Wisconsin’S pursuit of silverware remains firmly on track after a resilient 3-2 victory over Lake Superior State at the Fiserv Forum. The win secures the second-ranked Badgers a place in the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off championship game, though they were made to work for every inch of ice by a stubborn Lakers outfit.
The contest was ultimately decided early in the third period by a moment of clinical counter-attacking. With the scores level at 2-2 and Wisconsin having just navigated a tense penalty kill, defenseman Joe Palodichuk spotted an opening from behind his own net. His clever clearance bypassed two Lakers defenders, releasing Finn Brink on a breakaway. Brink made no mistake, finishing with composure at the 5:51 mark to restore a lead the Badgers would not relinquish.
It was a milestone evening for sophomore defenseman Weston Knox, who provided the early spark for Wisconsin. In his 14th career appearance, Knox finally found the net, rifling a screened point shot through traffic at 13:02 in the first period to claim his first collegiate goal.
However, Lake Superior State refused to follow the script. Despite their underdog status, the Lakers produced a spirited second-period fightback to stun the Fiserv Forum crowd. Adam Barone hauled his side level with a breakaway goal immediately following a successful penalty kill, before Luke Levandowski finished off a slick passing move on the rush to give the Lakers a shock lead.
Facing their first real deficit of the night, the Badgers leaned on their special teams to steady the ship. After Christian Fitzgerald won a crucial offensive zone face-off, Ben Dexheimer found space on the power play to fire home the equaliser with just under seven minutes remaining in the second frame.
The victory improves Wisconsin’s impressive season record to 13-2-2 and sets up a mouth-watering final. While Blake Montgomery and his teammates were pushed to the limit, their ability to find a winner under pressure underlines why they remain one of the most feared units in the Big Ten.
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