Spartans Clipped By Fourth-Ranked Broncos, 3-1

GAME CAPSULE

Michigan State dropped a hard-fought 3-1 game to No. 4 Western Michigan on Wednesday night in the first game of the Great Lakes Invitational Showcase at Munn Ice Arena.

MSU got a power play goal from freshman David Gucciardi in the second period to cut a two-goal deficit in half, and the Broncos got a late empty net marker for the final margin. Max Sisson scored the first goal of the game and assisted on Chad Hillebrand's second-period goal.

Brandon Bussi picked up the victory in net to improve to 14-5-0, making 28 saves and earning an assist on Sisson's first-period goal.

Drew DeRidder made 35 saves for MSU and earned the second Star of the Game honors.

Michigan State finishes up the GLI Showcase on Thursday when it hosts Michigan Tech at 5 pm. The Huskies skated to a scoreless tie at Michigan on Wednesday in their first Showcase game.

STATISTICS OF NOTE

Drew DeRidder had 35 saves on the night, his eighth game with 35+ saves in 13 starts this season.
David Gucciardi scored his second goal of the season in the second period. Jesse Tucker had the primary assist, his eighth of the year, and Griffin Loughran had his seventh helper as the secondary.

NOTABLES AND STORYLINES

MSU has played 13 games which have been settled by two goals or less, and all four with a two-goal margin have had a late empty net goal. The Spartans are 6-3 in one-goal games, and 2-2 in games settled by two goals. MSU has settled each of its last five games in this manner, going 2-3.
The Spartans were 4-for-4 on the penalty kill, allowing just three shots on net when down a man. MSU was 1-for-4 on the power play, scoring its first extra-man tally since Dec. 4 at Penn State.
Nico Muller had a penalty shot turned away in the first period. It was the first MSU penalty shot attempt since Dec. 8, 2017 (Brennan Sanford vs. Michigan, stopped by Hayden Lavigne).

GAME SYNOPSIS

FIRST PERIOD: The Broncos had a pair of early power play chances before the period was half over, but it was MSU with the best chance when Bronco centerman Drew Worrad tripped Nico Muller after the junior had sprung for a breakaway chance. Muller was awarded a penalty shot, but Bussi gloved the offering. The period ended with the visitors having a 13-6 edge in shots on net.

SECOND PERIOD: The visitors doubled their lead just over a minute into the second period, when Chad Hillebrand brought the puck up the left side, cut into the slot, and beat DeRidder stick-side for his second marker of the season. The Spartans got the goal back on a power play marker by David Gucciardi at 8:28 to make it a 2-1 game. MSU was on the power play, and worked the puck up high. Griffin Loughran found Gucciardi in the high slot, and he then dished it over to Tucker on top of the right circle. Tucker sent it right back to the freshman blueliner, who shot-faked a stride to his right, and ripped a shot through traffic that found its mark and cut the deficit in half. The shots went 18-12 in favor of WMU in the second, but each team found the back of the net once.

THIRD PERIOD: The visitors began the period with more than 90 seconds of power play time, but took a penalty for too many men that canceled out the remainder and put the Spartans on the man advantage just two minutes into the period. As has become their trend, the Spartans were strong in the third period – they spent extended minutes in their offensive zone, created chances and outshot their visitors 11-7 in the frame. Bussi was up to the challenge from MSU, however, and kept the Spartans at bay. Drew DeRidder headed to the bench in favor of an extra skater with 1:26 to play, With 43 seconds remaining, the Broncos forced a turnover and scored the empty-netter for the final 3-1 score.

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Team Stats

David Gucciardi

Griffin Loughran

Jesse Tucker

Nicolas Müller

Players Mentioned

Drew DeRidder

David Gucciardi

Griffin Loughran

Jesse Tucker

Players Mentioned

Drew DeRidder

David Gucciardi

Griffin Loughran

Jesse Tucker