MSU was dominated throughout the first two periods but found themselves up 2-1 after a couple early 3rd period goals. Michigan Tech would eventually tie the game back up at 2-2 in the 3rd period sending the game to overtime.

After a scoreless five minute sudden death overtime, the game went to a shootout with Michigan Tech winning 2-1 after going to an additional two shootout skaters.

Freshman forward Villiam Haag scored the lone Spartan shootout goal.

The goal put MSU one stop away from victory, but Michigan Tech junior forward Tanner Kero came up big with the game tying shootout goal.

After a couple Spartan skaters came up short, Michigan Tech senior forward Ryan Furne slipped one between the post and sophomore goaltender Jake Hildebrand’s skate to send Michigan Tech to the championship game for a second straight year.

The shootout loss guarantees this will be the fourth straight year MSU won’t return home with the Great Lakes Invitational championship.

“I am disappointed for them because that’s two years in a row you target this tournament, and as we are trying to rebuild our team and our program, this is an opportunity to compete and learn to compete for a championship in these two days and we didn’t get over that hump and we had the expectation to do that,” head coach Tom Anastos said.

After a scoreless 1st period and most of the 2nd, Michigan Tech finally broke the tie off a one timer goal from senior forward Jacob Johnstone with 6:50 left in the 2nd period. Junior forward Blake Hietala and freshman forward Tyler Henionen had assists on the goal.

Michigan Tech controlled most of the tempo during the 2nd period, outshooting MSU 20-5 in the period but were unable to take advantage of three power play opportunities. Senior forward Greg Wolfe said the Spartans ability to “weather the storm” helped lead to a change of momentum heading into the 3rd period.

MSU finally broke a five-period scoreless streak when junior forward Matt Berry put the puck into the back of the net only 52 seconds into the 3rd period to tie the game at 1-1. The power play goal came off a rebound from a senior defenseman Jake Chelios shot and a wide open Berry wristed it top shelf into the left corner. Wolfe also had an assist on the play.

The goal was Berry’s first of the year after leading the team in scoring last year. Berry has missed most of the season coming off a lower body injury, dressing for only three games prior to Friday.

“I kind of knew as soon as the puck came to my stick that I was going to put it right in the middle of the net, and I had the whole net pretty much to hit. It was kind of a bad angle but I still had most of the net to put it in so I just lifted it up and hammered it into the net,” Berry said. “It was really nice to get my first goal and get back into things so that should really help get some of my confidence back to just shoot the puck.”

MSU would quickly take the lead with a sophomore forward Ryan Keller tipped in goal at 15:58 left in 3rd period. Keller tipped a shot from the right side point by sophomore defenseman John Draeger that took a wicked bounce into the top left corner, giving MSU a 2-1 lead.

The goal was Keller’s second of the season and first since Nov. 29 against Princeton.

MSU’s lead wouldn’t last very long when Michigan Tech leading scorer and sophomore forward Alex Petan fired one low from the slot past Hildebrand with 11:47 left in the 3rd period. Freshman forward Mike Neville and sophomore forward C.J. Eick had assists on the Petan goal.

Michigan Tech dominated in the shots category, out shooting MSU 43 to 26, but Anastos said after the game the shot count wasn’t something that bothered him noting that number of shoots can be misleading.

Sophomore goaltender Jake Hildebrand kept MSU in the game with 41 saves including fending off a few Huskie flurries that included two breakaways and a play that was reviewed as a potential goal late in the 3rd period.

“(Hildebrand) played great, absolutely he kept us in the game,” Draeger said. “It’s a tough way to lose in a shootout. He made saves he shouldn’t have been making. We can’t ask for anything more.”

While MSU is frustrated with the overall outcome of Friday’s game, Berry said the team simply needs to move forward and focus on tomorrow’s consolation game.

“It’s a lot more frustrating losing this one because we wanted to play in the finals so bad tomorrow, but that’s just not going to happen,” Berry said. “So, we’re going to have to just look forward to tomorrow and whoever we play and just going to have to prepare for.”