By JOHN FINERAN
SOUTH BEND – Michigan State goaltender Trey Augustine has a pretty good defense in front of him. Friday night at Notre Dame, those defenders showed they can be pretty offensive, too.
The Spartans got goals from defensemen David Gucciardi, Matt Basgall and Maxim Štrbák on their way to a 5-2 Big Ten Conference victory over Notre Dame to regain a share of the league lead with Minnesota heading into Saturday’s final regular-season game.
It was another disappointing loss in a season of disappointments for Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson, who is retiring at the season’s conclusion and turning the reins over to Brock Sheahan, a former Irish defenseman.
Notre Dame, which got goals from captain Justin Janicke and junior defenseman Axel Kumlin, ended up chasing but never catching Michigan State on Senior Night before a sold-out crowd of 5,043 watching at the Lefty Smith Rink in the Compton Family Ice Arena.
“I thought our guys competed; we had a lot of good chances,” said Jackson, who is one victory short of 600 during his 26-year career. “We just couldn’t finish.”
Indeed, the Irish (10-22-1 overall and 4-18-1 in the Big Ten for 14 points) would be outshot 38-24 on the evening. Augustine made 22 saves, 11 fewer than Irish junior goaltender Owen Say, as Michigan State improved to 23-6-4 overall and 14-5-4 Big Ten for 47 points..
For most of the first period, Notre Dame matched Michigan State shot for shot. But Gucciardi took a feed from Joey Larson and blasted the puck past Say at 11:55 with the teams skating four aside. It was Gucciardi’s sixth goal of the season, and at 14:12 Basgall scored his sixth after his slapshot from the blueline went wide of the Irish net. But the puck bounced off the boards, hit off the Irish goalie’s right leg and went into the net for a 2-0 lead.
Janicke, one of 11 senior and graduates playing their final home games this weekend, then scored his team-leading 14th goal of the season when he beat Augustine at 14:59 of the second period with the Irish on a power play. Danny Nelson and Cole Knuble, who both had two assists during the game, set the goal up.
But the Spartans regained their two-goal advantage at 18:05 after Karsen Dorwart was left all alone to Say’s left. The Spartan center took a feed from Larson and buried it behind Say to make it 3-1.
In the third period, Štrbák, a sophomore from Slovakia, beat a screened Say at 8:37 to make it 4-1. Defenseman Kumlin then scored his fifth goal of the season from a tough angle off feeds from Knuble and Nelson at 9:20 to make it 4-2.
But the Irish got no closer even with Michigan State’s Gavin O’Connell off for tripping at 15:13 to put Notre Dame on the power play. The Spartans didn’t allow an Irish shot on goal even after Jackson pulled Say at 17:05.
Isaac Howard finished the scoring with an empty-net goal at 18:42 with his 23rd goal of the season.
Michigan State and Minnesota, which fell 4-3 in overtime at Penn State, each have 47 points for the season. If they remain tied after Saturday’s games, they will be co-champions for the regular season. Michigan State, however, would earn a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament because it won its season series with Minnesota, which would be host to Notre Dame for the best-of-three quarterfinal series March 7-9.
If Minnesota finishes ahead of Michigan State, however, the Irish will travel to East Lansing March 7-9. Following Saturday’s game which begins at 6:05 p.m. at Compton, Notre Dame will honor Jackson.
MICHIGAN STATE 5, NOTRE DAME 2
At Lefty Smith Rink in Compton Family Ice Arena, South Bend, Ind.
Michigan State 2 1 2—5
Notre Dame 0 1 1—2
First Period—Scoring: 1. Michigan State, David Gucciardi 6 (Joey Larson, Karsen Dorwart) EV 11:55; 2. Michigan State, Matt Basgall 6 (Vladislav Lukashevich, Tommi Männistö) EV 14:12. Penalties: Michigan State 1-2, Notre Dame 1-2.
