Russell, Howard Propel MSU to OT Win at LSSU

Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.. – No. 4 Michigan State overcame a slow start to post a 2-1 overtime victory on the road at Lake Superior State.

Daniel Russell potted the game winner just 39 seconds into the extra period to propel the Spartans to victory. Isaac Howard carried the puck into the offensive zone and to the top of the left circle and sent it into the high slot for Russell, who ripped the shot from above the right hash. It caromed off a defender in front and over the goal line. Matt Basgall also picked up an assist on the play.

The teams traded goals in the opening period, with Howard scoring the first goal of the game at 13:57. Russell kept the puck in the zone at the left point, and dished it down into the low slot for a Howard, who beat goalie Rorke Applebee beneath his glove.

The home team countered with a goal of its own with four minutes to play in the opening frame. Connor Milburn got around a defender in the left circle to get a clean look at Trey Augustine, getting his team on the board to send the teams into the first intermission tied at 1-1.

Augustine finished with 25 saves, while Applebee made 37 stops, 25 of which came in the third period.

The teams complete the two-game set on Saturday at 4 pm

STATISTICS OF NOTE

MSU finished with a 39-26 edge in shots on net, but had just 13 shots through the first two periods. MSU had 68 shot attempts to Lake State's 44, including 37 attempts (and 25 shots on goal) in the third period alone. The Spartans limited the Lakers to just five shots on net in the final frame after 21 in the first two.
Lake State had a big advantage at the faceoff dot, winning 30 of 45 draws.
Trey Augustine was sharp in his first game of the year. He had 20 saves over the first two periods and finished with 25. He made three saves on the five-minute penalty kill.
Isaac Howard scored the game's opening goal – it was also the first goal of the Division I 2024-25 hockey season.
Daniel Russell, along with Howard, each had a goal and an assist on the night. They each had five shots on net.
Defenseman Matt Basgall, who had an assist on the game-winner, led MSU with four blocked shots.

First Period: Howard got the Spartans on the board first at 13:57, when Russell dished off to Howard on the right side, and the junior scored his first of the season. With four minutes remaining in the period, the Lakers got an equalizer when Connor Milburn got around the Spartan defender in the left circle and scored his first of the season. Shots were 10-6 in favor of the home team in the opening frame.

Second Period: Augustine was the star of the second period, making seven saves as the Spartans had to kill off three penalties (one major, to Patrick Geary) – but the sophomore was up to the task. He came up with three saves on the major (and got a blocked shot from Basgall) to keep it a tie game. The Lakers were disruptive and made it difficult on MSU to gain much offensive flow throughout the first two periods.

Third Period: Augustine got a little help from the iron as three consecutive Laker shots went off the pipe in the opening two minutes of the final frame. The goalie show was then turned over to the Laker netminder Applebee as the Spartans started to find some offensive flow and gained momentum as the period wore on. While only 13 of 29 shot attempts over the first two periods found the net, MSU got stronger throughout the period, forcing the LSSU goalie to make 25 saves over the course of the third period.

Overtime: MSU did not waste time in the extra period, as Howard set up a trailing Russell for the game-winner just 39 seconds into the OT frame. It was the only shot of the period for either team.

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Team Stats

Daniel Russell

Isaac Howard

Matt Basgall

Tanner Kelly

Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Matt Basgall

Patrick Geary

Isaac Howard

Daniel Russell

Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Matt Basgall

Patrick Geary

Isaac Howard

Daniel Russell