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Gophers men's hockey fights back to tie No. 2 Michigan State, drops shootout

Minnesota couldn't pick up the extra point on Saturday in East Lansing, Mich.
Nolan O'Hara|
Former St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko faces off with the Huskies for the first time as head coach of Minnesota Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis.
Former St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko faces off with the Huskies for the first time as head coach of Minnesota Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis. | Zach Dwyer / St. Cloud Times via Imagn Content Services

It was a much better effort from the fourth-ranked Gophers men's hockey team and it'll officially go down as a 3-3 tie with No. 2 Michigan State. But it was the Spartans who picked up the extra point in a shootout Saturday in East Lansing, Mich.

After a scoreless third period followed by a scoreless overtime session, Saturday night's game between the Gophers (19-6-3) and Spartans (20-3-3) was officially a tie. And while Liam Souliere stopped the first attempt from Michigan State's Karsen Dorwart, the next two skaters, Isaac Howard and Daniel Russell, converted after Jimmy Snuggerud and Ryan Chesley misfired for the U. It's the second time this season the Gophers fell in a shootout after a 3-3 tie with the Spartans.

Minnesota never led Saturday night. Luke Mittelstadt provided the tying goal, scoring on the power play with 15.2 seconds remaining in the second period. The Spartans struck first, getting a goal from Matt Basgall 16 minutes, 11 seconds into the first period. Snuggerud knotted it up with his first of the night 5 minutes, 58 seconds into the second.

Joey Larson put the Spartans back up 1 minute, 44 seconds later, but Snuggerud scored his second of the night 2 minutes, 38 seconds later to knot it back up at 2-2. Tanner Kelly put the Spartans back up 4 minutes, 7 seconds after that.

After Mittelstadt provided another tying goal at the end of the frame, it was a 25-minute scoreless drought.

Souliere made 35 saves on 38 Spartans shots, including two big-time saves in overtime. He had a stop on a breakaway early in the extra session, and he made another key stop on a 3-on-2 Spartans chance with under 20 seconds to go.

Trey Augustine made 18 saves on 21 Gophers shots. It was a 38-21 advantage for the Spartans on shots on goal.

Still, it was a much better showing than the 9-3 beatdown the Gophers suffered Friday. They'll look to get back in the win column when they return to the ice Friday to host Wisconsin for a 7 p.m. puck drop at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis.

Published
Nolan O'Hara
NOLAN O'HARA

Nolan O'Hara covers all things Minnesota sports, primarily the Timberwolves, for Bring Me The News and Sports Illustrated's On SI network. He previously worked as a copy editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism. His work has appeared in the Pioneer Press, Ratchet & Wrench magazine, the Minnesota Daily and a number of local newspapers in Minnesota, among other publications.

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