Neil’s Notebook: Spartans Get Balanced Scoring in 5-1 Win over Penn State

By Neil Koepke
MSUSpartans.com staff writer

EAST LANSING – Jagger Joshua, Gianluca Esteves and Brody Stevens went into Monday afternoon's game against Penn State with no goals listed on their stat line.

In fact, none of the three Michigan State forwards had any points.

But all three ended the game smiling, knowing they played a role in a 5-1 victory over the Nittany Lions, helping the Spartans to a Big Ten series split at Munn Arena.

Joshua scored MSU's first goal 2:25 into the game.

Esteves made it 2-0 just 2 minutes and 38 seconds later, the goal that turned out to be the game-winner.

After Penn State cut MSU's lead to 2-1, Joshua got his second of the game with a deflection on a power play midway through the second period.

And just when the Nittany Lions were threatening to get back in the game, Stevens scored off a faceoff with 5:45 left in the third period, boosting MSU's lead to a comfortable three goals.

"I haven't scored all season so it's always good to score, especially when you're going through a drought,'' Joshua, said. "Then, when you get another one to help our team build the lead, it felt even better.

"We had a little more desperation today. We definitely were a little faster. It's our mindset that we're going to be aggressive and get in a good forecheck. But like yesterday, you're not always going to get rewarded. You have to trust the process. That's what we did today and got rewarded big time for it.''

Mitch Lewandowski finished the scoring with an empty-net goal with 2:15 left for MSU's fifth goal – its highest output of the season.

After watching his team get shutout 1-0 in Sunday's series opener, MSU coach Danton Cole was thrilled to see red lights flashing behind Penn State goalies.

"It was good to see those guys score. That's kind of how we're going to have to do it this year,'' Cole said of his team's offense. "There's certainly guys up and down the lineup that can score. But we don't have a guy like (former Spartan Patrick) Khodorenko – maybe Lewandowski a little bit and Charlie Combs – that can take over a game.

"But we can do it with depth and hard work and persistence in doing things the right way. Some of the Grade A chances that didn't go in yesterday, went in today. We did a nice job.''

In a game that the Spartans (4-4-2 overall, 3-4-1-2-0-0 Big Ten) faced some adversity with three regulars out of the lineup, including center and captain Tommy Apap and top scorer Combs, ejected for a contact-to-the-head penalty late in the second period, MSU got balanced scoring and solid contributions from forwards who haven't seen a lot of playing time.

With Apap banged up and forwards Joe Goodsir and A.J. Hodgins also out, Cole put together an all-senior unit of Jake Smith, Austin Kamer and Esteves. And adjustments had to be made when Combs was assessed a game misconduct with four minutes left in the second period.

Kamer drew an assist on Esteves' goal and Smith was on the ice when it was scored.

"Those guys play together a lot in practice and we challenge them with certain things and they do a great job,'' Cole said. "They went out and did it for us during today's game. They did a great job with their energy and execution.''

The MSU coach said Apap "was a banged up a little" after Sunday's game and took warmups Monday, but it was decided to hold him out. The versatile senior is expected to be ready to play against Michigan this weekend.

"Tommy is like a security blanket. He does so many things for the team. He's big and strong and leads,'' Cole said. "He was gone and that's a big hole. You try to get some balance (with the adjusted forward lines) and things that work.''

On Monday, things worked pretty well.

"I'm proud of the guys. They battled hard and figured out a way to get us out to a 2-0 lead, dealt with a lot of pressure and handled it well,'' Cole said.

Of course, an efficient offense wasn't the only bright spot in Michigan State's victory. Goalie Drew DeRidder continued to play at an elite level as he made 36 saves, including 15 in the first period and 13 in the third. It was a much busier afternoon with more dangerous shots than in Sunday's 1-0 loss in which he stopped 28 shots.

Penn State's only goal Monday came on a power play at 6:20 of the second period. Off a faceoff, a tic-tac-toe passing play went from Tim Doherty outside the right circle to Connor McEachern in the left circle to a wide-open Alex Limoges to the right of the net for an easy tap-in.

MSU's defense had another strong game holding off the Nittany Lions' offensive push in the second and third periods. The Spartans blocked 15 shots overall.

"Drew held us in there early. They had a couple of good chances but they don't score, and then all of a sudden, we go down (the ice) and it's 2-0,'' Cole said. "He was outstanding. Very calm.

"They threw a lot of rubber at the net but there weren't many second chances, and with pucks bouncing off the end-wall, he was keeping those behind the goal line. Just an impressive effort and start to the season for him.''

The MSU coach was also impressed with his team's defense, which held a team averaging 3.38 goals per game to two goals in two games. The last time the Nittany Lions were held to just two goals in a two-game series was during the 2017-18 season - 4-0 and 3-2 losses at Michigan on Jan. 19-20, 2018.

"Holding Penn State to one goal each game is pretty hard to do,'' Cole said. "We kept them to a lot of 3-on-3 rushes today – not a lot of odd-man rushes (in the series). That helps a ton because they have guys who can make plays.

"In our zone, our defensemen had really good sticks. We have a high correlation of having sticks on pucks to having success the last couple of years. It's deflecting passes, deflecting shots and putting (their) guys in bad spots. We did a good job with that.''

Since getting swept by Minnesota, the No. 1 team in the country, in early December, the Spartans are 2-1-1 with an overtime victory and tie at Notre Dame and a split with Penn State.

"I think there's a good hockey team in that room,'' Cole said of the Spartans. "They proved some things to themselves this weekend, and now we have another test against another good offensive team in a couple days.

