MSU head coach Rick Comley thought his team played better on Saturday night than they did on Friday, despite both games resulting in losses for the Spartans.

“I thought it was a good game tonight,” Comley said. “I thought our kids worked harder tonight and were in the game more.”

The Spartans (4-2-2 overall, 2-2-2-2 CCHA) were able to win the shot battle 25-23 after losing 49-21 on Friday.

The Buckeyes (4-5-1, 3-4-1-1) scored first with 13:47 left in the third period off a wrist shot from Peter Boyd.

But senior forward Matt Schepke responded for the Spartans 17 seconds later to tie the game up at one.

Ohio State’s Zac Dalpe scored the next two goals for the Buckeyes to secure the win. His first goal came when a teammate found him wide open in front of the net. Dalpe’s second goal came with 51 seconds left and was scored on an empty net.

Ohio State head coach John Markell wasn’t surprised to see the Spartans pick up the intensity on Satuday and he thinks his team is going to have their hands full when the two teams meet again with both games at Munn Ice Arena starting Feb. 13.

“We weren’t sure how they were going to come out,” Markell said. “We weren’t sure if what we were seeing last night was what we were going to get tonight. But there was good goaltending on both ends and smart plays on both ends.”