Saturday, March 2
Madison, WI
9 PM ET / 8 PM CT
Michigan State University
22-9-3, 16-6-2
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Wisconsin
25-9-2, 16-7-1
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Michigan St.
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Wisconsin
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Badgers Take Finale, 4-1 to Split Hockey Weekend
3/2/2024 11:37:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Madison, Wis. – No. 6 Michigan State fell, 4-1, to No. 4/5 Wisconsin on the road on Saturday evening, as the top two teams in the Big Ten standings split the final regular-season series of the season. The Spartans gave up a pair of goals in the first three minutes of the game, forcing them to play the game from behind.
Karsen Dorwart had the lone goal for the Spartans (22-9-3, 15-6-2 Big Ten), while goaltender Trey Augustine made 36 saves to make it an even 80 over the weekend split. MSU earned a 5-2 win in Friday night's contest.
Carson Bantle had two goals on his senior night, while freshman Sawyer Scholl had the first and final (empty net) goal for Wisconsin. Senior goalie Kyle McClellan finished with 28 saves as the Badgers salvaged the final of four games between the two teams this season. The Badgers came out fast and held a 23-7 edge in shots over the first 20 minutes, but MSU was even with their hosts over the final 40, as Wisconsin blocked 16 shots to help their goalie.
Michigan State has earned the overall No. 1 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament and a bye in the quarterfinal round next weekend. MSU will host a Big Ten semifinal on March 16.
STATISTICS OF NOTE
First Period: For the second straight night the home team came out of the locker room buzzing and took an early lead. Freshman Sawyer Scholl shot from the goal line to Augustine's right, and it got between the goalie and the post for the freshman's fourth of the season. Ninety seconds later, and just eight seconds into a power play, Carson Bantle got his stick on a loose puck on the right side of the goal cage and got it past Augustine for a 2-0 lead for the home team. Wisconsin took a pair of penalties 64 seconds apart, giving the Spartans a good chance on the power play – and they didn't squander the opportunity, as Isaac Howard and Nicolas Muller traded passes below the goal line before Muller dished it out to Karsen Dorwart right at the left dot, and he one-timed it home for his 14th goal of the season. The Badgers got two more power play chances before the period was over, but the kill was up to the task
Second Period: The Spartans were finding their offensive flow in the second period, but were coming up against blocked shots and solid play by the senior McClellan in the crease. With a 12-5 edge in shots on net in the period, MSU had a great sequence with three good looks at the net as the final five minutes approached, but the Badgers were able to clear the zone. Bantle pushed the Badger lead back to two goals at 15:20, finishing off a cross-slot pass from Jack Horbach for his second of the game. The Spartans held a 14-10 lead in the shot counter, but were going to have a two-goal deficit facing them in the final 20 minutes.
Third Period: The third period was a battle in all three zones, with lots of disruptive stickwork and few pucks reaching the goalies through the first ten minutes, where MSU held a 3-2 edge in shots. The Spartans started to get more pucks through on McClellan as time ticked off the clock, finishing with an 8-7 edge in shots on net. The final goal for the Badgers came with Augustine on the bench, with Scholl potting his second of the game with 2:42 remaining to ice the victory.
Karsen Dorwart had the lone goal for the Spartans (22-9-3, 15-6-2 Big Ten), while goaltender Trey Augustine made 36 saves to make it an even 80 over the weekend split. MSU earned a 5-2 win in Friday night's contest.
Carson Bantle had two goals on his senior night, while freshman Sawyer Scholl had the first and final (empty net) goal for Wisconsin. Senior goalie Kyle McClellan finished with 28 saves as the Badgers salvaged the final of four games between the two teams this season. The Badgers came out fast and held a 23-7 edge in shots over the first 20 minutes, but MSU was even with their hosts over the final 40, as Wisconsin blocked 16 shots to help their goalie.
Michigan State has earned the overall No. 1 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament and a bye in the quarterfinal round next weekend. MSU will host a Big Ten semifinal on March 16.
STATISTICS OF NOTE
- Wisconsin's 23 first-period shots was the most surrendered in a frame this season.
- MSU is now 9-2-0 on Saturday nights this season, dropping its first Saturday game since Jan. 27 vs. Minnesota.
- The Spartans were 1-for-3 on the power play, while killing off three of man advantage chances against.
- Karsen Dorwart's first-period power play goal is his 14th score of the season, one off the team lead.
- Nicolas Muller earned his 20th assist of the season, the third player this year to reach that mark. He and Isaac Howard (23 A) each assisted on the Dorwart power play goal.
First Period: For the second straight night the home team came out of the locker room buzzing and took an early lead. Freshman Sawyer Scholl shot from the goal line to Augustine's right, and it got between the goalie and the post for the freshman's fourth of the season. Ninety seconds later, and just eight seconds into a power play, Carson Bantle got his stick on a loose puck on the right side of the goal cage and got it past Augustine for a 2-0 lead for the home team. Wisconsin took a pair of penalties 64 seconds apart, giving the Spartans a good chance on the power play – and they didn't squander the opportunity, as Isaac Howard and Nicolas Muller traded passes below the goal line before Muller dished it out to Karsen Dorwart right at the left dot, and he one-timed it home for his 14th goal of the season. The Badgers got two more power play chances before the period was over, but the kill was up to the task
This one-timer on the power play by Karsen Dorwart cuts the Badger lead in half. pic.twitter.com/Fpb4iK5BwQ
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) March 3, 2024
Second Period: The Spartans were finding their offensive flow in the second period, but were coming up against blocked shots and solid play by the senior McClellan in the crease. With a 12-5 edge in shots on net in the period, MSU had a great sequence with three good looks at the net as the final five minutes approached, but the Badgers were able to clear the zone. Bantle pushed the Badger lead back to two goals at 15:20, finishing off a cross-slot pass from Jack Horbach for his second of the game. The Spartans held a 14-10 lead in the shot counter, but were going to have a two-goal deficit facing them in the final 20 minutes.
Third Period: The third period was a battle in all three zones, with lots of disruptive stickwork and few pucks reaching the goalies through the first ten minutes, where MSU held a 3-2 edge in shots. The Spartans started to get more pucks through on McClellan as time ticked off the clock, finishing with an 8-7 edge in shots on net. The final goal for the Badgers came with Augustine on the bench, with Scholl potting his second of the game with 2:42 remaining to ice the victory.
Team Stats
MSU
WIS
Shots
29
40
PPG
1
1
SHG
0
0
Penalties
4
3
Penalty Mins
8
6
Faceoffs Won
28
38
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
-2
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
-2
Goals
0
Sh
2
A
1
+/-
0
Goals
0
Sh
0
A
1
+/-
-1
Goals
0
Sh
4
A
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
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