No. 3 Michigan State holds off No. 12 Ohio State, 4-2, in 'bend don't break' affair

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State grew accustomed to out-skating opponents in the third period on a regular basis during last season’s return to national prominence.

During Friday night’s 4-2 victory over No. 12 Ohio State, the ice was tilted the other way. The No. 3-ranked Spartans had to hold off a hard charge from the Buckeyes in the third period, while securing victory before another sellout crowd of 6,555 at Munn Ice Arena.

Michigan State saw a 3-0 lead reduced to 3-2 when Ohio State’s Patrick Guzzo scored 11:44 into the third period.

The Spartans – despite being outshot 14-8 in the third period – received clutch goaltending from Trey Augustine, and an empty-net, 185-foot goal from senior defenseman David Gucciardi to secure victory.

The same two teams will play again at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Munn Ice Arena (BTN+).

Michigan State improved to 6-1 and 1-0 in the Big Ten. Ohio State, the surprise team of the Big Ten thus far in the season, lost for the first time and fell to 7-1-1 and 2-1 in the Big Ten.

Nicklas Andrews (his second of the season) and Red Savage (third) scored first-period goals for Michigan State. Daniel Russell scored a short-handed goal early in the second period for the Spartans, his fifth goal of the season.

Andrews, a first-year Spartan from Canton, Mich., is a grad transfer from Colorado College.

HOW IT WENT DOWN

Michigan State had been off for 12 days since sweeping Canisius. Aside from an exhibition game against the University of Windsor on Oct. 18, the Spartans had played only two games in 26 days, since the Boston College series. 

“I really liked the first two periods, especially being off for a couple weeks,” said third-year Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale. “You always wonder what you’re going to get. Our guys have practiced well, but to play in a game against a good team, I thought we were pretty good for those first two periods.

“I thought in the third, just like every good team, which they are, we knew they were going to push. We had to hang in there and Trey had to make some saves.

“It was awesome, the crowd was into it and I’m excited about tomorrow.”

KEY MOMENT

With 2:49 left, Michigan State’s Karsen Dorwart and Daniel Russell failed to clear the zone. Ohio State’s Joe Dunlap walked in alone between the circles on Augustine.

Dunlap carried the puck to his right, had time to try to wait Augustine out as MSU’s defense failed to close on him. As Dunlap continued to his right, Augustin mirrored him, stayed low, didn’t over-commit. Dunlap attempted to lift a wrister over Augustine, but Augustine made a glove save.

“We have to correct the turnover and make it a smart play at that point,” Nightingale said. “That’s what we will focus on tonight. We’ll watch the game back. We have to teach. Just because it didn’t end up in the back of the net, over time you give teams those opportunities it possibly could and you can’t ask your goalie to do that every night.”

Seconds later, after a face-off, Gucciardi – a senior from Toronto – blocked an Ohio State shot, and then had a chance for a long empty-netter, and capitalized. 

“We have to do a better job throughout the third,” Nightingale said. “It was little bit of bend don’t break. I don’t think we were bad in the third period, they were really good.”

YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISON

Last year through eight games, Michigan State was 5-3 and assembling pieces toward what would become a Big Ten Championship team and a No. 4 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, signaling a resurgence of Spartan hockey as a national power. 

Nightingale was asked after Saturday’s game how this year’s squad compares to last year’s.

“I think last year we were the youngest team in our conference and this year we’re the youngest team again in our conference,” he said. “A little bit of that is Arty (Levshunov) is gone and you bring in  Shane (Vansaghi), a similar type of age. Obviously Nico Müeller’s line with Jeremy Davidson and Reed Lebster are gone and we brought in some younger guys.”

Vansaghi, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound winger from St. Louis, Mo., is projected by The Hockey News to be an NHL first round draft pick next summer.

Vansaghi is on Michigan State’s fourth line, centered by fellow freshman Mikey DeAngelo, a 5-11 craftsman from Itasca, Ill.

The line of Vansaghi, DeAngelo and sophomore speedster Tomi Männistö (6-0, 193, Riihimäki, Finland) has yet to record a goal this year. But the force is strong with these young jedis. 

Can the Spartans roll four dangerous, productive lines like last year? 

“I do think that still is a strength of our team,” Nightingale said. “Very similar. I think we do have depth. Some of the younger guys maybe haven’t produced yet but I think they have the capability and the ceiling. There’s a high ceiling with those younger guys.”