Spartan Unbeaten Streak Reaches Seven in 3-3 Road Tie

East Lansing, Mich. – No 7/7 Michigan State three times battled back from one-goal deficits and got a career-best 44 saves from freshman goalie Trey Augustine as it skated to a tie at No. 8/8 Minnesota on Friday and picked up the extra point in the Big Ten standings with a victory in the shootout.

The Gophers took a 1-0 lead after the opening period, MSU tied it up in the second, and the teams skated through a wild third period in which MSU killed off most of a major penalty and withstood a 19-shot barrage by the home team. MSU outshot its hosts 5-4 in the overtime period, in which there were two hit pipes and near-misses for OT heroics on each side.

The Spartans remain unbeaten in Big Ten play (5-0-2) and are now 10-3-2 overall. MSU-Minnesota is the only Conference series on the slate this weekend.

Joey Larson had a goal and an assist, while Tiernan Shoudy had the game-tying goal and Nash Nienhuis had his second goal in as many games.

The Gophers skated through a sharper first period and led 1-0 at the first intermission. MSU appeared to have tied the game five minutes into the middle frame, but the goal was called back due to goaltender interference. Larson, who had his goal wiped off the board earlier in the frame, scored on the power play at the midpoint of the period to send the teams into the second intermission tied at 1-1 and set up an exciting third.

Just over three minutes into the final period, the Spartans took a penalty behind the net that was turned into a major penalty upon review. MSU had killed off most of it before the Gophers struck on a one-timer by Bryce Brodzinski with 27 seconds remaining in the major, at the 8:01 mark of the period. MSU wasted little time and scored 82 seconds later on a strong finish by Nash Nienhuis, giving Larson his second point of the night on the assist.

Minnesota invigorated the home crowd on a beautiful one-timer by Rhett Pitlik at 14:14, but MSU once again countered less than 90 seconds later when Shoudy tipped a shot from the point by David Gucciardi for the equalizer.

Augustine, the reigning Big Ten First Star of the Week had a performance worthy of a repeat bid. He made a career-best 44 stops, including 17 in the third period and another four in overtime. Justen Close made 25 stops for Minnesota, which is now 6-4-3, 2-3-2 in Big Ten contests.

The teams complete the two-game series on Sunday afternoon. The game will be televised live on Big Ten Network.

STATISTICS OF NOTE

Joey Larson has goals in three straight games with his second-period power play goal. He added an assist for his second multiple-point game of the season.
Trey Augustine stopped 44 shots and earned first star honors. His previous high was 42, established against Canisius on Oct. 19.
Tiernan Shoudy scored his first goal of the season and has points in three of the last four Spartan games.
Nash Nienhuis' third-period goal was his fifth of the season, and his second in as many games. Five goals is a new single-season high for the defenseman, bettering the four he had in his sophomore and junior seasons.
Artyom Levshunov blocked a season-best four shots, leading MSU to its total of 18, which is its second-most in a game this season.
MSU's unbeaten streak has reached seven games, with a 5-0-2 record - all since the start of Big Ten play on Nov. 3.
MSU surrendered a power play goal for the first time since the game at Ohio State on Nov. 4. It snapped a streak of 17 consecutive kills for the Spartans. MSU was 4-of-5 on the kill, and scored once on three chances with a man advantage.

First Period: MSU got sharper as the period wore on, but the home team was on point for the entire 20 minutes and held both a 13-6 edge in shots on goal and 11 wins in the faceoff circle. The only goal of the period came when the Gophers jumped on the board in the opening two minutes. An unmarked Connor Kurth was in the left circle, and Aaron Huglen slid the puck through the slot for Kurth's one-timer at 1:41. Augustine stopped 12 of the shots he faced and both teams killed off one power play.

Here's four of Augustine's 12 first-period saves. He's been sharp! pic.twitter.com/e1CKoEMhiZ
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) November 25, 2023

Second Period: MSU had what appeared to be the tying goal at 5:46, when Joey Larson poked home a loose puck on the doorstep, but the Gophers challenged the call on the ice and upon review, the goal was waved off due to goalie interference. With a power play chance at the midpoint of the period, Larson got his revenge – Red Savage sent it from the back wall into the slot for Davidson, and his backhanded spin move put it right on the stick of Larson below the left hash for a one-timer that was in and out of the net in a flash. It was Larson's seventh goal of the season. MSU had a much better second period and outshot their hosts 13-11.

This one sticks! Larson on the PP, from Davidson and Savage. 1-1 at the midpoint of the game. pic.twitter.com/wPTE9iLYCP
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) November 25, 2023

Third Period: The teams traded goals at the midpoint of the period. Tommi Männistö was whistled for a hit from behind the net that was reviewed and made a five-minute major, putting the Spartans on an extended kill. With 27 seconds remaining in the man advantage, Bryce Brodzinski took his third straight shot from the right circle, and it found its way past Augustine for a power play goal. MSU did not wait long to answer, as Nash Nienhuis took a pass from the top of the slot from Gavin O'Connell, skated to the dot in the right circle and wristed home the tying goal. As the teams approached the final five minutes, the Gophers had good puck movement in their offensive zone, and Mike Koster sent a nifty pass through the slot to Rhett Pitlick just inside the bottom of the right circle and the junior scored his fifth of the season to give his team a 3-2 lead. MSU would not go away, however – at 16:33, Shoudy tipped a blast from the left point by David Gucciardi to once again tie the game. The Gophers outshot MSU 19-4 in the period, thanks in large part to that major penalty – but MSU held the Gophers at bay with the outstanding effort of Augustine, who made 17 saves.

SHOUDY! The sophomore picks an excellent time for his first goal of the season, knotting this one up at 3-3 in the third. pic.twitter.com/j3bINxfdHW
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) November 25, 2023

Overtime: Both teams wanted a hero finish, and pressed for a winning goal in the extra five minutes. Both teams had excellent chances, each hitting a post during three-on-three action. MSU outshot the Gophers 5-4 in the bonus period (more shots than it had in the third period), but the teams had to settle on a 3-3 tie. In the shootout, Karsen Dorwart scored the only goal MSU needed as the first shooter for the Spartans, who earned the extra point in the Big Ten standings.

Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Karsen Dorwart

David Gucciardi

Joey Larson

Artyom Levshunov

Nash Nienhuis

Gavin O'Connell

Red Savage

Tiernan Shoudy

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