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FINAL: MSU hockey ties 4-4 with No. 5 Penn State, earns extra point in shootout

January 14, 2023

Michigan State hockey put on another gritty, come-from-behind performance to tie No. 5 Penn State 4-4 on Saturday. 

The Spartans added a victory and tie to their record this weekend. Friday night brought a 3-2 win in overtime, putting an end to their month-long, five-game losing streak.

After scoring the first goal in last night’s overtime win, senior forward Erik Middendorf moved up to the second line with senior forward Nico Müller and junior forward Jeremy Davidson

Junior forward Zach Dubinsky got the first real scoring opportunity of the game 6:07 into the first period with a shot directly in front of PSU junior goaltender Liam Souliere, but bounced it off the net minder’s pads instead. 

34 seconds later, Penn State struck first when senior forward Kevin Wall slid a low puck into the net in front of Spartan graduate goaltender Dylan St. Cyr

Freshman forward Karsen Dorwart drew a Penn State penalty, sending sophomore forward Ben Schoen off for hooking at the 12:57 mark to give Michigan State the first power play of the night.

The Spartans put up 12 promising shots on goal during the two minute power play, but were unable to net any of them.

PSU’s junior forward Chase McLane was called for interference and the Spartans were able to convert with 30 seconds left on the power play thanks to graduate forward Miro Mucha, tying the score 1-1 less than four minutes into the second period. 

At the 4:30 mark senior forward Jagger Joshua headed to the box to serve his second penalty of the weekend for holding. Less than a minute later, Penn State’s senior forward Tyler Paquette found the back of the goal. MSU challenged the call on grounds for high sticking, but the goal stood.  

Sophomore defenseman Simon Mack beat St. Cyr in the net on an odd-man rush at 7:58 in the second period to put Penn State up 3-1. 

Nittany Lions senior forward Connor McMenamin was whistled for hooking, sending the Spartan power play unit back out on the ice. 

Joshua earned his first goal of the night and second of the weekend with an assist from Dorwart to bring the Spartans within one at 15:02. 

About a minute later, sophomore forward Danny Dzhaniyev took a trip to the box with 16:14 in the second, bringing the total penalties called on the Nittany Lions in the second period to three. The Spartans returned to the power play, but were unable to tie up the game. 

60 seconds after the power play ended for Michigan State, Joshua found himself on the receiving end of yet another assist from Dorwart, as well as freshman forward Daniel Russell, to tie the game. 

Entering the third period 3-3, both teams were looking to steal the lead back. The Nittany Lions struck first at 3:43 putting them back on top 4-3, but Joshua answered with his third goal of the night just 11 seconds later, earning his second hat trick of the season. 

Joshua now leads the team in goals scored this season with 11.

Penn State got its fourth power play opportunity of the night at 11:42 when freshman defenseman Matt Basgall was sent off for hooking, but MSU’s penalty kill unit kept another Nittany Lions goal off the board. 

Both teams were tied 4-4 as the clock hit 0:00 in regulation, sending the Spartans and Nittany Lions into sudden-death overtime for the second night in a row. 

Joshua was sent to the penalty box for slashing at 3:38 in overtime, giving PSU a 4-on-3 advantage, but the Spartan power play killed it off. 

At the end of the five minute overtime period, the scoreboard still read 4-4, putting the game in the official record book as a draw and sending the teams into a shootout for the extra point in Big Ten standings. 

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The Spartans walked away from the shootout with three points courtesy of sophomore forward Tanner Kelly, Dorwart and Russell. Penn State was two for three on shot attempts in the shootout.

With the tie, Michigan State moves to 13-11-2 on the year. 

The Spartans have next week off before heading to Minnesota to face the Golden Gophers for the second time this season.

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