MSU hockey splits road series with No. 12 Notre Dame
MSU forwards Karsen Dorwart and Nico Muller celebrate a goal together. / Photo Credit: Sarah Smith
October 30, 2022
EAST LANSING – Michigan State hockey traveled to Notre Dame for its first road series of the 2022-23 season. After a 5-0 loss on Friday, game two went down to the wire with MSU tying Notre Dame 1-1 and eventually earning a shootout win.
Both goalies put up incredible performances over the weekend. Notre Dame netminder Ryan Bischel put up 30 saves on all 30 shots faced Friday, boasting the only shutout of MSU so far this season. On Saturday, he put up 41 saves on 42 shots.
Spartan goalie Dylan St. Cyr had 28 saves on 33 shots in the first game. That was his season high until the very next day when he put up 39 saves on 40 shots.
Both the Spartans and Fighting Irish also featured excellent penalty kill performances with neither team allowing a single goal all weekend while down a man.
In Friday’s game, Notre Dame took full advantage of each scoring chance, using odd-man rushes to put up an early lead. By the end of the second period, they had already scored three on the MSU defense. Down by the largest point deficit they had seen all season, the Spartans couldn’t slow down the Fighting Irish in the third period. Outshooting the Spartans 14-11 in the period, Notre Dame kept the puck in the Spartans’ zone and tacked on two more goals before the end of the game.
Saturday saw the Spartans return to form by keeping pressure on Bischel. 6 minutes into the first period, Bischel blocked a shot from MSU center Karsen Dorwart, but Spartan left winger Jagger Joshua was there for the rebound putting the shot behind Bischel for his fourth goal of the season and an early 1-0 lead for the Spartans.
Notre Dame didn’t answer Joshua’s goal until late in the second period when defenseman Nick Leivermann scored his second goal of the series tying the game 1-1.
Time ticked down in regulation sending the game to overtime. After 5 minutes of 3-on-3 play, the score stayed 1-1, cementing the tie game and sending it to a shootout. Leivermann managed to score, but goals by Spartan right-winger Tanner Kelly and Dorwart gave MSU a 2-1 shootout win.
MSU returns home to Munn Ice Arena on Friday, Nov. 4 to take on the Wisconsin Badgers. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
