Saturday, February 18
Madison, WI
8 pm ET/7 pm CTA
Michigan State University
16-16-2, 10-12-2
2
at
6
Wisconsin
12-20-0, 5-17-0
1
2
3
F
Michigan St.
0
2
0
2
Wisconsin
2
2
2
6
Badgers Earn Senior Night Win Over MSU, 6-2
2/18/2023 10:42:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Madison, Wis.. – No. 17/14 Michigan State dropped its regular-season finale at Wisconsin on Saturday, falling 6-2 on the Badgers' senior night.
The Badgers took a 2-0 lead in a sluggish first period for MSU, and then each team scored twice in the middle frame, as Nash Nienhuis and Cole Krygier scored goals in the period for the Spartans (16-16-2, 10-12-2 B1G). MSU carried stretches of play over much of the third yet couldn't get anything on the board; Corson Ceulmans put the fifth on the board with just under four minutes remaining, and Mathieu de st. Phalle got an empty netter – his second goal of the night - to give Wisconsin its final 6-2 margin and second win in the last three games.
Dylan St. Cyr made 30 saves, while Jared Moe had 24 for the Badgers in his final home game of his career.
The Spartans are idle in the final weekend of the regular season, when the three remaining Big Ten series are Wisconsin at Penn State, Notre Dame at Michigan, and Ohio State at Minnesota. The quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament begins March 3 on campus sites of the teams seeded 2-4.
STATISTICS OF NOTE
PERIOD SUMMARIES
First Period: As a penalty to Jesse Tucker expired, the Badgers found themselves on the board first at 4:20. Wisconsin was buzzing deep in their zone and the Spartans were unable to clear, and Liam Malmquist was able to redirect a fourth effort past St. Cyr at the right post. After a skirmish that landed Jagger Joshua in the box for two minors, the Badgers converted on the ensuing power play, as Carson Bantle took advantage of a turnover, and he scored his eighth of the season to give the home team a 2-0 lead. Michigan State got better as the period wore on but was outshot by its hosts 14-4.
Second Period: Wisconsin came out assertive in the second and put a third goal on the board at 2:02, as Mathieu De St. Phalle tipped home a backdoor pass at the left post off a pass from Cruz Lucius. MSU finally got on the board at 3:50 to make it a 3-1 game, as Daniel Russell corralled the puck in the left corner, held it a beat, and dished it off to Nash Nienhuis, who raced up the right side scored from inside the right dot for his third goal of the season. Wisconsin answered right back with a goal by Jack Gorniak, as the Badgers finished off a backdoor pass for the second time in the period. The Spartans got back into things five minutes later with a Cole Krygier goal at 11:16, set up by Daniel Russell and Erik Middendorf to trim the deficit down to a more manageable 4-2. With 1:53 remaining in the period, the Badgers picked up their first penalty of the game – a cross-checking minor by Ben Dexheimer – but the Spartans could not find another goal in the period. St. Cyr turned away 11 shots in the period.
Third Period: The Spartans had to kill a pair of penalties in the first 11 minutes of the period and not only came away unscathed, but also outshot its hosts by an 9-2 margin in that time frame. MSU outshot the Badgers by a 13-9 margin, but the Wisconsin defense blocked shooting lanes and made things difficult as it had all night for the Spartans. Corson Ceulmans sealed the win with a goal with 3:42 remaining on the clock and MSU pressing for an equalizer, as Cruz Lucius picked up his second assist of the night. MSU outshot Wisconsin 13-9 in the period as it looked to get back into it after the slow start, but could never get any closer to the homestanding Badgers, who won for the second consecutive Saturday.
The Badgers took a 2-0 lead in a sluggish first period for MSU, and then each team scored twice in the middle frame, as Nash Nienhuis and Cole Krygier scored goals in the period for the Spartans (16-16-2, 10-12-2 B1G). MSU carried stretches of play over much of the third yet couldn't get anything on the board; Corson Ceulmans put the fifth on the board with just under four minutes remaining, and Mathieu de st. Phalle got an empty netter – his second goal of the night - to give Wisconsin its final 6-2 margin and second win in the last three games.
