Michigan State hockey rebounds with senior night win over Ohio State: Analysis and reaction
Lansing State Journal sports reporter Nathaniel Bott breaks down No. 4 Michigan State's 5-2 bounce-back victory over Ohio State on Saturday night.
What happened
On senior night at Munn Ice Arena, it was the underclassmen who delivered for MSU's hockey team in a 5-2 bounce-back victory over Ohio State after the Buckeyes' 6-2 win over the Spartans on Friday night.
MSU opened the scoring in the first period when sophomore forward Karsen Dorwart's attempted pass across the Ohio State crease took a deflection off a Buckeyes defender and fluttered past Ohio State goaltender Kristoffer Eberly.
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Ohio State would tie it later in the period as a turnover in the MSU zone led to forward Max Montes stepping up in the slot and sniping a shot over the blocker of MSU goaltender Trey Augustine.
In the second period, MSU junior forward Tanner Kelly, during a 4-on-2 rush, had his initial centering pass blocked but recovered and sent the puck into the middle, where freshman defenseman Patrick Geary was waiting to tap the puck into an open net.
Ohio State forward Patrick Guzzo was assessed a major penalty in the second period, and MSU took full advantage, scoring twice during the five-minute man advantage. Dorwart found freshman forward Gavin O'Connell in the slot for the first goal, then found sophomore forward Isaac Howard for a one-timer less than a minute later.
The Buckeyes would get one back towards the end of the second period and put pressure on the Spartans in the third, but an MSU power play in the final frame put the last nail in the coffin when 3-on-1 rush developed and Howard found O'Connell, who slid a pass to sophomore Daniel Russell to make it 5-2.
What it means
This was an important result for the Spartans, who with this win will head to Madison, Wisconsin, next weekend still atop the Big Ten. The Badgers defeated Penn State in overtime to take five of six points from the Nittany Lions, meaning MSU has a two-point lead in the standings.
The pressure is on Wisconsin in the first game of the series now, as the Spartans just need a split to win an outright conference title.
It may have been a difficult night on the ice for the six-dressed seniors with no points in the game, but a great moment transpired as third-string goaltender Jon Mor came in with a resounding ovation to relieve Augustine for the final 26 seconds.
Senior forwards Nico Muller, Jeremy Davidson and Reed Lebster, with senior defensemen Nash Nienhuis and James Crossman, will still get a chance to skate in a game at Munn this season, with the Spartans guaranteed at least one game at home during the Big Ten tournament.
What they said
MSU coach Adam Nightingale, on the game overall: "It was a special night for our seniors, and the crowd was awesome and were into it and stuck around for our guys. We did a lot of good stuff tonight. In the second period, we got an opportunity on the power play and capitalized. Give Ohio State a lot of credit, for them to be playing the way they are with the way their season has gone, it speaks to their coaching staff. It's a dangerous team."
Nightingale, on the senior class: "Their fingerprints are all over the program, and change isn't easy. I didn't really know any of them coming in, but I have a ton of respect for them because all they did was whatever we needed them to do. These guys will have a special place in my heart."
Muller, on his second senior night experience: "It was very memorable, but I hope there's a lot more to come to make memories in playoffs. Time flies, and I always tell the young guys that it goes quick and to enjoy every minute, because I'm going to miss it a lot.
Muller, on the key to success tonight: "We had to get back to Spartan hockey. We had to be more hungry and that was basically the message. We can't play loose or soft, that's not our game and we got back to it."
What's next
MSU (21-8-3 overall, 15-5-2 Big Ten) will travel to Madison and face No. 6 Wisconsin in the final regular-season series of the season with the Big Ten championship on the line.
Contact Nathaniel Bott at nbott@lsj.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @Nathaniel_Bott
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MSU hockey bounces back with senior night win: Analysis, reaction
