MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – The Michigan State hockey group has been no stranger to competing in nail-biting contests this season. However Friday’s regional semifinal towards Western Michigan maybe takes the cake.
After trailing 4-2 getting into the third interval, the No. 1-seeded Spartans pressured additional time in thrilling trend. Then, simply over 9 minutes into the additional session, MSU senior ahead Jeremy Davidson took a shot that deflected off a Western Michigan skater and into the again of the online, sending MSU to the following spherical with a 5-4 win.
The Spartans (25-9-3) play the winner of tonight’s recreation between 2-seed North Dakota and 3-seed Michigan at 6:30 p.m. Sunday on the Centene Group Ice Middle in suburban St. Louis.
MSU nearly did not make it to additional time. However, with an empty web and a minute to spare, freshman defenseman Artyom Levshunov broke out from the impartial zone, rushing previous a Western Michigan defenseman, earlier than discovering ahead Karsen Dorwart large open in entrance of the crease for a game-tying aim with 55.8 seconds remaining.
Apart from a short spell within the second interval when the Spartans appeared to take management, your complete recreation was an uphill struggle for MSU.
Western Michigan received on the board first after ahead Matteo Costantini fired a shot by means of site visitors in entrance of MSU goaltender Trey Augustine and took that 1-0 lead into the locker room after the primary interval.
Early within the second interval, MSU freshman defenseman Patrick Geary related with sophomore ahead Daniel Russell on a protracted stretch move. Russell made an important first contact to spring himself on a breakaway and beat Western Michigan goaltender Cameron Rowe to place MSU on the board.
The Spartans took the lead halfway by means of the second interval when junior defenseman David Gucciardi blasted a slapshot from the purpose that beat Rowe. However, because the Spartans have been buzzing, a penalty and ensuing energy play aim from Western Michigan shifted the momentum towards the Broncos.
Western Michigan would add two extra even-strength targets — in complete three targets in a 3:20 span — to make it a 4-2 recreation heading into the ultimate interval.
MSU’s fourth line, engineered by sophomore ahead Tiernan Shoudy, was relentless on a forecheck and ultimately turned the Broncos over, leading to a free puck coming to defenseman Nash Nienhuis. MSU captain fired a shot previous Rowe from the excessive slot to chop the deficit to only one with 11 minutes remaining.
Contact Nathaniel Bott at nbott@lsj.com and comply with him on Twitter @Nathaniel_Bott