No. 1 MSU Comes Out on Top in Epic Frozen Confines Showdown, Wins 4-3 in OT
Saturday's contest between No. 1 Michigan State and Wisconsin at The Frozen Confines at Wrigley Field in Chicago was everything fans could have wanted.
Michigan State came out as the victors, defeating the Badgers in dramatic fashion, as junior forward Daniel Russell scored the game-winning goal with one second remaining in overtime.
Russell earned the First Star of the game, finising the game with 3 points.
Spartan sophomore goaltender Luca Di Pasquo did it again, making a career-high 31 saves in the win.
It took a little while for the scoring to get going, but eventually, the Spartans would draw first blood with a goal from freshman defenseman Vladislav Lukashevich with less than 4-and-a-half minutes to go in the first period.
Michigan State drastically outshot Wisconsin in the first period, 17 to nine.
The Spartans would take the 1-0 lead into the first intermission and eventually add onto it roughly 4-and-a-half minutes into the second period. This time, it was Russell, who was assisted by sophomore defenseman Austin Oravetz.
The Badgers would finally strike shortly after the midpoint mark of the contest as freshman forward Gavin Morrisey scored to make it a one-goal game.
Later in the period, the Spartans saw their lead disappear when Wisconsin sophomore forward Quinn Finley found the net to even the contest at 2-2 with less than 5-and-a-half minutes remaining in the second period.
It was Wisconsin which dominated the shots-on-goal battle this period, as the Badgers outshot the Spartans, 13 to seven.
Just like that, the two teams were deadlocked going into the third period.
Michigan State refused to lose, though. With 12:28 to go in the final period, it was none other than Mr. Third Period himself, junior forward Isaac Howard who regained the lead for the Spartans. He was assisted by Russell and junior defenseman Matt Basgall.
Michigan State held that lead for almost the rest of the period, and it looked like it was well on its way to victory. But Wisconsin would benefit from its extra-man advantage after pulling the goalie, as fifth-year forward Ryland Mosley scored in the final minute to tie the game at three goals apiece.
The two teams would go to overtime.
It seemed the contest was going to go to a shootout, but with just a second remaining in the extra period, Russell struck again, securing the victory for Michigan State.
The Spartans improve to 17-2-1 overall and 8-1-1 in the Big Ten.
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