Gophers Trip MSU 4-1 In Series Opener

GAME CAPSULE

Michigan State dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 9/11 Minnesota on Friday to open the two-game series between the teams.

The Spartans (11-9-1, 5-6-0 B1G) got a first career goal from sophomore Nash Nienhuis in the first period to cut a 2-0 Gopher lead in half, but the visitors scored once in the second and one in the third to earn their seventh win in the Big Ten schedule. Minnesota is now 11-8-0, 7-4-0 B1G.

Ben Meyers had two goals and an assist on the night to lead his squad, while Chaz Lucuis had a goal and two assists. Jack LaFontaine made 24 saves in the winning effort in the Gopher crease.

Kristof Papp and Jeremy Davidson each picked up assists on the Nienhuis tally. Senior Drew DeRidder made 32 saves in his fourth straight start.

Michigan State and Minnesota finish the series on Saturday in a game that starts at 7:30 pm ET on Big Ten Network.

STATISTICS OF NOTE

Nash Nienhuis scored his first collegiate goal in the first period, skating in his 46^th career game. He already had six assists on the season to surpass his freshman year total of four.
Kristof Papp has also surpassed his freshman season point total, picking up his eighth assist of the year. Jeremy Davidson had his sixth assist and continues to lead MSU with eight goals.

NOTABLES AND STORYLINES

MSU lost the first game in each of its last two Big Ten series at Penn State and Notre Dame, but came back to win Saturday efforts.
MSU has 14 consecutive successful penalty kills, dating back to the first game at Notre Dame (Dec. 10). Minnesota's power play entered the night at .260, ranking second in the Big Ten and fifth nationally – but was held off the board in four attempts.
MSU won 40 of 67 faceoffs on the night, but the Gophers had more blocked shots (13-10). Aiden Gallacher and Griffin Loughran each had two. Mike Koster led Minnesota with three.

GAME SYNOPSIS

FIRST PERIOD: The teams traded early power play chances, and as MSU's man advantage expired, Sammy Walker exited the box and raced into the Gopher's offensive zone, got behind the defense, and finished off a pass from Blake McLoughlin for his eighth of the season and a 1-0 visitor lead. Late in the period, the Gophers doubled their lead when Ben Myers carried the puck into the left circle and sniped a sharp-angle shot between the post and the stick hand of DeRidder. Less than 90 seconds later, the Spartans got the goal back. Kristoff Papp carried puck along the left boards, circled back at the bottom of the circle, and backhanded a pass to Nienhuis, and he one-timed it past LaFontaine for his first career marker.

SECOND PERIOD: MSU spent most of the first half of the period skating shorthanded, as it took penalties at 3:51, 7:22, and 9:00 – approximately six consecutive minutes of skating down a man. The media time out came just after the third penalty expired, giving MSU a chance to catch its breath and regroup. MSU , which only allowed seven shots in the first 11 minutes despite the extended kill, started off the second half of the period with a couple of good goalmouth chances, and spent some extended time in its own offensive zone. The Gophers finally got one through with 3:16 remaining in the period, as Myers scored his second of the game, a feed from Matthew Knies to give Minnesota a 3-1 lead entering the second intermission.

THIRD PERIOD: The Spartans had a pair of power play chances – one early, one at the midpoint of the period – but weren't able to get much going. While MSU outshot its guests 10-6 in the frame, the lone goal went to Minnesota at 16:20. Chaz Lucius got the score off an assist from Meyers, the third point of the night for both players. The Spartans were an impressive 17-6 in the faceoff circle in the period, but could not get one past LaFontaine to get the score any closer.

Next Event

Team Stats

Nash Nienhuis

Jeremy Davidson

Kristof Papp

Griffin Loughran

Players Mentioned

Jeremy Davidson

Drew DeRidder

Aiden Gallacher

Griffin Loughran

Nash Nienhuis

Kristof Papp

Players Mentioned

Jeremy Davidson

Drew DeRidder

Aiden Gallacher

Griffin Loughran

Nash Nienhuis

Kristof Papp