No. 8 Michigan State forces series split with 5-3 win

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Michigan State took a 3-0 lead in the second period and then held off Air Force for a 5-3 win on Friday, Oct. 13, the Cadet Ice Arena. The teams split the two-game non-conference series.

In an evenly-played first period, the Spartans scored in the final two minutes. Each team had quality chances turned away by the opposing goalies. With 10:30 remaining and the Falcons on a power play, Daniel Russell's short-handed shot on a breakaway was saved by Guy Blessing. With four minutes left, the Falcons had numbers as Mason McCormick's shot, and rebound chances by Austin Schwartz and Brian Adams, were saved by Trey Augustine. The Spartans opened the scoring as Red Savage won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Joey Larson ripped a one-timer past Guy Blessing for a 1-0 lead at 18:22.

The Spartans (3-1-0 overall) took a 3-0 lead with two goals in the first eight minutes of the second period. Larson scored his second of the game on the rush with a wrister from the right dot at 3:47. MSU added to its lead after winning a puck battle on the boards and Isaac Howard found Karson Dorwart on the weak side. Dorwart scored his second of the season at 8:10. After the goal, Air Force took its timeout and the Falcons came to life. Luke Robinson sent the puck up to Brendan Gibbons to start a 2-on-2. Gibbons set up fellow freshman Nick Remissong for his first career goal at 11:52. Just 50 seconds later, the Falcons cut the MSU lead to 3-2 as Gibbons scored his second of the series. As MSU took control of the puck behind its own net, Gibbons forced a turnover, skated out to the left circle and snapped a wrister at 12:42.

The Spartans clung to the one-goal lead until the Falcons turned a puck over deep in their own end midway through the third period. Larson's shot was saved and Gavin O'Connell put back the rebound at 10:29. Larson completed the hat trick on the power play at 13:13 for a 5-2 lead. After Will Gavin drew a penalty, the Falcons scored on the power play with 4:30 remaining. Hedden made a pair of moves around two Spartans and scored with a wrister from the slot with assists to Clayton Cosentino and Gavin.

Michigan State outshot Air Force, 33-28. The Falcons were 1-for-4 on the power play while MSU was 1-for-2. Guy Blessing made 28 saves for the Falcons while Trey Augustine made 25 for the Spartans.

"I couldn't be more proud of our guys for their comeback effort," head coach Frank Serratore said. "We got behind early, but we put ourselves in a position to win the game in the third. The team that won the third would win the game and Michigan State did that. Their young goalie bounced back and was better tonight. They have a lot of good players and when we turned pucks over, they capitalized. We have a lot of work to do. We gave up five goals in each game and that is way too many. I like our team and we have a lot of spirit, but we have to be better defensively."

Air Force hits the road for the first time next week as the Falcons travel to Alaska-Anchorage, Oct. 20-21.

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