"They're a pretty pumped up group in there. There were a lot of good things about (the series). The guys earned the win today and it was a lot of fun.''

UP NEXT: Michigan State gets three days to prepare for a home-and-home series against Michigan (5-5 overall, 3-5-0-1-0-0). The teams meet at 7 p.m. Friday at Yost Arena in Ann Arbor and at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Munn Arena. Saturday's game will be televised by the Big Ten Network.

The Spartans and Wolverines are tied for fifth place in the Big Ten with 8 points apiece. Michigan hasn't played since losing twice at home against Minnesota, Dec. 8-9.

After playing U-M, Michigan State takes to the road and meets up with Penn State again Jan. 15-16 in University Park, Pennsylvania. MSU's next home series is with Ohio State, Jan. 23-24.

2 GOALS LAST YEAR, 2 THIS YEAR: Jagger Joshua, a sophomore forward from Dearborn, Michigan, equaled his goal output from last season with two against Penn State on Monday.

Both of Joshua's goals in 2019-20 were scored at Munn Arena. His first career goal was against Wisconsin in a 3-0 victory on Dec. 6, 2019, and his second was in a 4-2 loss vs. Ohio State on Feb. 22, 2020.

On Monday, Joshua gave his team a huge boost by scoring on his second shift at 2:25 of the first period. He took a pass from Mitchell Mattson and from the right side of the net, he went to his backhand to lift the puck into the top right corner for a 1-0 lead.

His second goal came with 1:38 left on a five-minute power at 10:20 of the middle period. He got a stick on freshman defenseman Nash Nienhaus' shot from the point and it deflected past PSU goalie Liam Souliere (16 saves).

Joshua still had half the game to get this third goal and first career hat trick.

"It definitely crossed my mind, but I was more worried about just getting the win,'' he said.

As a freshman, Joshua had two goals and five assists for seven points in 36 games.

"For Jagger, he's been playing pretty decent hockey, but when you have no points, as a forward, that's how you define yourself,'' Coach Danton Cole said. "But just getting on the scoreboard and knocking zeroes out of your stat line makes you feel an awful lot better.''

Joshua has played most of MSU career on a checking line with Tommy Apap and Brody Stevens. And he's playing a key role as a penalty killer.

"Everybody wants to be on the power play but I kind of like doing the job that nobody else likes doing,'' he said. "I try to have an active stick. Our coaches trust me and that means a lot.''

With the Spartans holding a 3-1 lead, Joshua and his fellow penalty killers faced a big challenge trying to skate off a five-minute power play starting with four minutes left in the second period and extending one minute into the third. Forward Charlie Combs was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for contact to the head on a check behind the Spartan net.

Michigan State limited Penn State to three shots on goal and killed it, preventing the Nittany Lions from making it a one-goal game or even tying it.

THE STAT SHEET: Freshman forward Kristof Papp and junior defenseman Dennis Cesana each had two assists on Monday. Papp assisted on both of Jagger Joshua's goals and now has three assists in eight games.

Cesana had an assist on Gino Esteves's early first-period goal and earned an assist on Mitchell Lewandowski's empty-netter with 2:15 left. Cesana has one goal and five assists for six points in 10 games. He shares the team scoring lead with Charlie Combs (3-3) and Josh Nodler (0-6).

Freshman defenseman Nash Nienhaus collected his first collegiate point when he assisted on Joshua's second goal. Nienhaus' shot from the point on a power play hit Joshua's stick and found the back of the net in the second period.

Austin Kamer, playing in his fourth game this season, earned his first point of the season with an assist on Esteves' goal. Esteves took a long pass from Kamer just outside the PSU blue line and scored on a hard slap shot from the top of the left circle that rocketed over goalie Liam Souliere's left shoulder at 5:03 of the first period.

"It was great to see those guys score and get on the board for us,'' Cesana said. "They're not known for that and that's totally fine. They excel in other areas of the game. But to see Gino slap that one top right (corner) was a good feeling. I'm happy for him. And Jagger got two today and got the monkey off his back. That was awesome, and for Brody (Stevens), as well.

"It's good to see those guys contributing. We're going to need that the rest of the way.''

Jagger and Lewandowski led MSU with four shots on goal.

Penn State's Connor McMenamin had six shots on goal and Alex Limoges had five, including the Nittany Lions' only goal.

IN THE BIG TEN: Minnesota stayed perfect with its 10^th straight victory with a 6-4 win and non-conference series sweep over Arizona State on Monday night.

The No. 1-ranked Gophers (10-0-0 overall, 8-0-0-0-0-0) actually trailed 3-2 when the Sun Devils' Johnny Walker scored a lacrosse-style goal midway through the second period. But Minnesota scored four-straight goals – two in the second period and two in the third – to take a 6-3 lead. Minnesota won the series opener, 4-1.

The Gophers take their unbeaten record to Wisconsin this weekend to face the No. 12/14 Badgers (5-5-0, 5-3-0-0-1-0) on Saturday and Sunday.

In the other conference series, Ohio State (3-6-1, 3-5-0-0-1-0) plays host to Penn State (4-6-0, 2-6-0-0-0-0) on Friday and Saturday.

In a non-league series, Arizona State visits Notre Dame (4-5-1, 3-4-1-0-1-1) on Saturday and Sunday.

Every team in the Big Ten has played eight league games.

Minnesota is in first place with 24 points, eight in front of second-place Wisconsin's 16. Notre Dame is third with 12 points and Ohio State is fourth with 10. MSU and U-M, with 8 points apiece, share fifth place, while Penn State is seventh with 6.

Each team has 16 Big Ten games remaining in the regular season.