Thursday, November 19
East Lansing, Mich
6 P.M. ET
Michigan State University
0-0-1
1
vs
1
Arizona State
0-2-1
1
2
3
OT 1
F
Arizona State
0
0
1
0
1
Michigan State
0
1
0
0
1
Spartans, Sun Devils Skate to 1-1 Tie in Opener
11/19/2020 9:36:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State hockey team opened its 2020-21 season on Thursday at Munn Ice Arena by playing to a 1-1 tie with Arizona State. Christian Krygier scored for the Spartans, while ASU's Chris Grando scored with 4:14 to play in the third period to tie it up.
Both teams had chances in the NCAA newly-mandated 3-on-3 overtime, but neither were able to find the back of the net in what was the Spartans' first game in over eight months.
"We had to get through the game and get through the legs," MSU head coach Danton Cole said. "Normally, we would have played a Canadian University by now and played a Green-White game and that really makes a difference, and you still kind of feel this way in your first game. So, overall, it was fine. I wish we could have figured out a way to finish it because you get to learn all the same lessons, but you get a win out of it. Overall, there were way more positives and lots of stuff to build on."
After a scoreless first period, in which MSU outshot ASU 13-7, Krygier got what was the first goal of his career off a perfect feed from Josh Nodler just 1:43 into the middle stanza. Nodler curled around the back of the ASU net and found Krygier breaking down into the left circle. Krygier then one-timed it past goaltender Cole Brady for the first goal of his career.
"I came down and followed my route; (Nodler) gave it to me, made contact with it and it went in," Krygier said. "It was a pretty big relief. Scoring isn't something I think about, obviously defending is my first job. But scoring a goal is really nice."
Graduate transfer Charlie Combs also picked up an assist on the goal.
The goal stood as the difference in the game until Grando got a loose puck in the slot and snapped it past MSU goaltender Drew DeRidder with 4:14 to play in the third period.
Michigan State outshot ASU 26-23.
The Spartans erased all three ASU power plays, while MSU was also 0-for-3 on the man-advantage.
The two teams will meet again on Friday at 6 p.m. with a live stream available on BTNPlus.com.
Both teams had chances in the NCAA newly-mandated 3-on-3 overtime, but neither were able to find the back of the net in what was the Spartans' first game in over eight months.
"We had to get through the game and get through the legs," MSU head coach Danton Cole said. "Normally, we would have played a Canadian University by now and played a Green-White game and that really makes a difference, and you still kind of feel this way in your first game. So, overall, it was fine. I wish we could have figured out a way to finish it because you get to learn all the same lessons, but you get a win out of it. Overall, there were way more positives and lots of stuff to build on."
After a scoreless first period, in which MSU outshot ASU 13-7, Krygier got what was the first goal of his career off a perfect feed from Josh Nodler just 1:43 into the middle stanza. Nodler curled around the back of the ASU net and found Krygier breaking down into the left circle. Krygier then one-timed it past goaltender Cole Brady for the first goal of his career.
"I came down and followed my route; (Nodler) gave it to me, made contact with it and it went in," Krygier said. "It was a pretty big relief. Scoring isn't something I think about, obviously defending is my first job. But scoring a goal is really nice."
Graduate transfer Charlie Combs also picked up an assist on the goal.
The goal stood as the difference in the game until Grando got a loose puck in the slot and snapped it past MSU goaltender Drew DeRidder with 4:14 to play in the third period.
Michigan State outshot ASU 26-23.
The Spartans erased all three ASU power plays, while MSU was also 0-for-3 on the man-advantage.
The two teams will meet again on Friday at 6 p.m. with a live stream available on BTNPlus.com.
Team Stats
ASU
MSU
Shots
23
26
PPG
0
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
3
3
Penalty Mins
6
6
Faceoffs Won
28
31
Game Leaders
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
0
+/-
+1
Goals
0
Sh
3
A
1
+/-
+1
Goals
0
Sh
0
A
1
+/-
+1
Goals
0
Sh
3
A
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
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