In an exhilarating matchup on Friday night, the top-ranked Michigan State Spartans edged out the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions with a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory at Munn Ice Arena. The win was highlighted by a decisive goal from Tiernan Shoudy just over two minutes into the sudden death period, following an impressive assist from Tommi Mannisto.
The Spartans opened the scoring late in the first period when Anthony Romani found the back of the net. His goal came after a blocked passing attempt to a teammate, showcasing his ability to adapt quickly under pressure. This marked Romani’s second goal of the season.
Penn State countered in the second period, with a deflected shot that evened the game at 1-1 with just under four minutes remaining. The third period saw the Spartans dominate with 11 shots on goal, but neither team could break the tie, leading to a tense overtime.
In the overtime period, Michigan State initially took control, with the Spartans generating multiple scoring chances. Shoudy’s game-winning shot capped off a well-executed play by Mannisto, highlighting the team’s synergy. “Tommi had great poise,” Shoudy remarked. “He made an unbelievable play, and I was just fortunate enough to be there.”
Michigan State’s victory improved their record to 6-1-0 overall and 1-0-0 in the Big Ten Conference, whereas Penn State fell to 9-2-0 and 2-1-0 in conference play. The Spartans also showcased their defensive strength, successfully killing all of Penn State’s power-play opportunities, going 4-for-4.
Looking ahead, the Spartans will look to build on this momentum in Game Two of the series, set for Saturday at 4:00 p.m., as they aim to continue their positive trajectory in the season. The performance against a strong Penn State team will undoubtedly bolster their confidence and team cohesion moving forward.