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Michigan State's Villiam Haag had two points Friday, including the tying goal, as the Spartans beat #1 Minnesota 3-2 in a shootout at Munn Ice Arena.
Officially, the game goes down as a tie for NCAA purposes. Michigan State (5-7-1, 0-0-1-0 Big Ten) receives 2 points. The Gophers receive 1 point.
Taylor Cammarata (New York Islanders) led a potent night for freshmen when he got Minnesota (11-2-2, 2-0-0-1 Big Ten) on the board with 1:24 left in the first period. The freshman, who had missed the last two games with an injury, was set up by another freshman making his return in Jake Bischoff (Islanders).
Freshmen had all 4 goals Friday and 7 points between the two teams.
On the other side of the ice, fellow freshman MacKenzie MacEachern evened up the score sixty-two seconds into the second period when he caught Gopher goaltender Adam Wilcox (Tampa Bay Lightning) napping. The goal was MacEachern's sixth of the year.
Michigan State, however, spent much of the period in its own zone. The Gophers out-shot MSU 15-4 in the second period as the momentum slowly shifted back to the visiting team's favor. Minnesota had a pair of power plays late in the second and early in the third which gave them the lead.
The first power play, a boarding on Brock Krygier 16:18 into the second, saw Minnesota's top power play unit spend the entire two minutes in the Michigan State zone. Spartans goalie Jake Hildebrand, who made 44 saves Friday, made a couple great stops. The Gophers, meanwhile, missed a couple more wide.
That changed the second time when a shot from Justin Kloos deflected off of Spartans defenseman Jake Chelios and into the net. Haag, however, tied it back it up with 14:04 left in regulation when a pass tipped off of Taylor Cammarata's stick and went through 2 defensemen. The puck found its way to Haag for his fourth goal of the year.
While both teams had chances, including Minnesota's Kyle Rau hitting the post with 29 seconds remaining in regulation and Hildebrand robbing Connor Reilly in the final seconds of overtime, the game went to a shootout. Michael Ferrentino was the only player to score after he beat Adam Wilcox as the first shooter.
Wilcox made 31 saves Friday.
Minnesota senior defenseman Jake Parenteau left the game in the first period with an apparent leg injury. He was helped off the ice and did not return. Lucia did not speak about his status after the game, but did say he was glad that the Gophers did not have to kill many penalties being down with 5 defensemen for most of the game. Michigan State only had one power play compared to Minnesota's three.
Minnesota and Michigan State play again Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. The game will air on Fox Sports North and Fox Sports Detroit. It can be streamed online at BTN2Go.com.
Scoring:
First Period:
MINNESOTA - Taylor Cammarata (4) (Jake Bischoff, Justin Kloos 18:36)
Second Period:
MICHIGAN STATE - Mackenzie MacEachern (6) (Villiam Haag 1:02)
Third Period:
MINNESOTA - Justin Kloos (6) (Brady Skjei, Nate Condon :51 PP)
MICHIGAN STATE - Villiam Haag (4) (Lee Reimer, Greg Wolfe 5:56)
Overtime:
NONE
Shootout
Minnesota - Rau (misses), Warning (misses), Cammarata (misses)
Michigan State - Ferrantino (scores), Wolfe (misses), Haag (misses) *Spartans win shootout 1-0
Shots: (1/2/3 & OT)
Minnesota 14 - 15 - 12 -- 46
Michigan State 15 - 4 - 10 -- 33
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Nathan Wells is a college hockey columnist for SB Nation and College Hockey News. You can also follow him on Twitter -- Follow @gopherstate