Michigan State senior forward Jimmy Clark (7) prepares to face off against Rochester Institute of Technology sophomore forward Zach Wigle (8) at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y., on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026.
No. 3 Michigan State hockey faced its first away test Saturday, Oct. 17, and when its offense stalled during an extended power play, senior forward Tommi Männistö delivered the goal that changed the game.
Männistö's short-handed goal in the third period restored MSU's two-goal lead in MSU's 5-1 win at Blue Cross Arena in front of a sellout crowd of 11,215 — a 57% larger capacity than Munn Ice Arena.
MSU (3-0-0) outshot RIT 37-26, but struggled to generate consistent offense at even strength. The Spartans' inability to capitalize on several power-play opportunities kept RIT within striking distance until Männistö’s goal shifted the momentum.
“We can't rely on (the power play),” head coach Adam Nightingale said. “I don't know if we scored nine or 10 (power play goals) already this year, so that's not sustainable.”
The Tigers' crowd grew louder as RIT gained momentum, and sophomore forward Anthony Romani took a frustration penalty, giving RIT a chance to tie the game in the second period.
MSU entered the third period with a 2-1 lead before a series of penalties created an extended power-play opportunity. MSU's two-man advantage couldn't find the back of the net, and RIT successfully killed off the entire sequence.
However, Männistö turned defense into offense.
The senior stole the puck while killing the penalty and raced up the ice on a partial breakaway. He beat his defender to the outside before sliding a backhand shot between RIT junior goaltender Jakub Krbecek and the post at 6:26.
Nightingale praised Männistö's consistency and willingness to contribute in any role.
“He does it the right way,” Nightingale said. “Here's a guy that's a senior that's never played on the power play, and he's never worried about that. All he cares about is helping the team win.”
The goal gave MSU a 3-1 lead and silenced the home crowd. It also provided a much-needed response after the Spartans failed to score during their extended power-play opportunity.
Romani added a goal at 9:59 in the third, beating Krbecek on an odd-man rush after faking a pass to sophomore forward Eric Nilson. The goal was Romani’s team-leading fourth of the season and came after an earlier power-play goal he scored was overturned after a goaltender-interference challenge.
Nilson added an empty-net goal at 17:37 to seal the victory.
Despite the final score, MSU had to work to establish control in its first road game of the season.
The Spartans opened the scoring at 2:25 of the first period when sophomore forward Ryker Lee scored on the power play. Senior forward Gavin O’Connell set up the goal with a creative pass from in front of the crease, turning his back to the net and slipping the puck between his legs to find Lee on the right side.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
The Spartans continued to pressure RIT in the opening period, outshooting the Tigers 10-6 and generating several quality chances. RIT found some momentum late in the period but struggled to create dangerous scoring opportunities against freshman goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen and the MSU defense.
MSU doubled its lead at the 6-minute mark of the second period when freshman defenseman Chase Reid scored the first goal of his collegiate career. After freshman forward Ethan Belchetz was stopped on a breakaway, the Spartans regained possession, and Nilson fed Reid at the blue line. Reid fired a slap shot past Krbecek to make it 2-0. It was MSU's first goal by a defenseman this season.
RIT responded at 8:50 after a scrum in front of Ravensbergen resulted in penalties for both teams. RIT's freshman forward Lucas Romeo scored immediately following a faceoff on the ensuing power play, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Ravensbergen remained steady as RIT attempted to build on the goal. The freshman stopped 25 of 26 shots, limiting the Tigers to one goal despite stretches of sustained pressure.
Ravensbergen's performance withstood RIT's pressure, particularly after the Tigers cut the deficit to one goal in the second period.
“He made some big saves,” Nightingale said. “When we had some breakdowns, he was stellar in that, for sure.”
The Spartans entered the weekend with two decisive wins against Northern Michigan, but the matchup with RIT provided a more competitive test. MSU generated plenty of shots but often struggled to turn possessions into goals, particularly at five-on-five.
“We have a lot of new guys who haven't been on the road yet, so it's good that we got the job done,” Männistö said.
