Spartans Tripped at No. 11 OSU, 4-2

Columbus, Ohio. –   No. 2/2 Michigan State ran into a hot goaltender in Logan Terness, and dropped a 4-2 decision on the road at Ohio State on Thursday night. Riley Thompson had a pair of goals and an assist for the Buckeyes, while both David Gucciardi and Karsen Dorwart scored for the Spartans (20-4-3, 11-3-3 B1G)

Terness made double-digit saves in all three periods totaling 35 in the game to pick up his sixth win of the year. He made 12 stops in each of the last two frames and got a helping hand from 25 blocked shots from his defense in front of him. Ohio State improves to 16-7-2, 9-5-1 Big Ten. Trey Augustine had 25 saves for the Spartans.

The home team got a pair of goals in the third period to break up a 2-2 deadlock, as Gunnarwolfe Fontaine scored from the high slot with a Buckeye defender in the crease – but after a review, the goal was allowed to stand. Thomas Weis made it a two-goal game at 13:33, his second of the season.

MSU got to Terness early in the game when Gucciardi scored on his own rebound by banking his second shot off the leg pads of OSU's goalie for his fifth goal of the season. OSU tied the game with 3:33 remaining on a goal that caromed off of Riley Thompson, deflecting it past Trey Augustine (25 saves) for his 11^th goal of the season. Thompson scored again 3:39 into the second period, as he was sprung by his penalty killers as he came out of the box for a breakaway, on which Augustine made the first two breakaway saves but had the puck deflect off one of his own defenders into the back of the net. Karsen Dorwart tied the game at 13:31, winning the faceoff back to Matt Basgall. Basgall held the puck a beat and slid it back to Dorwart for a laser from the left circle to make it 2-2 as the teams entered the final intermission.

The Spartans (20-4-3, 11-3-3 B1G) lost in regulation for the first time since Dec. 6 at Wisconsin.

MSU and the Buckeyes play their fourth of four regular-season games on Friday night at Value City Arena. The puck drops at 7 pm.

STATISTICS OF NOTE

MSU lost its first game in regulation since Dec. 6 at Wisconsin (4-0), which was its second loss of the season.
Three of MSU's four losses are to teams in the top 11 of the polls: No. 2 Boston College (3-0), No. 10 Michigan (3-2 OT) and No. 11 Ohio State (4-2).
Of MSU's four losses on the year, three have come on the road, including all three losses in conference play.
MSU was outscored in the third period for just the fourth time this season.
David Gucciardi had his third goal and fifth point in the last three games. He has now tied or surpassed his single-season career bests in goals, assists, and points.
Karsen Dorwart had a power play goal in the second period, his eighth score of the year. Matt Basgall picked up his 15^th assist of the season, good for second among Spartans.

PERIOD RECAPS

First Period: MSU jumped on the board just over three minutes into the game. David Gucciardi kept the puck in the zone along the left wall and drove to the net. Logan Terness made the initial save, but it came right back onto the stick of Gucciardi. From behind the goal line, he redirected it off the leg pad of Terness, as it went five-hole past the goalie for Gucciardi's fifth goal of the season. At 16:27, the home team evened up the game. Gunnarwolfe Fontaine kept the puck in the offensive zone and saucered it to his right for a crashing William Smith. Smith's shot caromed off the leg of Riley Thompson to change direction on Augustine. MSU had a slight 12-11 edge in shots on goal, and the Buckeyes blocked an additional eight Spartan shot attempts.

Don't give up on a puck! Gucciardi puts back his own rebound and banks it in off the leg of Terness. Third goal and fifth point over the last three games for the senior. pic.twitter.com/AVOumbPeW2
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 31, 2025

Second Period: MSU had good pressure and five shot attempts on the first power play chance for either team, which came 90 seconds into the second period. As the penalty expired, the Buckeye defense fed Thompson, who was coming out of the box on a breakaway chance. Augustine made two point-blank saves on both Thompson and Nathan Lewis, but the final rebound went off a defender and past the goalie for a 2-1 OSU lead. MSU tied up the game on the power play at 13:41 – Karsen Dorwart won the faceoff in the left circle back to Basgall, and the defenseman sent it right back to his centerman in the left circle – and Dorwart ripped his eighth goal of the season. The elapsed time in the power play was five seconds.

Win the faceoff back to your D-man and then get it right back for a LASER from the left circle. Eighth of the year for Dorwart, 15th assist for Basgall. pic.twitter.com/VoZkQPUdH2
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 31, 2025

Third Period: Coming off their first power play chance, the Buckeyes thought they had a go-ahead goal at 7:40. With Thompson occupying a good amount of the crease, Fontaine picked up a loose puck and wheeled into the slot above the hash marks. The Spartans challenged for goaltender interference and after a lengthy review the goal was allowed to stand, making it 3-2 in favor of the home team. The Buckeyes struck again at 13:33, with Thomas Weis scoring his second goal of the season to make it a 4-2 game.

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Team Stats

Karsen Dorwart

David Gucciardi

Matt Basgall

Isaac Howard

Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Matt Basgall

Karsen Dorwart

David Gucciardi

Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Matt Basgall

Karsen Dorwart

David Gucciardi