Spartan Season Ends in Regional Final

East Lansing, Mich.. – Michigan scored a pair of goals less than a minute apart in the third period to break a 2-2 deadlock and got a late insurance tally to defeat No. 4/4 Michigan State 5-2 in the Maryland Heights regional final on Sunday evening.

The Wolverines punch their ticket to the Frozen Four in St. Paul with the win, and snapped a four-game Spartan winning streak in the series. Big Ten regular-season and tournament champion MSU concludes its season with a 25-10-3 overall record in the second year under head coach Adam Nightingale.

The rivalry – adding another epic chapter in the 348th all-time meeting between the schools – came down to the final 20 minutes after trading goals in the opening two periods. Gavin O'Connell netted the goal in the opening frame for the Spartans on the power play. The teams went into the second intermission tied at one, and Michigan took a 2-1 lead, six minutes into the final period. Joey Larson scored a second power play goal to knot the game at 2-2 at the midpoint of the frame – leaving it all to be decided in the final 10 minutes. The Wolverines countered with a pair of quick strikes to take a 4-2 lead with six minutes left, and got a late insurance goal on the power play to take the fourth and final spot in the Frozen Four in two weeks.

Trey Augustine had 30 saves, while Jake Barczewski made 38 – including 17 in the final period. The Wolverines blocked 13 MSU shots on the night, and were 1-5 on the power play. MSU was 2-for-3 on the man advantage.

The game concludes the Spartan careers of seniors James Crossman, Jeremy Davidson, Reed Lebster, Jon Mor, Nicolas Müller , and captain Nash Nienhuis.

STATISTICS OF NOTE

Gavin O'Connell got his first career postseason goal on the power play at 6:20 of the first period. It is his 15^th goal of the season.
Joey Larson scored his team-best 16^th goal of the season in the third period, coming on the power play. It was his eighth of the year on the man advantage.
Isaac Howard assisted on the O'Connell power play goal, his third assist of the tournament and fifth straight game with an assist.
Nicolas Müller had an assist in his final game as a Spartan, the 175^th game of his career in Green and White.
Artyom Levshunov earned a spot on the All-Regional Team.
MSU scored its first power play goal of the postseason in the first period. The Spartans had been a combined 0-for-4 in their previous three games on the man advantage, but went 2-for-3 in the regional final.

First Period: Michigan State put a goal on the board at 6:20, skating on the power play. Matt Basgall got the puck at the right point just inside the blue line from Isaac Howard, and put it on net. Gavin O'Connell was in front and tipped it home, scoring his first goal of the postseason. The Wolverines got their first man advantage halfway through the period, but could not capitalize. At the end of 20, Michigan held a 13-11 edge in shots on net.

This is the first postseason goal for freshman Gavin O'Connell tips this shot from Basgall. 1-0 Spartans. #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/i72Yuxpu9A
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) March 31, 2024

Second Period: The Wolverines tied the game just under six minutes into the second period. On a three-on-two rush, Ethan Edwards ripped it from the right hash for the equalizer. Both teams had their flurries of chances – the teams each had 11 shots in the frame, and sent

Third Period: The Wolverines took a 2-1 lead on a Marshall Warren goal at 6:29 of the third. He got a tape-to-tape pass from Jacob Truscott into the bottom of the right circle, and he one-timed it below the glove of Augustine. At the 10:35 mark, Phillipe Lapointe was whistled for boarding – which put the Spartans back on the man advantage for the third time in the game. After a faceoff in the right circle, Nicolas Müller was able to dig the puck out of the corner and he pushed it into the slot for Joey Larson. Larson beat Barczewski for his 16^th of the season. The Wolverines came right back with a pair of goals less than a minute apart to take a 4-2 lead – the first from Dylan Duke, the second from Gavin Brindley on a 2-on-1 break. A late penalty against the Spartans allowed the Wolverines to finally get a power play, with Dylan Duke scoring his second of the night.

Power play goal for Joey Larson is right on time! His 16th of the season - and a tie ballgame. #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/C67Hxi0QUl
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) April 1, 2024

Team Stats

Gavin O'Connell

Joey Larson

Isaac Howard

Matt Basgall

Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Matt Basgall

James Crossman

Jeremy Davidson

Isaac Howard

Joey Larson

Reed Lebster

Artyom Levshunov

Jon Mor

Nash Nienhuis

Gavin O'Connell

Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Matt Basgall

James Crossman

Jeremy Davidson

Isaac Howard

Joey Larson

Reed Lebster

Artyom Levshunov

Jon Mor

Nash Nienhuis

Gavin O'Connell