Saturday, March 11
Minneapolis, MN
9 pm ET / 8 pm CT
Michigan State University
18-18-2
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Minnesota
26-8-1
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Michigan St.
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Minnesota
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Spartans Fall to Gophers In B1G Semis, 5-1
3/12/2023 12:04:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Minneapolis, MInn. – No. 18/17 Michigan State battled with No. 1/1 Minnesota in its first-ever trip to the Big Ten semifinals, but fell to the Big Ten regular-season champions, 5-1. The Golden Gophers will host the championship game next weekend against Michigan.
MSU (18-18-2) played maybe its best game against Minnesota in the five matchups of the season, limiting the powerful Gopher offense – which leads the nation by averaging more than four goals a game – to just 24 shots on net. The game was fast-paced and competitive, with the Gophers needing a great bounce and an empty-netter to ice the game in the third period.
The Spartans put the first goal on the board in the opening period on a power-play marker by Jeremy Davidson, but the home team countered with a man advantage goal of its own by Jaxon Nelson and added one in the final two minutes of the frame on a deflection by John MIddlestadt to take a 2-1 lead into the locker room. Minnesota got on the board quickly in the second period on a goal scored by Aaron Huglen, but the Spartans went toe-to-toe with their hosts, creating their own offense and held advantages in shots on goal in each of the first two periods. The Gophers led 3-1 after 40 minutes, but the Spartans were certainly pushing the home team with a 23-18 edge in shots on net.
The game remained close as it approached the midpoint of the third period. Minnesota got a good bounce to make it 4-1 at 8:24, on a Logan Cooley shot that sailed high and wide. The puck caromed off the back glass and hit goalie Dylan St. Cyr in the back and trickled over the line to make it 4-1. Cooley added a second goal into an empty net at 15:59 with St. Cyr on the bench in favor of an extra skater.
MSU played a sound defensive game and outshot their hosts 30-24 on the night, forcing the home team to block 19 shots while goaltender Justen Close made 29 saves. MSU blocked 14 shots of its own, and St. Cyr made 19 stops.
MSU's NCAA tournament hopes remain a longshot, with one weekend of league tournament games remaining. The NCAA selection show is on Sunday, March 19 at 6:30 pm.
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STATISTICS OF NOTE
PERIOD SUMMARIES
First Period: Michigan State had the first power play chance of the night with Logan Cooley sent to the box on an elbowing call at 3:08. The Spartans cashed in just over a minute into the man advantage. Miroslav Mucha dished out to Nash Nienhuis at the right point, and Nienhuis sent it back below the goal line to Mucha to Close's left. Mucha saucered it through the slot to Jeremy Davidson at the bottom of the left circle, and Davidson beat the goalie stick-side for his 10th of the season. The Gophers answered with a power play goal of their own at 13:39, with Hurtig in the box for tripping. Matthew Kneis had the puck at the right post and quickly dished it to Jaxson Nelson, who was unchecked on the doorstep and he tipped it home. Minnesota turned their intensity up a notch, and was buzzing in its own offensive zone – MSU blocked a pair of shots and got a pair of big saves from St. Cyr. Jeff Middlestadt gave the Gophers a 2-1 lead with just 2:09 remaining in the period, as he screened St. Cyr on the doorstep and redirected a shot by Ryan Chesley from the point. MSU outshot its hosts 12-9 in the period.
Second Period: The Gophers put a quick one on the board in the second, whwhenan a shot by Cal Thomas rebounded directly onto the stick of Aaron Huglen who was unchecked on the doorstep and potted his sixth of the season. MSU had a good flurry in front of the net, forcing Close to make a pair of saves and get some help from his goalpost on a Tanner Kelly shot, as the Spartans kept pace with Minnesota. A late power play chance led to a trio of blocked shots for the Gopher defense and a pair of saves for Close, but he held them all out of the net to take a 3-1 lead into the second intermission.
Third Period: The home team went on the power play just over five minutes into the third period thanks to a hooking call against Tanner Kelly, putting the potent man-advantage unit to work. The Spartans killed it off thanks to a trio of saves by St. Cyr and a big block by David Gucciardi to keep it a 3-1 game. The Spartans fell victim to what can only be called a fortuitous bounce for the Gophers – Logan Cooley ripped one high and wide over the goal cage, but it caromed off the back wall, hit St. Cyr, and went over the goal line for a 4-1 Minnesota lead. MSU kept pressing to get closer, and pulled St. Cyr with just over four minutes to go in the game, and Cooley deposited one into an empty net for his second of the game a minute later to make it a 5-1 final..
MSU (18-18-2) played maybe its best game against Minnesota in the five matchups of the season, limiting the powerful Gopher offense – which leads the nation by averaging more than four goals a game – to just 24 shots on net. The game was fast-paced and competitive, with the Gophers needing a great bounce and an empty-netter to ice the game in the third period.
