Spartans Off To Minneapolis After 4-2 Win in Game Three

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (MSU Athletics) - No. 20/20 Michigan State earned a 4-2 win over Notre Dame on Sunday in the deciding game of the best-of-three Big Ten quarterfinal series, sending the Spartans to the Big Ten semifinals against Minnesota next weekend.

Michigan State (18-17-2) got a pair of goals and an assist from senior Nicolas Müller and the go-ahead goal from Jeremy Davidson.

The teams traded goals in the first period, with Notre Dame going up 1-0 before the game was five minutes old on a power play goal by Justin Janicke. MSU countered with a goal just past the halfway mark, when Müller put back a rebound off an Erik Middendorf shot.

MSU got the big second goal in the middle frame just after the media time out, as Muller won the faceoff, dove to swipe the puck, and got it onto the stick of Jeremy Davidson, who knocked it home from below the hash marks for his second goal of the weekend.

MSU took a 3-1 lead on a Tiernan Shoudy putback six minutes into the period. As the end of the game drew closer, the Spartans had to hold off pressing Irish offense, and a 6-on-4 power play goal with 3:23 to play when Hunter Strand scored at the right post.

Dylan St. Cyr was positively masterful for Michigan State, playing what he described as the possibly the best in his career as he backstopped the Spartans to a victory where his collegiate career began at Compton Family Ice Arena. He turned away 37 Irish shots and MSU’s defense blocked 22 as Notre Dame was trying to give their home fans a win in the final game at home this season.

Both Notre Dame goals came on the power play, where the Irish were 2-for-3. Notre Dame did not take a penalty in the game.

The Spartans will play Minnesota at 9 pm ET next Saturday at Mariucci Arena.

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