Friday, December 8
7 PM
Michigan State University
11-4-2, 6-1-2
5
vs
2
Notre Dame
8-7-2, 4-3-2
1
2
3
F
Notre Dame
0
1
1
2
Michigan St.
0
2
3
5
Spartans Best Irish, 5-2
12/8/2023 11:19:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
East Lansing, Mich. – No 7/7 Michigan State unleashed a 56-shot barrage in a 5-2 home victory over No. 20/20 Notre Dame at home on Friday night.
The Spartans (11-4-2, 6-1-2 B1G) remained unbeaten at home (8-0-1) in earning its sixth league victory, and remains atop the Big Ten standings behind a goal and an assist from three players: Artyom Levshunov, Isaac Howard, and Daniel Russell. In all, 11 Spartans earned a point on the night.
After a scoreless first, the Spartans took a 2-1 lead in the second period on goals by Tiernan Shoudy and Joey Larson, and the Larson strike came on the power play. MSU never trailed again – it took a 3-1 lead just 18 seconds into the third on the Levshunov tally on an impressive individual effort. The Irish got a power play goal by Hunter Strand to trim it down to 3-2, but Isaac Howard countered on the man advantage with eight minutes to play and Russell iced the game with an empty-net tally for the final 5-2 score.
Trey Augustine made 35 saves, several of the highlight-reel variety in his own right as the Notre Dame goalie Bischel was forced to make 51 saves at the opposite end.
The Spartans and Notre Dame (8-7-2, 4-3-2 B1G) complete the series on Saturday in a 6 pm puck drop. It will be the final game for the Spartans prior to their exam and holiday break.
STATISTICS OF NOTE
First Period: A scoreless first period was not without action – the teams combined for 38 shots on goal, with MSU forcing Ryan Bischel to make 22 saves in the opening frame for the visitors. Augustine made 16 of his own for the Spartans. Each team killed off one power-play chance against.
Second Period: Tiernan Shoudy broke up the scoreless tie nearly six minutes into the second period after the Irish had killed off a penalty. Artyom Levshunov initiated the play with a blast from the right point, and Tanner Kelly collected it below the left circle. He backhanded a pass through the crease for a crashing Shoudy, and the sophomore potted his second goal of the season (5:46). Notre Dame answered 80 seconds later – With a pileup in the crease around Augustine that actually took the net off its moorings, Grant Silianoff found some space out to Augustine's right and got it across the goal line. The play was reviewed for goaltender interference, but the call on the ice was upheld. Skating on the power play, MSU regained the lead at 11:22. Larson took a pass from Reed Lebster and shot from the left circle. Larson collected his own rebound and sent the shot into the top right corner to allow the Spartans to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission. Bischel made another 13 saves in the second period, pushing his game total to 35 through 40 minutes.
Third Period: The teams began the third period skating four a side with carryover penalties from late in the second. Just 18 seconds into the frame, Nash Nienhuis fed defensive partner Artyom Levshunov in the neutral zone, and the freshman raced up the right side, into the circle, and unleashed a sharp-angle shot from below the dot that beat Bischel to push MSU's lead to 3-1. The Irish trimmed it down to 3-2 with a power-play goal by Hunter Strand at 8:22, when Cole Knuble picked up his second assist of the night by feeding Strand at the left hash. The Irish took a roughing penalty with just over eight minutes remaining in regulation, sending the Spartan PP back on the ice looking for a second goal on the night. It came from the stick of Isaac Howard, who started the play with a clapper from the right point. Bischel made the save, but the puck came loose – a savvy Howard crashed the net and popped the loose puck over Bischel for his fifth goal of the season. With the Irish goalie on the bench in favor of an extra skater, Russell iced the victory with an empty-netter – his seventh marker of the season. The Spartans held a 19-7 edge in shots on net in the period.
The Spartans (11-4-2, 6-1-2 B1G) remained unbeaten at home (8-0-1) in earning its sixth league victory, and remains atop the Big Ten standings behind a goal and an assist from three players: Artyom Levshunov, Isaac Howard, and Daniel Russell. In all, 11 Spartans earned a point on the night.
After a scoreless first, the Spartans took a 2-1 lead in the second period on goals by Tiernan Shoudy and Joey Larson, and the Larson strike came on the power play. MSU never trailed again – it took a 3-1 lead just 18 seconds into the third on the Levshunov tally on an impressive individual effort. The Irish got a power play goal by Hunter Strand to trim it down to 3-2, but Isaac Howard countered on the man advantage with eight minutes to play and Russell iced the game with an empty-net tally for the final 5-2 score.
Trey Augustine made 35 saves, several of the highlight-reel variety in his own right as the Notre Dame goalie Bischel was forced to make 51 saves at the opposite end.