The Spartans put the first goal on the board in the opening period on a power-play marker by Jeremy Davidson, but the home team countered with a man advantage goal of its own by Jaxon Nelson and added one in the final two minutes of the frame on a deflection by John MIddlestadt to take a 2-1 lead into the locker room. Minnesota got on the board quickly in the second period on a goal scored by Aaron Huglen, but the Spartans went toe-to-toe with their hosts, creating their own offense and held advantages in shots on goal in each of the first two periods. The Gophers led 3-1 after 40 minutes, but the Spartans were certainly pushing the home team with a 23-18 edge in shots on net.
The game remained close as it approached the midpoint of the third period. Minnesota got a good bounce to make it 4-1 at 8:24, on a Logan Cooley shot that sailed high and wide. The puck caromed off the back glass and hit goalie Dylan St. Cyr in the back and trickled over the line to make it 4-1. Cooley added a second goal into an empty net at 15:59 with St. Cyr on the bench in favor of an extra skater.
MSU played a sound defensive game and outshot their hosts 30-24 on the night, forcing the home team to block 19 shots while goaltender Justen Close made 29 saves. MSU blocked 14 shots of its own, and St. Cyr made 19 stops.
MSU's NCAA tournament hopes remain a longshot, with one weekend of league tournament games remaining. The NCAA selection show is on Sunday, March 19 at 6:30 pm.
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STATISTICS OF NOTE
- Jeremy Davidson scored his 10th goal of the season to get MSU on the board early in the first period on the power play. He's the fourth player to reach double-digit goals this season.
- Davidson had points in each of the last three games, as did defenseman Nash Nienhuis, who picked up an assist on Davidson's tally.
- Miroslav Mucha also had an assist on Davidson's goal.
- Davidson is MSU's career active scorer against Minnesota, potting his fifth goal and owning a 5-2-7 line in nine career games against the Gophers.
- Both teams finished 1-for-3 on the power play.
- Minnesota is the only team in the Big Ten that MSU did not register a win against in the 2022-23 season.
- The Spartans, if their season is complete, will finish at least .500 for the first time since 2014-15, when MSU went 17-16-2.
- MSU's 18 wins are the most for the team since the 2011-12 season when it had 19.
- MSU has nine players who have career bests in goals, assists, or points this season – including four (seniors Jagger Joshua, Cole Krygier, Nicolas Muller and junior Nash Nienhuis) who had career bests in all three offensive categories.
PERIOD SUMMARIES
First Period: Michigan State had the first power play chance of the night with Logan Cooley sent to the box on an elbowing call at 3:08. The Spartans cashed in just over a minute into the man advantage. Miroslav Mucha dished out to Nash Nienhuis at the right point, and Nienhuis sent it back below the goal line to Mucha to Close's left. Mucha saucered it through the slot to Jeremy Davidson at the bottom of the left circle, and Davidson beat the goalie stick-side for his 10th of the season. The Gophers answered with a power play goal of their own at 13:39, with Hurtig in the box for tripping. Matthew Kneis had the puck at the right post and quickly dished it to Jaxson Nelson, who was unchecked on the doorstep and he tipped it home. Minnesota turned their intensity up a notch, and was buzzing in its own offensive zone – MSU blocked a pair of shots and got a pair of big saves from St. Cyr. Jeff Middlestadt gave the Gophers a 2-1 lead with just 2:09 remaining in the period, as he screened St. Cyr on the doorstep and redirected a shot by Ryan Chesley from the point. MSU outshot its hosts 12-9 in the period.
Second Period: The Gophers put a quick one on the board in the second, whwhenan a shot by Cal Thomas rebounded directly onto the stick of Aaron Huglen who was unchecked on the doorstep and potted his sixth of the season. MSU had a good flurry in front of the net, forcing Close to make a pair of saves and get some help from his goalpost on a Tanner Kelly shot, as the Spartans kept pace with Minnesota. A late power play chance led to a trio of blocked shots for the Gopher defense and a pair of saves for Close, but he held them all out of the net to take a 3-1 lead into the second intermission.
Third Period: The home team went on the power play just over five minutes into the third period thanks to a hooking call against Tanner Kelly, putting the potent man-advantage unit to work. The Spartans killed it off thanks to a trio of saves by St. Cyr and a big block by David Gucciardi to keep it a 3-1 game. The Spartans fell victim to what can only be called a fortuitous bounce for the Gophers – Logan Cooley ripped one high and wide over the goal cage, but it caromed off the back wall, hit St. Cyr, and went over the goal line for a 4-1 Minnesota lead. MSU kept pressing to get closer, and pulled St. Cyr with just over four minutes to go in the game, and Cooley deposited one into an empty net for his second of the game a minute later to make it a 5-1 final..
Team Stats
MSU
MIN
Shots
30
24
PPG
1
1
SHG
0
0
Penalties
4
4
Penalty Mins
8
8
Faceoffs Won
28
30
Game Leaders
+/-
-2
Goals
1
Sh
4
A
0
+/-
-1
Goals
0
Sh
3
A
1
+/-
-2
Goals
0
Sh
0
A
1
+/-
0
Goals
0
Sh
4
A
0
Players Mentioned
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