Spartans Win Second Straight at Michigan, 5-1

Ann Arbor, Mich.. – A four-goal third period for Michigan State spelled a second road victory at No. 11 Michigan this season, as the Spartans skated away with a 5-1 win on Friday night in Ann Arbor. Maxim Štrbák had a goal and an assist and freshman classmate Trey Augustine made 29 saves as MSU picked up its fifth road win since Jan. 1 with the victory.

The ninth-ranked Spartans (19-7-3, 13-4-2) have won their most games since the 2011-12 season and continue to sit atop the Big Ten standings with 43 points – five ahead of second-place Wisconsin.

The teams were scoreless after one and tied at 1-1 after two periods. The home team got on the board with a Gavin Brindley goal at 10:40, but Tanner Kelly countered with the equalizer just 25 seconds later.

MSU came out and put four goals on the board in the third period to put the game away. Daniel Russell broke the tie at 4:46, finishing off the first of Isaac Howard's two primary assists on the night. Howard set up Štrbák at 8:13 for a 3-1 Spartan lead.

The Wolverines were forced to try to push for offense, but were continually stonewalled by Augustine. The freshman showed poise all night, up to the challenge on whatever the home team threw his way. MSU iced the game with a pair of empty-net goals at 17:18 (Red Savage) and 17:43 (Jeremy Davidson) to ice the victory.

Jake Barczewski made 25 saves for the Wolverines, who fell to 14-10-3 and 7-8-2 in Big Ten play.

The teams complete their four-game season series on Saturday in an 8:30 pm puck drop. The teams face off at Little Caesars Arena for the annual "Duel in the D" matchup.

STATISTICS OF NOTE

MSU earned back-to-back wins at Yost for the first time since 2017, when the Spartans earned wins on Jan. 17 (3-0) and Feb. 11 (W, 4-1). MSU owns a 2-1 record against its rival this season.
Since Jan. 1, five of MSU's six victories have come on the road – all against ranked teams.
The Spartans have surpassed their 2022-23 win total with 19 victories, their most since the 2011-12 season.
MSU's 13 Big Ten wins is its most in program history, and the Spartans maintain their five-point lead atop the Big Ten standings (43 points).
MSU posted four goals in the third period, tied for the most in any period this season. MSU previously accomplished this in its last game at Yost on Jan. 20, when it pumped in four second-period scores to turn a 4-1 deficit into a 5-4 lead.
Each team took just one minor penalty on Friday night. MSU, which did not allow the Wolverines a single shot on net during their power play, has killed off nine straight penalties and 17 of the last 18.
The Spartans blocked 16 shots in the game, its most since blocking 22 in its last win at Yost on Jan. 20.
Trey Augustine made 29 saves, and has stopped 86 of the last 90 shots he has faced over three games. He has not made fewer than 27 saves in any B1G game this season.
Maxim Štrbák had his second career multiple-point game with a goal and an assist. He scored his second career goal in the third period.
Tanner Kelly scored his sixth goal of the year in the second period. It was his first goal since Jan. 12 at Penn State, and extended his career-best single-season total.
Daniel Russell's third-period score was his ninth of the season to surpass his freshman-year total of eight.
Tiernan Shoudy had an assist on the Kelly tally, which was his sixth of the season. It ties his freshman season total of six assists on the year.
Isaac Howard had a pair of assists. It was his fifth multiple-point game of the year.
Artyom Levshunov picked up his 20^th assist of the year (which leads the team).

First Period: The teams treated the fans to an up-tempo first period, with action at both ends. At the midpoint of the period, Michigan's Mark Estapa laid a hit on Tiernan Shoudy along the boards – the play was reviewed during the TV time out, but no penalty was assessed, and the teams played on. Michigan held an 11-6 advantage in shots on in the period, and MSU blocked six shots in the frame – as many as it had in two of the last three games.

Second Period: The teams traded goals 25 seconds apart midway through the second period. Gavin Brindley broke up the deadlock with his 16^th of the season. Brindley brought it up the far side, eluded a defender, and ripped a shot from the right circle. On the ensuing shift, Tommi Mannisto carried it up the right side and tapped it to Tanner Kelly, who took it from the right circle, skated across the top of the crease, and shoveled a backhander past Jake Barczewski for his sixth goal of the season. Each team had 11 shots in the frame.

Third Period: MSU exploded for four goals in the final frame to turn a close contest into a convincing road victory. Russell scored the eventual game-winning tally at 4:46 when Isaac Howard, below the goal line to the goalie's left, found Russell in the bottom of the right circle, and the sophomore potted his ninth of the season. A backbreaker for the Wolverines came just over three minutes later – Howard had the puck just above the half-wall on the far side and sent it to Štrbák through the slot. From the left circle, Štrbák backhanded it home for his second goal of the season and a 3-1 MSU lead. In the waning minutes of the game, the Wolverines wanted to get Barczewski to the bench in favor of an extra skater – his first attempt at getting off the ice failed when he was forced to retreat thanks to a break out of the defensive zone by Gavin O'Connell. MSU called a time out to get a breather before an eventual 6-on-5 – but the Spartans were able to twice put more distance between themselves and Michigan with empty-net goals by Red Savage (17:18) and Jeremy Davidson (17:43) to solidify the road victory. MSU limited its hosts to just eight shots on net in the final frame, making it difficult for the Wolverines to stage any type of late comeback.

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Team Stats

Maxim Štrbák

Isaac Howard

Tanner Kelly

Daniel Russell

Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Jeremy Davidson

Isaac Howard

Tanner Kelly

Artyom Levshunov

Gavin O'Connell

Daniel Russell

Red Savage

Tiernan Shoudy