The Spartans and Notre Dame (8-7-2, 4-3-2 B1G) complete the series on Saturday in a 6 pm puck drop. It will be the final game for the Spartans prior to their exam and holiday break.
STATISTICS OF NOTE
- Tiernan Shoudy got MSU on the board early in the second period with his second goal of the season, finishing off a backhand pass from Tanner Kelly through the crease.
- Joey Larson scored on a snipe into the upper right corner to give MSU a 2-1 lead midway through the second period. It was Larson's ninth of the season and fourth on the power play, both team bests. He has matched his season best with points in five consecutive games.
- Artyom Levshunhov had a goal and an assist, his fourth multiple-point game of the season. It pushed him back to a point per game average (5-12-17).
- Isaac Howard had his first goal since the Ohio State series in early November, and added an assist.
- Daniel Russell assisted on Howard's power-play goal in the third period, and his winger set him up on Russell's empty-netter.
- Irish goalie Ryan Bischel made 51 saves – he's the first opposing goalie to make 50+ saves against the Spartans since Feb. 11, 2011 (Jared Coreau of Northern Michigan in a 4-2 Wildcat win).
- Over its last two games, MSU has forced opposing goalies to make 92 saves. In the Spartans' last game at Minnesota (a 6-5 OT loss), Justen Close made 41 stops.
- MSU put a season-high 22 shots on net in the opening period and a season-high 56 in the game.
- MSU had a total of 15 blocked shots, giving MSU double-digit block totals in seven of nine B1G contests.
- The Spartan power play was 2-for-4 on the night, while the PK extinguished three of four chances against.
- Since the start of the 2018-19 season, the teams have played 26 games – there have been five ties, nine one-goal games, and eight decided by two-goal margins. Tonight was just the fourth game in this span have been settled by three or more goals.
- MSU has won three straight games and five out of six against the Irish, its longest winning streak against Notre Dame since three straight from Nov. 18 2006-January 11, 2008.
- The Spartans unveiled a new third (alternate) jersey, featuring Gruff Sparty on the front.
First Period: A scoreless first period was not without action – the teams combined for 38 shots on goal, with MSU forcing Ryan Bischel to make 22 saves in the opening frame for the visitors. Augustine made 16 of his own for the Spartans. Each team killed off one power-play chance against.
Second Period: Tiernan Shoudy broke up the scoreless tie nearly six minutes into the second period after the Irish had killed off a penalty. Artyom Levshunov initiated the play with a blast from the right point, and Tanner Kelly collected it below the left circle. He backhanded a pass through the crease for a crashing Shoudy, and the sophomore potted his second goal of the season (5:46). Notre Dame answered 80 seconds later – With a pileup in the crease around Augustine that actually took the net off its moorings, Grant Silianoff found some space out to Augustine's right and got it across the goal line. The play was reviewed for goaltender interference, but the call on the ice was upheld. Skating on the power play, MSU regained the lead at 11:22. Larson took a pass from Reed Lebster and shot from the left circle. Larson collected his own rebound and sent the shot into the top right corner to allow the Spartans to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission. Bischel made another 13 saves in the second period, pushing his game total to 35 through 40 minutes.
What a goal by Joey Larson! Bischel makes the initial save but Larson finds the top right corner for the PPG.#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/rMYdBOpGa0
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) December 9, 2023
Third Period: The teams began the third period skating four a side with carryover penalties from late in the second. Just 18 seconds into the frame, Nash Nienhuis fed defensive partner Artyom Levshunov in the neutral zone, and the freshman raced up the right side, into the circle, and unleashed a sharp-angle shot from below the dot that beat Bischel to push MSU's lead to 3-1. The Irish trimmed it down to 3-2 with a power-play goal by Hunter Strand at 8:22, when Cole Knuble picked up his second assist of the night by feeding Strand at the left hash. The Irish took a roughing penalty with just over eight minutes remaining in regulation, sending the Spartan PP back on the ice looking for a second goal on the night. It came from the stick of Isaac Howard, who started the play with a clapper from the right point. Bischel made the save, but the puck came loose – a savvy Howard crashed the net and popped the loose puck over Bischel for his fifth goal of the season. With the Irish goalie on the bench in favor of an extra skater, Russell iced the victory with an empty-netter – his seventh marker of the season. The Spartans held a 19-7 edge in shots on net in the period.
You're going to probably want to watch this one a few times. 💪
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) December 9, 2023
Levshunov up the right side, from the right circle. Beauty. #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/wWrjYLubdO
Team Stats
UND
MSU
Shots
37
56
PPG
1
2
SHG
0
0
Penalties
7
7
Penalty Mins
14
14
Faceoffs Won
42
32
Game Leaders
+/-
0
Goals
1
Sh
7
A
1
+/-
2
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
1
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
1
+/-
0
Goals
1
Sh
6
A
0
Players Mentioned
G
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