Under Madison Square Garden lights, Michigan State hockey loses to No. 13 Minnesota, 2-1

The Michigan State hockey team fell to No. 13 Minnesota, 2-1, on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The Spartans fought back to tie the game in the third period, but Minnesota’s Brent Gates Jr. scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal with 3:29 to play.

The Spartans were dealt an early blow when leading scorer Mitchell Lewandowski received a 5-minute major penalty and game disqualification for contact to the head 4:12 into the game. The Spartans killed the resulting power play and two more later in the period.

Despite the solid penalty killing by the Spartans, Minnesota was able to strike at the 11:23 mark as Casey Mittelstadt beat John Lethemon with a tip off a 2-on-1 from the low slot.

MSU also lost its leading point producer, Taro Hirose, to an injury in the opening period.

“It’s not a big secret that we rely on their line,” MSU coach Danton Cole said. “Taro and Mitchell are big parts of our team, and when we win, they’re usually both on the scoresheet and do a lot of good things for us; they occupy the other team as well. Those two guys going out was tough.”

Lethemon kept it a one-goal game with several big stops in the second period, including robbing Leon Bristedt’s one-timer on the power play from low in the right circle.

The Spartans had some good chances to start the third, including a deflection at the top of the crease by Logan Lambdin that goaltender Mat Robson kept out of the net with his left pad.

MORE:Michigan State hockey erases 3-goal deficit, but falls to No. 13 Minnesota, 5-4

MORE:Putnam: Spartan hockey fan Brittany Van Hoogen dies 9 days after cheering for her team

Michigan State’s hard work eventually paid off as the Spartans tied the game with 11:38 to play in the third. Jake Smith got the puck to Jerad Rosburg at the point where he slid to the center and let a wrist shot go toward the net. Cody Milan got his stick on the puck from the slot and deflected it past Robson.

The game-winning goal came with 3:29 to play when Gates Jr. got open in front of the MSU net and slapped a bouncing puck past Lethemon from the slot.

MSU killed all four Gopher power plays in the game and held Minnesota to just four shots in the third period.

Despite the loss, Cole said the Spartans’ gained some valuable lessons.

“You have different things that happen to you throughout the course of a season and a career and you have some great moments,” Cole said. “It’s always better and easier when you have a great moment when you win. We talked a lot about not losing a lesson and there were a heck of a lot of good things in there tonight – how hard you have to work and the things you have to do to win hockey games.”

Minnesota finished with a 22-20 edge in shots on goal.

The Spartans are off next weekend and return to action Feb. 2-3 at Ohio State.

- MSU Athletic Communications