In a game that defied logic and tested the nerves of the Kohl Center faithful, the University of Wisconsin secured a breathtaking 6–5 overtime victory against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. While Quinn Finley claimed the headlines with a dramatic breakaway winner, it was the persistent work of Blake Montgomery and the Badgers' high-octane offense that set the stage for a classic Big Ten encounter.
The No. 13/11 ranked Badgers appeared to be cruising toward a routine victory before a late Notre Dame surge forced the extra period, but Wisconsin’s depth and resilience ultimately proved the difference.
Wisconsin ignited the scoreboard early in the first period, and Blake Montgomery—the Ottawa Senators prospect—was right at the heart of the opening blow. Montgomery showcased his vision on the power play, recording a vital assist on Luke Osburn’s opener.
The momentum was relentless; just 20 seconds later, Grady Deering doubled the advantage to 2–0. Although Notre Dame responded with a power-play goal of their own, Gavin Morrissey restored the two-goal cushion on the man advantage. A clinical second from Deering ensured the Badgers headed into the first intermission with a commanding 4–2 lead.
The second period followed a similar script as Osburn struck again midway through the frame to extend the lead to 5–3. However, the Fighting Irish refused to buckle.
In a frantic third period, Notre Dame capitalized on the power play before pulling their goaltender for an extra attacker. The gamble paid off with just 1:09 remaining on the clock, as the Irish found the equalizer to stun the home crowd and send the game into overtime at five-all.
The drama reached its crescendo just 1:17 into the extra time. Gavin Morrissey, who had been instrumental all evening, threaded a sublime feed to Quinn Finley. Finley broke away from the Irish defense and converted with clinical composure to seal the victory and ignite celebrations at the Kohl Center.
For Montgomery, the performance reinforces his growing reputation as a key playmaker in the Wisconsin system. Having arrived in Madison following an OHL championship run with the London Knights, the forward's ability to influence elite collegiate games is becoming a recurring theme of the Badgers' season.
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