The University of Wisconsin Badgers men’s hockey team (10-2-2, 6-2 Big Ten) took down No.1 Michigan State (9-3-0, 4-2 Big Ten) in East Lansing, MI in back-to-back contests Friday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov. 22.
After a 1-3 showing against the Michigan State Spartans last season, the Badgers are glad to get the best of their conference foes in the first two matchups of the season.
The Spartans started the first contest much better than the Badgers and opened the scoring with a goal eight minutes into the first period before doubling their lead just a few minutes later. The first period concluded with the score at 2-0 Michigan State as Wisconsin looked to smooth some things out during the intermission.
The Badgers did just that and then some as they netted four goals in the second period to take a commanding 4-2 lead heading into the final frame.
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Michigan State fought in the third and scored a goal to cut the lead to just one with around half of the period left to play. But, sophomore forward Ryan Botterill put one in the back of the net just 16 seconds later to stretch the lead back up to multiple goals. The Spartans scored again a minute later, but Wisconsin held on to give MSU their first conference loss of the season.
The Badgers quickly celebrated the win but then turned their attention towards getting ready for the second bout of the weekend — Saturday, Nov. 22.
After a scoreless stalemate of a first frame, the Badgers looked to strike first in the second and that is just what they’d do as a power play goal from freshman forward Blake Montgomery midway through the second would give them the lead.
The Badgers were the better side for much of the remainder of the game, but Michigan State battling to kill off four Wisconsin power plays kept them with a chance to tie it up.
Michigan State would tie it up with 39 seconds left on a power play goal of their own sending the game into an extra frame. Badgers senior defensemen Ben Dexheimer netted the game winning goal 2:36 minutes into the overtime period as he and his Wisconsin teammates celebrated a sweep of the No.1 ranked team in the nation away from Madison.
The Badgers will look to carry this momentum into a tough two-game matchup with unranked Notre Dame (3-8-1) on the road in South Bend beginning Friday, Dec. 5.