"I thought we were pretty good for those first two periods and the third, just like every good team like they are, they're going to push and we had to hang in there, Trey had to make some saves for us. I thought the crowd was into it," MSU head coach Adam Nightingale said postgame.

MSU entered the game off of its first bye week of the season after defeating Windsor (ON) in an exhibition slate. The last time MSU saw the Buckeyes was during the Big Ten Tournament last winter, where it took down Ohio State 2-1 in the semifinal.

But with a new season on their shoulders, the Buckeyes started hot at 7-0-1 after finishing last season with a 14-20-4 record.

The rivalry atmosphere Friday night was abundantly clear from the get-go, with physicality and standout defensive effort on display. The Spartans' eight shots in the first period produced two goals. 

Though he was on the receiving end of a two-minute minor for tripping just 52 seconds into the game, MSU defensive graduate transfer Nicklas Andrews got the Spartans going with a wrist shot from the blue line. Then, captain senior forward Red Savage powered through to the front of the net, tipping in the puck to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead into the second frame.

It only took 29 seconds into the second period for the Spartans to take off again.

In the waning seconds of an OSU power play, MSU junior forward Daniel Russell scored his fifth goal of the season, shorthanded, playing tic-tac-toe up the ice with sophomore defenseman Patrick Geary to gain the 3-0 lead.

"Obviously you always want to play with a lead, it's a little more fun than trying to play catch up," Andrews said. "I thought our first two periods were really good and I think it fed off getting that first one, we just stuck with it really good through those first 40 minutes."

The Spartans spent a majority of the first ten minutes of the second period in their offensive zone, firing shots at OSU’s goalie Logan Terness, but the Buckeyes were keen for blocking shots, prohibiting the Spartans from capitalizing on their scoring opportunities.

Ohio State ceased the scoring drought as junior forward Davis Burnside slid the puck behind goalie Trey Augustine, striking a bit of momentum for the Buckeyes heading into the final period. 

Keeping a two-goal lead is known to be dangerous for the leading side, and going into the third period, that's what the Spartans had to do. And it wasn't without an OSU fight. 

With just over eight minutes to go in the final 20, Ohio State’s graduate student forward Patrick Guzzo made it a one-goal game with time to spare.

Ohio State pulled Terness with just over two minutes to go, and MSU senior defenseman David Gucciardi sent the puck down ice into the empty net to stamp a 4-2 win for the Spartans.

With their first conference win under their belts, the Spartans will be back in action on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena to finish out their series against the Buckeyes.