Dylan St. Cyr made 30 saves, while Jared Moe had 24 for the Badgers in his final home game of his career.
The Spartans are idle in the final weekend of the regular season, when the three remaining Big Ten series are Wisconsin at Penn State, Notre Dame at Michigan, and Ohio State at Minnesota. The quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament begins March 3 on campus sites of the teams seeded 2-4.
STATISTICS OF NOTE
- Nash Nienhuis scored his third of the season in the second period, pushing his point total to a career-best 15.
- Daniel Russell's two assists in the second period pushed him to 20 on the season
- Cole Krygier scored his 10th goal of the year midway through the second. He is the highest scoring defenseman for the Spartans since Torey Krug had 12 in the 2011-12 campaign.
- Erik Middendorf had an assist in the second period, his eighth point against the Badgers this season (4g, 4a).
- MSU"s streak of six games with a power play goal came to a halt (0-for-3 on the PP), but MSU killed four of five man-down situations.
- Wisconsin piled up 19 blocked shots on the night compared to just four for MSU.
PERIOD SUMMARIES
First Period: As a penalty to Jesse Tucker expired, the Badgers found themselves on the board first at 4:20. Wisconsin was buzzing deep in their zone and the Spartans were unable to clear, and Liam Malmquist was able to redirect a fourth effort past St. Cyr at the right post. After a skirmish that landed Jagger Joshua in the box for two minors, the Badgers converted on the ensuing power play, as Carson Bantle took advantage of a turnover, and he scored his eighth of the season to give the home team a 2-0 lead. Michigan State got better as the period wore on but was outshot by its hosts 14-4.
Second Period: Wisconsin came out assertive in the second and put a third goal on the board at 2:02, as Mathieu De St. Phalle tipped home a backdoor pass at the left post off a pass from Cruz Lucius. MSU finally got on the board at 3:50 to make it a 3-1 game, as Daniel Russell corralled the puck in the left corner, held it a beat, and dished it off to Nash Nienhuis, who raced up the right side scored from inside the right dot for his third goal of the season. Wisconsin answered right back with a goal by Jack Gorniak, as the Badgers finished off a backdoor pass for the second time in the period. The Spartans got back into things five minutes later with a Cole Krygier goal at 11:16, set up by Daniel Russell and Erik Middendorf to trim the deficit down to a more manageable 4-2. With 1:53 remaining in the period, the Badgers picked up their first penalty of the game – a cross-checking minor by Ben Dexheimer – but the Spartans could not find another goal in the period. St. Cyr turned away 11 shots in the period.
Third Period: The Spartans had to kill a pair of penalties in the first 11 minutes of the period and not only came away unscathed, but also outshot its hosts by an 9-2 margin in that time frame. MSU outshot the Badgers by a 13-9 margin, but the Wisconsin defense blocked shooting lanes and made things difficult as it had all night for the Spartans. Corson Ceulmans sealed the win with a goal with 3:42 remaining on the clock and MSU pressing for an equalizer, as Cruz Lucius picked up his second assist of the night. MSU outshot Wisconsin 13-9 in the period as it looked to get back into it after the slow start, but could never get any closer to the homestanding Badgers, who won for the second consecutive Saturday.
Team Stats
MSU
WIS
Shots
27
36
PPG
0
1
SHG
0
0
Penalties
7
5
Penalty Mins
14
10
Faceoffs Won
31
31
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
2
Goals
0
Sh
1
A
2
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
+/-
-2
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
0
+/-
0
Goals
0
Sh
3
A
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Ice HockeyD
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice Hockey
D
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice Hockey
G
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice HockeyIsaac Howard Wins The Hobey | Spartans All-Access
Monday, April 21
Adam Nightingale | Hockey Press Conference | April 17, 2025
Thursday, April 17
Adam Nightingale, Daniel Russell, Tiernan Shoudy Post Game Comments | Cornell
Thursday, March 27
Adam Nightingale, Tiernan Shoudy, Matt Basgall, and Tanner Kelly | NCAA Regional
Wednesday, March 26