Wildcats collect 50 minutes in penalties to MSU’s 16
LANSING, Mich. — In one of the most physical contests you’ll see, the Wildcats fell 6-2 to the #3 Michigan State Spartans.
The hockey game featured 66 combined penalty minutes between the two sides, with 50 of those being dished to the Wildcats. The Spartans took the most of its opportunities on special teams, converting on four of its nine power-play chances and going a perfect 5/5 on the penalty kill.
The Wildcats scored in the opening minute of the third penalty to bring the game to 3-2, but three straight power-play goals from MSU snuffed out the Wildcat comeback effort. The night ended with fireworks, as a massive brawl broke out with a second left in the game.
NMU got scoring from Branden Piku and Grayden Slipec, both scoring their first of the season, and Piku scoring his first as a Wildcat. Coster Dunn and netminder Oliver Auyeung-Asthon both picked up assists; Auyeung-Asthon made 36 saves on the night.
The Spartans had jumped out of the gate in its first game of the season, getting out to an early lead thanks to a slick breakaway goal from Anthony Romani. The ‘Cats were whistled twice in one play and had the tall task of trying to kill a five-on-three; goals from Cullen Potter at five-on-three and Cayden Lindstrom as Michael Burchill was stepping out of the box extended the Spartan lead to three at the halfway point of the period.
After netminder Joshua Ravensbergen stopped Medrick Bolduc and Aapo Katavisto on breakaways, senior forward Branden Piku was able to convert one-on-one with the goalie, making a decisive move to the backhand and elevating over the glove hand of the freshman goaltender.
Captain Bolduc was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct, and after killing three and a half minutes, the ‘Cats were whistled for another penalty and faced another five-on-three; this time the ‘Cats killed it off and gained momentum.
The ‘Cats ended the final seven minutes of the middle frame dominating chances, producing 11 shot attempts to the Spartans’ one. Coster Dunn had a good look on the power play, as he was unattended to in the left circle. Ravensbergen came across and was able to make the save, bailing his team out in the dying moments of the frame.
The Wildcats had a man advantage to start the final period, and took full advantage of the fresh ice surface. Dunn weaved his way through the defense, and from his knees, slid a pass to Grayden Slipec in the left circle, who made no mistake to bury his first of the season and bring the Wildcats back within one just moments into the period.
26 seconds later, the ‘Cats were whistled for another penalty. A shot from the point was deflected by Gavin O’Connell on top of the blue paint, and the Spartans’ two-goal lead was re-established. MSU added its third power-play tally from the stick of Romani, who wired a wicked one-timer to the top corner. Jack Hextall scored on a bang-bang passing play, taking advantage of the eighth Spartan man advantage of the night.
The ‘Cats are back at Munn Ice Arena on Sunday, October 11, at 1 p.m. ET. Fans can stream the game on BigTen Plus and listen over the airwaves through the Radio Results Network.