Second Period—Scoring: 3. Notre Dame, Justin Janicke 14 (Danny Nelson, Cole Knuble) PP 14:59; 4. Michigan State, Karsen Dorwart 11 (Joey Larson) EV 18:05. Penalties: Michigan State 2-4 (3-6), Notre Dame 1-2 (2-4).
Third Period—Scoring: 5. Michigan State, Maxim Štrbák 3 (Tiernan Shoudy, Tommi Männistö) EV 8:37; 6. Notre Dame, Axel Kumlin 5 (Cole Knuble, Danny Nelson) EV 9:20; 7. Michigan State, Isaac Howard 23 (Daniel Russell) EN 18:42. Penalties: Michigan State 2-4 (5-10), Notre Dame 2-4 (4-8).
Shots on goal: Michigan State 38 (10-16-12), Notre Dame 24 (9-9-6).
Goalie saves: Michigan State, Trey Augustine 22 (9-8-5); Notre Dame, Owen Say 33 (8-15-10).
Power-play opportunities: Michigan State 0 of 2, Notre Dame 1 of 3.
Faceoffs won: Michigan State 28 (8-8-12), Notre Dame 35 (7-15-13).
Blocked shots: Michigan State 11 (2-4-5), Notre Dame 17 (7-7-3).
Referees: Colin Kronforst and Jonathon Sitarski. Linesmen: Jake Davis and Pat Richardson. Attendance: 5,043 (4,852).
Records: Michigan State 23-6-4 overall, 14-5-4 Big Ten for 47 points; Notre Dame 10-22-1 overall, 4-18-1 Big Ten for 14 points.
BIG TEN STANDINGS AND SCHEDULE: (Numbers in parentheses before school are its standings in this week’s USCHO.com media poll, this week’s USA Hockey-The Rink Live coaches poll and its current PairWise rating)
1t. (3/3/2) Michigan State 14-5-4, 47 points (23-6-4 overall, 116 GF, 68 GA)
1t. (2/2/3) Minnesota 14-6-3, 47 points (23-8-4 overall, 138 GF, 84 GA)
- (8/10/10) Ohio State 14-9-1, 42 points (21-11-2 overall, 110 GF, 83 GA)
- (11/11/11) Michigan 12-10-2, 36 points (18-13-3 overall, 105 GF, 107 GA)
- (15/16/12) Penn State 9-10-4, 33 points (18-11-4 overall, 113 GF, 98 GA)
- (rv/nr/29) Wisconsin 7-16-1, 27 points (12-19-3 overall, 100 GF, 103 GA)
- (nr/nr/45) Notre Dame 4-18-1, 14 points (10-22-1 overall, 91 GF, 114 GA)
Thursday, Feb. 27 result: Ohio State 2, Michigan 1 (OT).
Friday, Feb. 28 schedule: Michigan State 5, Notre Dame 2; Penn State 4, Minnesota 3 (OT); Michigan 4, Ohio State 3.
Saturday, March 1 schedule: Michigan State at Notre Dame, 6:05 p.m. (Peacock); Minnesota at Penn State, 8 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Sunday, March 2 schedule: U.S. Under-18 Team at Wisconsin, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Friday-Sunday, March 7-9 schedule: Big Ten Tournament best-of-three quarterfinal series (Notre Dame at Michigan State or Minnesota; Wisconsin at Ohio State; Penn State vs. Michigan)
Saturday, March 15 schedule: Big Ten Tournament semifinals (single elimination)
Saturday, March 22 schedule: Big Ten Tournament championship (single elimination)
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Sunday, March 23: Bracket announcement
Thursday-Sunday, March 27-30 (TBD): Northeast Regional at Manchester, N.H. (SNHU Arena); East Regional at Allentown, Pa. (PPL Center); Midwest Regional at Toledo, Ohio (Huntington Center); West Regional at Fargo, N.D. (Scheel Arena)
Thursday, April 10: NCAA Frozen Four semifinals at St. Louis (Enterprise Center)
Saturday, April 12: NCAA Frozen Four championship at St. Louis (Enterprise Center)