MSU Blitzes Buckeyes, 6-0, in B1G Opener

Columbus, Ohio – No 12 Michigan State scored three third-period goals to blow open a 6-0 victory at No. 13 Ohio State on Friday. The headliners in the game were the Spartan freshmen: goalie Trey Augustine recorded a 34-save shutout, classmate Gavin O'Connell had a pair of goals, and Tommi Männistö and Owen Baker each had their first collegiate goals and finished with a goal and an assist.

The Spartans stopped a two-game skid (both against now-No. 1 Boston College) and improved to 6-3-0 overall and earned a Big Ten win in their opening conference game of the season. OSU is now 3-2-3, 0-2-1 in Big Ten play.

O'Connell scored both of his goals from below the dot in the left circle in the first period, giving MSU a 2-0 lead in the first intermission. A hard-fought goal by Isaac Howard in the second period made it 3-0 after 40 minutes, and karsen Dorwart and Männistö potted goals eight seconds apart for a 5-0 lead. Owen Baker scored with just under two minutes remaining in regulation for the final 6-0 margin.

Augustine made 14 of his 34 saves as the Buckeyes pressed for a score in the final period, preserving the clean sheet. Starter Logan Tenness made 25 saves before being replaced in the third period by Riley Herbst, who played the final 11:19 and made nine stops.

The Spartans had a season-high 14 blocked shots and outshot their hosts 40-34.

Michigan State will complete the two-game set with the Buckeyes on Saturday at 5 pm.

STATISTICS OF NOTE

Trey Augustine recorded 34 saves in his first career shutout. He made 14 of his 34 saves in the third period.
Freshman Gavin O'Connell had first multiple-goal game of his career with his third and fourth goals of the season in the opening period.
Isaac Howard had a goal and an assist for his third multiple-point game of the season.
Karsen Dorwart had a goal and an assist. He now leads the squad with six goals.
Daniel Russell had three assists in the game, tying his career best.
Tommi Männistö scored his first collegiate goal in the third period, and classmate Owen Baker had his first career point with the secondary assist. The two teamed up on Baker's goal later in the period for a two-point night for both.
MSU was 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and limited the Buckeyes to just four shots on net. The Spartans converted on one of their two power play chances.
Michigan State tied its season best with six goals, and MSU has scored four goals or more in eight of nine games this year.
The Spartans earned their first win at Value City Arena since October of 2021. The Spartans scored six goals in a game against the Buckeyes for the first time since a 7-7 deadlock on Jan. 4, 2019.
The last meeting between the teams was a 6-0 score in favor of Ohio State, a Jan. 7, 2023 win in Columbus. MSU returned the favor with a matching 6-0 shutout in the very next game between the teams.

First Period:  MSU got on the board just over five minutes into the period with a goal by freshman Gavin O'Connell. Maxim Štrbák received the puck from Nash Nienhuis at the right point, and his wrister through traffic was saved by Logan Terness. The rebound came out to the left side to O'Connell, who had a wide-open left side for his third goal of the season. O'Connell scored again at 12:10, again from the left side at the bottom of the circle on the power play. The visitors had a 13-9 edge in shots on net in the opening frame.


Second Period:   While the Spartans popped an early one in the first period, it took more than 15 minutes for a score in the second frame. Sophomore Isaac Howard gave the Spartans a 3-0 lead with his goal at 15:20. He was on the doorstep to redirect a shot by Daniel Russell, popping it home blocker-side for his second goal of the season, and second point of the night. MSU had 13 shots to OSU's 11 in the period, but went into the dressing room with a three-goal lead.

Third Period: MSU scored a pair of goals eight seconds apart at the near midpoint of the final period to chase Terness from the crease. On the first goal, Karsen Dorwart carried the puck into the zone up the left side and did a nice spin-o-rama to dish across the high slot to Artyom Levshunov. Levshunov dished to Daniel Russell across the hashmarks, and Russell's shot was saved – but the rebound came out to Dorwart below the left dot and he found space for his sixth goal of the season. After the ensuing faceoff, Victor Hurtig went cross-hash to Tommi Männistö, and he buried his first goal of his Spartan career to make it 5-0. Late in the period, a savvy spin move by Austin Oravetz at the left point kept the puck in the zone, and the rebound off his shot fell onto the stick of Baker to give the freshman his first collegiate goal and the final 6-0 Spartan margin of victory. Augustine stopped 14 of his 34 saves in the final period.

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Team Stats

Daniel Russell

Gavin O'Connell

Isaac Howard

Karsen Dorwart

Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Owen Baker

Karsen Dorwart

Isaac Howard

Artyom Levshunov

Nash Nienhuis

Gavin O'Connell

Austin Oravetz

Daniel Russell