No. 3 Michigan State opened its regular season with a 6-2 win over Northern Michigan on Friday, Oct. 9, at Munn Ice Arena, scoring three times in each of the first and third periods. The Spartans are 1-0-0, and the Wildcats fell to 1-2-0.
Scoring
Anthony Romani scored 1:48 into the game, Cullen Potter converted on a 5-on-3 power play at 9:33, and Cayden Lindstrom capped the first period with a shot from the high slot. Northern Michigan answered at 13:11 when Branden Piku, a newcomer, scored on a breakaway for his first goal as a Wildcat.
Grayden Slipec deflected in a Coster Dunn feed about 40 seconds into the third to pull NMU within 3-2, but Michigan State pulled away. Gavin O’Connell tipped in a Chase Reid point shot at 1:34, Romani added a one-timer from the left circle at 12:13, and Jack Hextall scored his first college goal minutes later, from Tommy Bleyl and Eric Nilson.
Ryker Lee had three assists, career highs in points and assists. Romani finished with three points and eight shots, Nilson and Reid had two assists each, and the Spartans outshot Northern 42-18.
Goalies and special teams
Freshman Joshua Ravensbergen made 16 saves in his regular-season debut for Michigan State. Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, the CCHA’s goaltender of the week last week, made 36 saves for Northern Michigan and also picked up an assist.
Penalties shaped the night. Northern Michigan was whistled 14 times for 50 minutes, including a five-minute major and game misconduct to captain Medrick Bolduc, and Michigan State’s box score credits the Spartans with five power-play goals. MSU killed all five of its own penalties. Coach Adam Nightingale said afterward that the power play “obviously was good.”
What’s next
The teams meet again Sunday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena on Big Ten+. Michigan State then visits RIT on Oct. 17, and Northern Michigan hosts Stonehill Oct. 16-17.
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