Spartans Earn 5-1 Win To Split AFA Series

GAME CAPSULE

Michigan State earned a 5-1 victory over Air Force on Saturday to earn a split in the season-opening series. Both teams are 1-1 on the year.

MSU got two goals each from Griffin Loughran and Mitchell Lewandowski to lead five multiple-point scorers in the game. Sophomore goalie Pierce Charleson made 28 saves in his first start of the season. Each of the first three goals for MSU came on the power play, where MSU went 3-for-6.

The Spartans scored twice in each the first and third periods and never trailed, outshooting their guests 39-29 and winning 32 of 55 faceoffs (58.2%).

Lewandowski had an assist on a Dennis Cesana goal in the third, and potted his second goal of the night as an empty netter. Loughran's markers came just under two minutes apart in the first period, with Josh Nodler earning an assist on each.

Luke Rowe scored the lone tally for the Falcons, while senior goalie Alex Schilling made 34 saves.

Michigan State welcomes former CCHA foe Miami to East Lansing next weekend for a two-game series.

STATISTICS OF NOTE

Griffin Loughran had his first two goals as a Spartan, finding the back of the net on consecutive power plays in the first period.
Mitchell Lewandowski had three points (2g, 1a).
Centerman Josh Nodler had a pair of assists, as did defenseman Nash Nienhuis.
Junior Erik Middendorf had his first point as a Spartan on Loughran's second goal, while freshman Jesse Tucker had his first collegiate point with the secondary assist on Loughran's first tally.

SUPPORTING STORYLINES

MSU went 3-for-6 on the power play on the night. The Spartans scored just five power play goals in the 2020-21 season.
Junior Erik Middendorf had his first point as a Spartan on Loughran's second goal, while freshman Jesse Tucker had his first collegiate point with the secondary assist on Loughran's first tally.
Neinhuis had his second career multi-point game. His first came last Feb. 14 against Arizona State.
Christian Krygier and Nicolas Mueller had their first points of the season,

GAME SYNOPSIS

FIRST PERIOD: MSU scored on back-to-back power plays to stake a 2-0 lead. Both goals came from winger Griffin Loughran, who scored at 8:09 and again at 9:57 – the first one he batted out of the air on the doorstep after an attempt from Nodler, and the second off an assist from Erik Middendorf. With the teams skating four a side, Air Force cut the lead in half on a goal by Luke Rowe, who scored his second of the weekend at 12:12. The Spartans had a 13-5 shot advantage and led 11-7 in faceoffs in the frame.

SECOND PERIOD: The Spartans got their third goal in the final minutes of the frame, as Mitchell Lewandowski scored his second of the weekend. The play started at the top of the slot with Nash Nienhuis, who slid it to Jeremy Davidson at the top of the circle on the left wall Davidson's shot was saved by Schilling, but Lewandowski was there to redirect the rebound at the right post.

THIRD PERIOD: The Spartans struck for a pair in the final five minutes to blow the game open. Dennis Cesana's goal at 15:30 was a thing of beauty – along the right wall, he dished it out to Lewandowski near the blue line and went to the net. Lewandowski found Cesana streaking to the net, and he crossed the top of the crease right-to-left and put the puck between his legs and beat Schilling glove-side for the blueliner's first goal of the season. Lewandowski added his second of the game with an empty net at 18:52, when the teams were skating four a side. Both Christian Krygier and Nicolas Mueller picked up their first points of the season with assists on the tally.

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Team Stats

Mitchell Lewandowski

Griffin Loughran

Josh Nodler

Nash Nienhuis

Players Mentioned

Dennis Cesana

Pierce Charleson

Jeremy Davidson

Christian Krygier

Mitchell Lewandowski

Griffin Loughran

Erik Middendorf

Nash Nienhuis

Josh Nodler

Jesse Tucker

Players Mentioned

Dennis Cesana

Pierce Charleson

Jeremy Davidson

Christian Krygier

Mitchell Lewandowski

Griffin Loughran

Erik Middendorf

Nash Nienhuis

Josh Nodler

Jesse Tucker