Saturday, February 20
Minneapolis, MN
6 P.M. ET
Michigan State University
7-13-2, 5-12-1-2-1-0
1
at
5
Minnesota
19-5-0, 15-5
1
2
3
F
Michigan State
0
1
0
1
Minnesota
4
1
0
5
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson/University of Minnesota
No. 4 Minnesota Tops Spartans in Series Finale
2/20/2021 8:55:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – Four first-period goals lifted No. 4 Minnesota past the Michigan State hockey team, 5-1, on Saturday night in Minneapolis.
All four Minnesota (19-5, 15-5-0-0-0-0) goals in the opening stanza came in the second half of the period, putting the Spartans in a deep hole.
"I thought the first 12 minutes we did an outstanding job – we had good pressure and were countering them really well, then we had three bad reads and all of three of them ended up in the back of our net," MSU head coach Danton Cole said. "Those things unfortunately happen, but usually they don't all end up in the back of your net.
"Overall, and I know games are 60 minutes, there were an awful lot of things our guys did right, and we have to take that part out and tighten it up."
The Spartans created a handful of chances from in close early in the game, but Cullen Munson's goal off a 2-on-1 with 9:42 to go in the opening period turned out to be the first of four in the stanza.
Scott Reedy made it 2-0 with 5:58 to go and then a tip by Ben Meyers 40 seconds later pushed the lead to 3-0. Jack Perbix made it a 4-0 deficit with a goal off the rush from the left circle with 1:28 to go in the period. Pierce Charleson took over for Drew DeRidder in net following the Perbix goal.
Sammy Walker got open in front of the MSU net 7:31 into the second period and beat Charleson with a high shot to make it 5-0.
The Spartans (7-13-2, 5-12-1-2-1-0) got on the board with 5:16 to go in the second on a deflection by Gianluca Esteves. Brody Stevens got the puck from Cole Krygier in the left circle and fired it toward the net where Esteves was able to get a stick on it and deflect it past goaltender Jack LaFontaine on the short side.
Charleson finished with 20 saves for the Spartans in what was his third appearance of the season. LaFontaine made 18 stops for Minnesota.
MSU was 0-for-1 on its lone power play that came in the third period and extinguished both Minnesota power plays.
Michigan State is back home at Munn for its final five games of the regular season, beginning Friday and Saturday (Feb. 26-27) when the Spartans host Notre Dame.
All four Minnesota (19-5, 15-5-0-0-0-0) goals in the opening stanza came in the second half of the period, putting the Spartans in a deep hole.
"I thought the first 12 minutes we did an outstanding job – we had good pressure and were countering them really well, then we had three bad reads and all of three of them ended up in the back of our net," MSU head coach Danton Cole said. "Those things unfortunately happen, but usually they don't all end up in the back of your net.
"Overall, and I know games are 60 minutes, there were an awful lot of things our guys did right, and we have to take that part out and tighten it up."
The Spartans created a handful of chances from in close early in the game, but Cullen Munson's goal off a 2-on-1 with 9:42 to go in the opening period turned out to be the first of four in the stanza.
Scott Reedy made it 2-0 with 5:58 to go and then a tip by Ben Meyers 40 seconds later pushed the lead to 3-0. Jack Perbix made it a 4-0 deficit with a goal off the rush from the left circle with 1:28 to go in the period. Pierce Charleson took over for Drew DeRidder in net following the Perbix goal.
Sammy Walker got open in front of the MSU net 7:31 into the second period and beat Charleson with a high shot to make it 5-0.
The Spartans (7-13-2, 5-12-1-2-1-0) got on the board with 5:16 to go in the second on a deflection by Gianluca Esteves. Brody Stevens got the puck from Cole Krygier in the left circle and fired it toward the net where Esteves was able to get a stick on it and deflect it past goaltender Jack LaFontaine on the short side.
Charleson finished with 20 saves for the Spartans in what was his third appearance of the season. LaFontaine made 18 stops for Minnesota.
MSU was 0-for-1 on its lone power play that came in the third period and extinguished both Minnesota power plays.
Michigan State is back home at Munn for its final five games of the regular season, beginning Friday and Saturday (Feb. 26-27) when the Spartans host Notre Dame.
Team Stats
MSU
MINN
Shots
19
31
PPG
0
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
2
1
Penalty Mins
4
2
Faceoffs Won
24
24
Game Leaders
+/-
-1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
+/-
-1
Goals
0
Sh
2
A
1
+/-
-1
Goals
0
Sh
1
A
1
+/-
0
Goals
0
Sh
3
A
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice HockeyD
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice HockeyAdam Nightingale Postgame Comments | Penn State
Saturday, November 08
Adam Nightingale Postgame Comments | Penn State
Friday, November 07
Adam Nightingale | Hockey Press Conference | November 4, 2025
Tuesday, November 04
Adam Nightingale Postgame Comments | NMU
Saturday, October 25