Michigan State Spartans Hockey Blows Late Lead, Falls In OT To Wisconsin, 4-3

WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 28: Grady Deering #17 of the Wisconsin Badgers checks Daniel Russell #20 of the Michigan State Spartans in the first period during the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Regional Championship final at the DCU Center on March 28, 2026 in Worcester, Massachusetts. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) | Getty Images For most of today’s regional final, it felt like a polar opposite of the Spartans’ win two days earlier against UConn. In that game, MSU escaped a game they really had no business winning.

It took a career high in saves for Trey Augustine for Michigan State to escape that game. In the game against the Badgers today, the Spartans were ready to play. The first period was played conservatively as both teams were feeling each other out.

It was like a boxing match with both fighters throwing jabs but never sustaining pressure on the opponent. After 20 minutes, there were no goals. It did not take long for the scoreless affair to end as Wisconsin notched a goal just 18 seconds into the 2nd period right off a faceoff win.

Trailing by a goal, the Spartans began to pick up the intensity, and that led to a Wisconsin penalty just past six minutes into the period. MSU used almost the entire power play before a deflected shot from Gavin O’Connell floated over the Badger goalie and dipped under the bar for the equalizer with four seconds left in the man advantage. Just 31 seconds later, the Spartans struck again, this time on a 2-on-2 rush.