempts.
Michigan State’s lineup for this afternoon
Wisconsin’s lineup for this afternoon
What channel is Wisconsin vs Michigan State on today in the NCAA hockey regional finals?
How can I listen to Wisconsin vs Michigan State on the radio?
A look back at the Badgers sweep in November
Wisconsin is 4-2 in games against team’s No. 2 or better this season. That string of success against the nation’s best began Nov. 21-22 when the Badgers went to Munn Arena and stunned the No. 1 Spartans with a series sweep.
Game 1: Four goal second period set tone for 5-4 win
A 2-0 deficit was far from insurmountable for the Badgers, who responded with one of their best period of the season. The four-goal onslaught allowed UW to play with the lead for the final 28 minutes and during the final 9 ½ minutes it preserved a one-goal lead.(One graph)
Game 2: Ben Dexheimer’s gets game-winner in OT
Wisconsin was on its way to a 1-0 win until the Spartans scored a power play good with the help of an extra attacker with 39 seconds to go in regulation. The Badgers quicky regrouped thanks Ben Dexheimer, who netted his first game winner of the season,
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin advances to Frozen Four after Ben Dexheimer’s game-winner in OT
Reporting by Mark Stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
