No. 1 Minnesota ousts Michigan State, 5-1; NCAA Tourney hopes still flickering

Minnesota, arguably the most talented squad in the country, is the last team that needs any puck luck or favorable bounces. But the No. 1-ranked Gophers used all of it in defeating Michigan State, 5-1, in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals, before 9,029 Saturday at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis.

Minnesota (26-8-1) advances to the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game, next weekend at home against Michigan.

Michigan State (18-18-2) still has a slight chance to squeak into the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans entered the game ranked No. 16 in the Pairwise Rankings, and remained No. 16 after the conclusion of the game. For now.

Michigan State needs the right teams to win conference championships next week and hope that none of the teams ranked beneath them acquire enough wins and computer points to surpass them in the Pairwise. Six-teen teams will earn bids to the NCAA Tournament, with at-large invitations based on the Pairwise Rankings.

“It’s tough in the locker room right now,” first-year Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale said after the loss. “Who knows if we get to play again with this group, but all these guys should keep their heads up. Minnesota has a really good hockey team and for us to work to get to this point is a step in the right direction.”

HOW IT WENT DOWN

Michigan State out-shot Minnesota in each of the three periods and finished with a 30-24 edge in shots on goal.

But the Gophers capitalized on a pair of favorable bounces for two of their goals, and then added an empty netter with 4:30 left to cruise to victory.

Nightingale didn’t complain about the unlucky bounces.

“There is a reason why they ran away with the league,” Nightingale said. “They are not only skilled but they are well-coached. 

“I thought our guys did what was asked. They played hard.”

Minnesota extended its lead to 4-1 shortly after Logan Cooley floated a shot over the Michigan State goal and to the glass. The puck bounced back toward the goal, off the back of Spartan goaltender Dylan St. Cyr and across the goal line with 11:36 remaining in the third. MSU’s hopes died with that play.

An empty-netter followed seven minutes later.

The bank is open late 🤑

Cooley's 49th point of the year! pic.twitter.com/46AczXbSSW

— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) March 12, 2023

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Michigan State took a 1-0 lead with 15:13 left in the first period when senior winger Jeremy Davidson (5-10, 177, Jr., Kalamazoo) one-timed a pass from senior Miroslav Mucha on the power play.

The Spartans were the sharper, more efficient team through most of the first period. But Minnesota slammed home a power play goal with 6:21 left in the opening period to tie the game and then John Mittelstadt scored with 2:09 left in the first period to give the Gophers a 2-1 lead.

Michigan State applied spats of pressure in the second period, and had a couple of opportunities to finish goal mouth scrambles and the cut the lead to 3-2. But Minnesota did a good job of tying things up in front of goalie Justen Close and he was solid in those key junctures. 

“I thought in the second period we had some really good looks that we weren’t able to convert on,” Nightingale said. “If we had finished some of those, it would have given us a better chance.”

This finish from Jeremy Davidson gives the Spartans a 1-0 lead early in the first period. pic.twitter.com/gasEH6yTQI

— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) March 12, 2023

THE NCAA TOURNAMENT PICTURE

There are a mess of games to be played Sunday and next weekend, with the Spartans needing favorites to win out.

Among the games of interest for Michigan State: 

Michigan State needs No. 13 Minnesota State to beat No. 18 Northern Michigan in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Championship Game next weekend. If Northern Michigan wins, and gets the automatic bid as the CCHA Tournament Champion, that would knock Michigan State out.

Also next weekend, Michigan State needs No. 15 Merrimack or No. 5 Boston University to emerge from the Hockey East Semifinals and win that conference championship. If No. 25 UMass-Lowell or No. 24 Providence win the Hockey East Tournament Championship and the automatic bid, that would knock Michigan State out. 

Michigan State needs Denver to win the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Championship next weekend, and not any of the other three teams that advance to the semifinals.

Michigan State probably needs the winner of the Nebraska-Omaha vs North Dakota NCHC Quarterfinal to lose in the NCHC Semifinals next weekend. Omaha and North Dakota are tied for No. 18 in the Pairwise and trying to rise past Michigan State. One of them will gain some points against the other in Game Three on Sunday, and that team will have a chance to collect more points in the semifinals. 

It’s a long list of wishes, including some we didn’t include, and the odds of a favorable outcome for the Spartans are probably slimmer heading into next weekend than the Spartans’ chances were of beating the Gophers on Saturday.

Michigan State entered Minneapolis this weekend wanting to handle business on its own end. A Michigan State victory would have moved Michigan State to No. 12 in the Pairwise and into the NCAA Tournament, regardless of next weekend. Michigan State put forth a solid brand of hockey, despite the final score. 

“These guys gave us everything they could,” Nightingale said. “I’m thankful for their effort and attitude and buy-in from day one. It’s been awesome. I really really enjoyed this group. They shouldn’t be walking out of the rink with their head down.”

Michigan State’s 18 wins is its most since the Spartans had 19 victories in 2011-12. 

Michigan State is guaranteed at least a .500 record for the first time since 2014-15 (17-16-2).

Michigan State has not had an NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012.

Nightingale had no trouble in establishing the guidelines of his new program with the players this year. 

“I just think change isn’t easy,” Nightingale said, “and the buy-in on how we want to do things, about putting the team first, to making sure it’s about the team, regardless of whether you are playing or not. 

“There were probably one and a half practices this year when I left the rink not happy with practice, and thats really hard to do in college hockey. But I think that’s why our team improved throughout the year and hopefully we get another chance to play.”