Friday, January 31
Columbus, OH
7 PM
Michigan State University
21-4-3, 12-3-3
4
at
1
Ohio State
16-8-2, 9-6-1
1
2
3
F
Michigan State
0
3
1
4
Ohio State
0
1
0
1
MSU Rebounds for 4-1 Win At Ohio State
1/31/2025 10:35:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Columbus, Ohio. – No. 2/2 Michigan State earned a road split with a 4-1 win over No. 11 Ohio State on Friday night to complete the weekend series. The Spartans improve to 21-4-3 overall and 12-3-3 in Big Ten play.
After a scoreless opening frame, MSU scored three times in the second period, and got an empty netter in the waning moments for a 4-1 final. Ohio State scored its lone goal in the second period and fall to 16-8-2and 9-6-1 record in conference action.
Tanner Kelly opened the scoring in the second period with his fifth goal of the year, but the Buckeyes scored less than two minutes later to knot up the score. MSU scored again at the midpoint of the period as Isaac Howard stripped the defenseman of the puck and scored his 21st of the season, and Gavin O'Connell wrapped up the scoring just after the 13 minute mark off a feed from Joey Larson.
Trey Augustine made 22 saves, while Kristoffer Eberley made 25.
MSU plays a pair of games against Michigan next weekend. The Spartans will host their archrival on Friday night at 7 pm, and the Saturday game will be at Little Caesars Arena.
STATISTICS OF NOTE
PERIOD RECAPS
First Period: The first period featured a steady diet of backchecking and lots of puck battles, and neither team was ale to sustain pressure in the offensive zone for any significant stretch. MSU's defense limited the Buckeyes to just three shots on goal in the period, its second-fewest in any game this season. OSU's third shot came with 2:44 to play, and MSU had only seven shots of its own and had three blocked shots to two for the home team.
Second Period: The teams traded goals in the opening five minutes. Tiernan Shoudy sent a long stretch pass out of the zone to Tommi Männistö, and Männistö got it to Tanner Kelly as he crossed the blue line. Kelly carried it into the right circle and beat Eberly over his glove hand for his fifth goal of the season. Ohio State answered just under two minutes later, when a pair of whacks at a loose puck at the right post by James Hong made it past Augustine to knot the score at 4:36. At the near midpoint of the period, the Spartans had the puck low and were fighting to retain possession – Isaac Howard stripped the puck of the stick of a defender, took one stride left into the high slot, and wristed the puck past Eberly for the 2-1 MSU lead. The Spartans strick again three minutes later on a goal by Gavin O'Connell from the left circle. Štrbák sent the puck off the wall out of the defensive zone for Joey Larson, who gathered it at the right point and slid it to O'Connell for the fourth goal of the sophomore's season.
Third Period: The teams skated through a scoreless third period until the final three minutes. With Eberly on the bench in favor of an extra skater, Daniel Russell and Charlie Stramel were sprung on breakaway, and Russell scored his 12th goal of the season. MSU outshot their hosts 10-9 in the final period.
After a scoreless opening frame, MSU scored three times in the second period, and got an empty netter in the waning moments for a 4-1 final. Ohio State scored its lone goal in the second period and fall to 16-8-2and 9-6-1 record in conference action.
Tanner Kelly opened the scoring in the second period with his fifth goal of the year, but the Buckeyes scored less than two minutes later to knot up the score. MSU scored again at the midpoint of the period as Isaac Howard stripped the defenseman of the puck and scored his 21st of the season, and Gavin O'Connell wrapped up the scoring just after the 13 minute mark off a feed from Joey Larson.
Trey Augustine made 22 saves, while Kristoffer Eberley made 25.
MSU plays a pair of games against Michigan next weekend. The Spartans will host their archrival on Friday night at 7 pm, and the Saturday game will be at Little Caesars Arena.
STATISTICS OF NOTE
- The Spartans limited Ohio State to just three shots on net in the opening period, the second-fewest in any game this year. The first period featured a stretch of more than six minutes without a whistle and had just 13 total faceoffs.
- MSU outshot its hosts 29-23, and the Buckeyes finished with 19 blocked attempts after 25 on Thursday. The Spartans had 11 blocked shots, which included four by Nicklas Andrews.
- Tanner Kelly scored his sixth goal of the season to open the scoring, with assists going to his linemates Tommi Männistö and Tiernan Shoudy.
- Isaac Howard scored his national-leading 21st goal of the season in the second period.
- Gavin O'Connell's second-period goal was his fourth of the season. It is his ninth goal against Ohio State in nine career games.
- Daniel Russell's 12th goal of the season was scored into an empty net., with an assist to Charlie Stramel. Stramel is tied for second on the team with Matt Basgall in assists (15)
PERIOD RECAPS
First Period: The first period featured a steady diet of backchecking and lots of puck battles, and neither team was ale to sustain pressure in the offensive zone for any significant stretch. MSU's defense limited the Buckeyes to just three shots on goal in the period, its second-fewest in any game this season. OSU's third shot came with 2:44 to play, and MSU had only seven shots of its own and had three blocked shots to two for the home team.
Second Period: The teams traded goals in the opening five minutes. Tiernan Shoudy sent a long stretch pass out of the zone to Tommi Männistö, and Männistö got it to Tanner Kelly as he crossed the blue line. Kelly carried it into the right circle and beat Eberly over his glove hand for his fifth goal of the season. Ohio State answered just under two minutes later, when a pair of whacks at a loose puck at the right post by James Hong made it past Augustine to knot the score at 4:36. At the near midpoint of the period, the Spartans had the puck low and were fighting to retain possession – Isaac Howard stripped the puck of the stick of a defender, took one stride left into the high slot, and wristed the puck past Eberly for the 2-1 MSU lead. The Spartans strick again three minutes later on a goal by Gavin O'Connell from the left circle. Štrbák sent the puck off the wall out of the defensive zone for Joey Larson, who gathered it at the right point and slid it to O'Connell for the fourth goal of the sophomore's season.
Third Period: The teams skated through a scoreless third period until the final three minutes. With Eberly on the bench in favor of an extra skater, Daniel Russell and Charlie Stramel were sprung on breakaway, and Russell scored his 12th goal of the season. MSU outshot their hosts 10-9 in the final period.
Team Stats
MSU
OSU
Shots
29
23
PPG
0
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
2
2
Penalty Mins
4
4
Faceoffs Won
26
24
Game Leaders
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
4
A
0
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
0
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
Players Mentioned
D
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D
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F
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