Irish Hold On for 2-1 Win In Series Opener

GAME CAPSULE

Michigan State battled from puck drop to buzzer with No. 12/11 Notre Dame on Friday night, but fell jut short to the visiting Irish, 2-1.

The Spartans took a 1-0 lead on the power play in the first period, scoring just the ninth extra-man goal against the Irish penalty kill which entered the night leading the country with a 92% success rate (102-110). Erik Middendorf one-timed a cross-slot pass from Mitchell Lewandowski and scoring his 10^th goal of the season.

The visitors got their own power play marker early in the second to even the game at 1-1 when Hunter Strand scored from the right circle (5:13), his seventh goal of the season. The game-winner came 4:23 into the final period (just seconds after the Spartans killed a third power play chance) on a goal by Landon Slaggert, who tipped a shot from Strand to give his team the lead.

The Spartans spent extended stretches in their offensive zone throughout the night, outshooting the Irish 37-22 on the night and 10-6 in the final period, but could not find the equalizer in the final minutes as Notre Dame goaltender Matthew Galajda maintained the slim lead.

Pierce Charleson made 20 saves for the Spartans, getting his first start since the Minnesota series two weeks ago. Galajda made 36 for Notre Dame.

The teams face off again on Saturday at 7 pm at Munn Ice Arena

STATISTICS OF NOTE

Erik Middendorf had the Spartan score, his 10^th goal of the season. Assists went to Mitchell Lewandowski and Jesse Tucker.
Pierce Charleson made his first start since Feb. 4, and made 20 saves.

NOTABLES AND STORYLINES

Mitchell Lewandowski played in his first game since Dec. 30 and had an assist on the Spartan goal.
Lewandowski has at least a point in 13 of the 16 games he's played this season
Lewandowski appeared in his 150^th career game for the Green & White, while captain Dennis Cesana skated in his 130^th as a Spartan.
All three games between MSU and Notre Dame this season have been one-goal games. The Spartans lost 3-2 to the Irish on Friday and came back with a 1-0 OT win on Saturday when the teams met in South Bend in December.
Eight of the last 11 games between these rivals have been one-goal affairs, dating back to the start of the 2019-20 season.
MSU has scored a power play goal in three straight games for just the second time this season. The first came in November when the Spartans had a power play marker at Ferris State and was a combined 3-for-9 in the series at home against Wisconsin.(Nov. 13-20)
Jesse Tucker had his team-leading 18^th assist of the season on Middendorf's goal.

GAME SYNOPSIS

FIRST PERIOD: The best two early chances came for Notre Dame. Charleson made a strong save on a 3-on-1 break for the Irish, and with seven minutes expired got a little help from his goalpost when Spencer Statsny went in alone on a breakway. The teams were playing even until the Irish took a penalty for interference at 15:22. The Spartans generated good chances early, and had five shots on the power play overall – capped with a one-timer from Erik Middendorf at 17:11, putting home a shot from the right side off assists from Lewandowski and Tucker . MSU had a 13-7 edge in shots on net.

SECOND PERIOD: The Irish had an early power play chance after a holding call went against Adam Goodsir, and Notre Dame got the tying goal on the ensuing power play when Hunter Strand had the puck in the right circle and found a sliver of open net, beating Charleson for his seventh goal of the season. The teams were even for the majority of the period – the Spartans had a 14-9 advantage in shots on net, but both goaltenders were up to the challenge. The Spartans had a late power play chance with an interference call against Solag Bakich, but the Spartans had a 10-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called against Jeremy Davidson, putting him on the bench for a good portion of the start of the third period.

THIRD PERIOD: Cesana was whistled for tripping just 2:16 into the final period, and the Irish scored a go-ahead goal right after the penalty expired Landon Slaggert was able to redirect a shot from Strand, for the go-ahead goal. The Spartans spent long periods in the offensive zone applying pressure and did a good job in their own defensive zone. Pierce Charleson did a nice job when pucks got to him, including on a Trevor Janicke shot with just under four minutes to go. The rebound bounced high and Janicke tapped it in with a high stick – inciting some after-the-whistle extracurriculars. The result was a pair of fighting minors and a game DQ for one player a side – Cole Krygier for the Spartans, and Graham Slaggert for the Irish. MSU kept good pressure on late in the game with Charleson pulled in favor of an extra skater, but Galajda held off all 10 shots he faced in that final period to allow the Irish to hold on, 2-1.

Next Event

Team Stats

Erik Middendorf

Jesse Tucker

Mitchell Lewandowski

Jeremy Davidson

Players Mentioned

Dennis Cesana

Pierce Charleson

Jeremy Davidson

Adam Goodsir

Cole Krygier

Mitchell Lewandowski

Erik Middendorf

Jesse Tucker

Players Mentioned

Dennis Cesana

Pierce Charleson

Jeremy Davidson

Adam Goodsir

Cole Krygier

Mitchell Lewandowski

Erik Middendorf

Jesse Tucker