Spartans Fall at No. 4 Michigan, 6-2

GAME CAPSULE

A four-goal explosion in the second period propelled host Michigan to a 6-2 victory over Michigan State on Friday at Yost Ice Arena.

The fourth-ranked Wolverines had three power play markers in five chances on the night – all scored in the second period – and also had single goals in the first and third periods.

Jagger Joshua and Kristoff Papp scored the Spartan goals, both on power play chances late in the third period against backup goalie Jack leavy, who entered the game for the final 6:10 of regulation after starter Erik Portillo made 15 saves. Michigan State (11-17-1, 5-14-0) got 29 stops from goalie Drew DeRidder.

Defenseman Jack Hughes had a pair of gals for the Wolverines, both on the power play. Mackie Samoskevich and Jacob Truscott had a goal and two assists for Michigan (22-7-1, 13-6-0), which continues to sit atop the Big Ten standings.

Michigan State and Michigan will face off on Saturday in Detroit at Little Caesars Arena in the "Duel in the D".

STATISTICS OF NOTE

Jagger Joshua and Kristof Papp each had power play goals, scoring their second markers of the season overall.
Nash Nienhuis matched his career best with a two-assist game.
Drew DeRidder made 29 saves .

NOTABLES AND STORYLINES

Michigan was 3-for-5 on the power play on the night. MSU had extinguished 14 of the previous 15 power play opportunities over the last four games.
The Spartans were 2-for-4 with a man advantage, the first time since Nov. 20 (vs. Wisconsin) MSU had multiple power play goals in a game. The season high was three vs. Air Force (Oct. 9)

GAME SYNOPSIS

FIRST PERIOD: Drew DeRidder made an impressive save on the rush on Jimmy Lambert from the hashmarks, but Jacob Truscott was there for the rebound and put it into the back of the net at the 14-minute mark of the first period. The teams were both physical, but the lone goal of the period sent the home team into the locker room with the 1-0 lead. Michigan had a slight 9-7 edge in shots on net.

SECOND PERIOD: Michigan struck for four goals in the second period – three on the power play – to take a commanding 5-0 lead into the locker room at the second intermission. The first Spartan penalty was called at 9:23 of the period, and the Wolverines converted just 11 seconds into their man advantage when Luke Hughes' wrister beat DeRidder for his 11^th of the season. The Wolverines had been building momentum with a 6-2 edge in shots on net to that point of the period, and their first goal of the period gave the home team some momentum. Michigan scored twice 70 seconds apart at 15:13 (Samoskevich, on the power play) and again at 16:23 (Moyle) for a 4-0 lead, and converted a third power play chance at 18:49 when Hughes scored his second of the period.

THIRD PERIOD: MSU had more good looks In the third period, but all the scoring came in the final five minutes. Philiippe LaPointe tipped a blast from the right point from Truscott at 15:21. MSU scored twice in the final 4:03, welcoming backup goalie Jack Leavy to the game with a pair of power play markers. Jagger Joshua scored the first of two MSU tallies at 15:57, corralling a rebound off a Nash Nienhuis shot and putting it in off the back of Leavy. Kristoff Papp followed with his second goal of the year at 18:48, set up by Dennis Cesana and Nienhuis, who picked up his second assist of the night. The Spartans outshot their hosts 11-9 in the final period.

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Team Stats

Nash Nienhuis

Jagger Joshua

Kristof Papp

Dennis Cesana

Players Mentioned

Dennis Cesana

Drew DeRidder

Jagger Joshua

Nash Nienhuis

Kristof Papp