Third-ranked Michigan State beat RIT 5-1 on Saturday night before a sellout crowd of 10,556 at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York, in the Spartans’ first road game of the season. Chase Reid scored his first collegiate goal and added an assist, and Joshua Ravensbergen made 25 saves as Michigan State improved to 3-0-0. RIT, playing its Brick City Homecoming game, fell to 1-3-1.
How the goals came
Ryker Lee opened the scoring on the power play at 2:25 of the first period, his second goal of the season, from Gavin O’Connell and Anthony Romani. Reid made it 2-0 at 6:00 of the second, set up by Eric Nilson. Lucas Romeo answered for RIT on a power play at 8:50 of the second.
The Spartans pulled away in the third. Tommi Männistö scored short-handed at 6:26, with Reid assisting, and Romani added his fourth of the season at 9:59 from Sean Barnhill; that goal was initially waved off for goaltender interference before it was allowed to stand. Nilson finished the scoring with an unassisted empty-netter at 17:37. Romani, Nilson, and Reid each had a goal and an assist.
In goal and on special teams
Michigan State outshot RIT 37-26. Ravensbergen faced 15 shots in the third period, when the Tigers pushed hardest. RIT’s Jakub Krbecek made 32 saves. The Spartans went 1-for-5 on the power play, and RIT was 1-for-3. Romeo received a boarding major and a game misconduct early in the third, and a late scrum pushed the teams’ combined penalty minutes to 161.
Coach Adam Nightingale said road games demand “a desperation and a hunger level you have to play with,” per Michigan State Athletics.
What’s next
Michigan State visits New Hampshire on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 24.
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