Blake Montgomery and his Wisconsin teammates have secured their first Frozen Four appearance since 2010 after captain Ben Dexheimer struck just 24 seconds into overtime to complete a remarkable 4-3 comeback victory over top-seeded Michigan State.
The Badgers’ journey to Las Vegas appeared in serious jeopardy as the clock ticked down at the DCU Center, but a frantic late surge turned the NCAA Regional Final on its head. Dexheimer’s decisive point shot, which took a fortuitous deflection before nestling in the net, capped a recovery that seemed improbable only minutes earlier.
A tense, scoreless opening frame gave way to a frenetic second period. Wisconsin drew first blood just 18 seconds after the restart when Quinn Finley pounced on a Gavin Morrissey faceoff win to fire a precise shot past Spartans netminder Trey Augustine. However, the momentum shifted back toward the top seeds midway through the period. Michigan State drew level through a flukish power-play effort from Gavin O'Connell, whose pass ricocheted off a Badger stick and looped over Daniel Hauser, before Patrick Geary exploited a defensive line change just 31 seconds later to hand the Spartans the lead.
When Matt Basgall increased the Spartans' advantage to 3-1 early in the third with a clinical power-play strike off the post, Wisconsin looked beaten. Goaltender Daniel Hauser, who finished the night with 24 saves, kept the dream alive with a vital stop on a Michigan State two-on-one, providing the platform for a late tactical push.
Despite being kept to the outside for much of the final period, the Badgers finally found a breakthrough with five minutes remaining. Luke Osburn ignited the comeback at 15:13, reacting quickest to a rebound to beat a sprawling Augustine and pull the score to 3-2. The Spartans had barely regained their footing when Morrissey found a rebound of his own on the opposite side just 34 seconds later, incredibly leveling the tie and sending the Wisconsin bench into raptures.
With the game forced into the extra period, Dexheimer wasted no time in finishing the job. His early overtime heroics ensured the Badgers ended a 16-year drought, booking their place on college hockey’s grandest stage in spectacular fashion. Wisconsin now head to the desert as regional champions, fueled by the momentum of a victory that will go down in program folklore.
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