Wisconsin defenseman and captain Ben Dexheimer took the only shot of overtime, a long one that sunk right past junior goaltender Trey Augustine. It ended the Spartans’ season (26-9-2) and a chance at the first Frozen Four under coach Adam Nightingale. 

“I don't think I've been a part of a game like that,” Nightingale said after the game. “I don't know how you talk to the guys after. I don't have words to help the guys feel better. The only thing I can tell them is, thank you.”

MSU’s final game was the epitome of a hard-fought tournament game. It lost a core member of its offense when senior center Charlie Stramel exited the game with an injury about halfway through the first period. It prompted other players to step up, and they did. 

Senior center Tiernan Shoudy took 40 draws throughout the game. He took 16 in his game against UConn on Thursday. MSU finished the game with a 41-39 faceoff advantage, going 2-2 on the power play.

The Spartans trailed 1-0 when Stramel exited the game, but they eventually responded with two quick goals from junior winger Gavin O’Connell and junior defenseman Patrick Geary. 

“At that moment, if we had a panic in our team, that potentially could have been the case, and I actually thought I saw guys dig in,” Nightingale said. “The byproduct is we asked a lot of guys, for a long period of time.” 

Wisconsin started to wear at MSU with six minutes left in regulation and Augustine faced flurries of shots on all sides. With 4:47 left, defenseman Luke Osburn beat him on the left side.

“A ton of young guys got more ice time too, and they stepped up in a big way,” Shoudy said. “Just an unlucky bounce in front of the net there, right on their guy's tape.”

Center Gavin Morrissey tied the game on a rush just 34 seconds later. 

“Unfortunately, some of our youth came out (in the third period),” Nightingale said. “In that, I thought we could have done a better job, but I thought we got it back on the rails.”

Throughout much of the game, MSU played detailed, winning hockey. The first period featured patient possessions from both sides. The Spartans executed simple plays, skating to beat out icings, remaining disciplined in puck battles along the boards and making clean line changes.

The Badgers lit the lamp 18 seconds into the second period. Forward Quinn Finley scored from the left wing, immediately out of a won faceoff by Morrissey.

But MSU responded with a power-play goal from O’Connell. What appeared to be a pass to the slot popped up and into the net, tying the game at 1-1. The Spartans took a 2-1 lead just 31 seconds later on a backdoor goal by Geary.

MSU outshot Wisconsin 12-8 in the second period — its only period doing so in the tournament.

The Spartans' game was not perfect, but mistakes were followed by plays that made up with them, such as a disruptive sticks and physicality after turnovers. MSU held its poise in the second period when its penalty-kill unit came out. It stopped shots and even generated shorthanded possession. 

The poise led to a breakaway for freshman winger Ryker Lee as he exited the penalty box. He carried the puck to the net, where Hauser made a sprawling stop across the crease. The play was ruled no goal and confirmed by video review. The puck was not seen crossing the goal line and was believed to be underneath Hauser.

Most of the third period looked like other parts of the game. Both sides generated chances but were detailed to prevent chances. Augustine performed stops and rebounds were quickly picked up by Spartans. Augustine finished the game with 34 saves.

Eight minutes into the third period, Wisconsin took a costly penalty. Freshman winger Porter Martone attacked on a breakaway, prompting a hooking penalty called against Dexheimer. 

After just one wide shot from Martone, the Spartans rotated and senior defenseman Matt Basgall scored from the point. His shot rattled in and around the net, sounding a goal and a 3-1 lead 8:33 into the third period. 

“Even in third, until they scored, I thought we were controlling it a lot,” Basgall said. “I don't think we had a ton of big chances against … We could have been more poised with the puck, more secure plays, didn't have to ice it that much. But after we got that third [goal], and before that, I thought we were controlling the game pretty well. I think we could have deserved a better fate.”

The Spartans treated the game like a game of inches. It fought for every possession, and against every shot. But hockey is a sport and sometimes that isn’t enough to win a game. 

“Everyone left it all out there,” Augustine said. “I couldn't be prouder of our group. Everyone gave it their all, and that's all you can ask for.”

Basgall said the hardest part about the loss is not being able to practice with the team again.

For several players, the future is unknown. Stramel is a Minnesota Wild prospect but is out for the rest of the season with a broken ankle. Russell, Shoudy and Basgall are undrafted. 

Martone (a Flyers’ prospect) and Augustine (a Red Wings’ prospect) will have decisions ahead of them in the upcoming weeks, as do other players on the MSU hockey team.