Michigan State wraps up its two-game trip to Durham, N.H., on Saturday night against New Hampshire at the Whittemore Center, with puck drop at 7 p.m. Eastern on ESPN platforms. The second-ranked Spartans are looking for a response after a 1-0 loss in Friday’s opener.
Wildcats goaltender Michael Simpson made the difference Friday, stopping every shot for the shutout. At the other end, freshman Joshua Ravensbergen made 33 saves for Michigan State, the Big Ten’s third star of the week last week. The loss dropped the Spartans to 3-1-0 and left coach Adam Nightingale still two wins shy of 100 for his career.
The matchup
Michigan State still averages four goals a game and owns a 42.1 percent power play, along with an 85.7 percent penalty kill. The Spartans have allowed just five goals in four games. Romani leads the team with seven points (4 goals, 3 assists), and Reid, Lee, and Nilson have five points each.
New Hampshire is 3-1-1 and has won three straight, including back-to-back shutouts of Colgate (2-0) and Michigan State. Nick Ring leads the Wildcats with seven points, and Simpson is 3-1-1 in goal. The Spartans and Wildcats split two games last October, with Michigan State winning 2-0 at home after a 4-3 loss.
Sigurdson, who is 1-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, is Michigan State’s other option in net if Nightingale rotates goalies on the back half of the weekend.
How to watch
Michigan State at New Hampshire, Saturday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m. ET, Whittemore Center, Durham, N.H. TV/stream: ESPN platforms.
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