Skip to main content
michigan-state logo

Michigan State takes four of six weekend points against No. 3 Penn State, regains momentum

On3 imageby:Jim Comparoni•01/15/23•

JimComparoni

hockey-crop
Michigan State celebrates before a sold out crowd at Munn Ice Arena on Saturday night during a shootout victory over No. 3 Penn State. (Photo courtesy @MSU_Athletics)

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State hockey bounced back strongly from a five-game losing streak by going 1-0-1 this weekend against No. 3-ranked Penn State at Munn Ice Arena, including a tie/shootout victory versus the Nittany Lions on Saturday night.

In the NCAA books, Michigan State officially tied Penn State 4-4 on Saturday. 

In the Big Ten books, which allow for an extra point in league play to be decided by shootout, the Spartans gained the extra league point by beating the Nittany Lions 3-1 in the shootout. (The NCAA does not recognize shootout victories).

Freshman forward Daniel Russell clinched the shootout victory on Saturday.

Michigan State (13-11-2 overall and 7-7-2 in the Big Ten) came out of the weekend with four of a possible six points after netting an overtime victory over the Nittany Lions on Friday.

Penn State skates home with two points on the weekend.

“That was a huge weekend for us,” said first-year Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale. “I think it says a lot about the character of our group. I have a lot of respect for our guys because we ask a lot of them. We push them and we train hard. To be great and get to where we want to get, that’s what it takes.”

Michigan State is ranked No. 17 in the USCHO.com poll, but No. 12 in the Pairwise Rankings. NCAA Tournament bids are determined by the Pairwise.

JAGGER JOSHUA NETS HAT TRICK

Senior forward Jagger Joshua (6-3, 210, Sr., Dearborn) scored three goals for the Spartans, including a game-tying deflection at 3:54 of the third period. That goal eventually led to overtime.

Jagger leads Michigan State in goals with 11. He is one of only two players nationally to have multiple hat tricks this season.

“He’s obviously had a really good year for us,” Nightingale said. “We watch him in practice and he is understanding what it takes. It’s great to see him rewarded.”

Senior captain Miroslav Mucha (6-1, 197, Gr., Bytca, Slovokia) also scored a goal for Michigan State. Freshman center Karsen Dorwart (6-1 ,191, Fr., Sherwood, Ore.) had two assists on the night.

Dylan St. Cyr (5-8, 167, Gr., Northville) had 35 saves in goal for Michigan State.

MUNN SOLD OUT AGAIN

The game was played in front of a fifth straight sellout crowd at Munn Ice Arena. Michigan State’s last three regular season home games are sold-out, with standing room the only tickets remaining. 

“We’re super thankful for our fanbase,” Nightingale said. “The same thing I shared with our guys: I think our fans respect our guys because whether we win or not we are going to come out and play our best, play our hardest. I think tonight, to be down by a goal, and tie it. To be down 3-1, and tie it. And to be down 4-3, tie it. And then kill those penalties off and win the shootout is a big thing.” 

Michigan State had to kill a 4-on-3 shorthanded situation in overtime in order to preserve a point and send the game to a Big Ten shootout.

“We have definitely put an emphasis on (special teams),” Nightingale said. “There was a lot of good that we did on the kill. I really liked that four-on-three at the end. It cost us a game at the GLI (against Michigan Tech, in overtime), and we almost got in the exact same situation where late in the (overtime) we cleared it and the guys wanted to come to the bench, and they remembered we can’t change at that point. That’s good, that’s what it’s about.

“It was so loud, I don’t know if they would have heard me, but we were definitely saying, ‘Stay out! Stay out!’”

WHAT IT MEANS

With Michigan State having beaten Penn State, 3-2, in overtime on Friday night, the Spartans are back to playing like a Top 10 team again.

Penn State (17-6-1 and 7-6-1 in the Big Ten) came into the game ranked No. 3 in the Pairwise Rankings and No. 5 in the USCHO.com poll,

“Just our willingness to do the little things that we need to do as a team,” Nightingale said when asked what was the most satisfying aspect of the weekend. “We can’t just show up and play our B-game. We have to bring our A-game. I’ve said that before. That’s not a shot at our guys. Our guys understand that and that’s something that we have to hang our hat on, and have some pride about, that when we put on the jersey, we play our best.”

Michigan State is in a second-place tie with Ohio State and Penn State in the Big Ten standings with 24 points. However, Ohio State and Penn State have two games at hand. Michigan State has a bye weekend coming up. 

“We have to keep that chip on our shoulder,” Nightingale said. “If we think we’ve arrived then we have lost the message. We have to keep pushing to get better.”

Michigan State can’t catch first-place Minnesota (34 points) in the Big Ten standings. But the Spartans are in good shape to stay ahead of fifth-place Notre Dame (17 points) and gain home ice for the first round of the Big Ten Tournament (March 3-5).

After a bye weekend, Michigan State will play at No. 1 Minnesota, Jan. 27-28 before returning home to play No. 18 Notre Dame, Feb. 3-4.

Michigan State’s final regular season home game of the 2022-23 season will be played at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10 against Michigan (Bally Sports Detroit). Michigan State and Michigan will meet again the following night at 8 p.m. in Detroit at Little Caesars Arena (ESPNU).

Michigan is in sixth place in the Big Ten with 15 points at 5-7, however Michigan (13-8-1 overall) is No. 8 in the Pairwise Rankings. Michigan has four more games remaining than Michigan State. 

You may also like