Michigan State Wins the Big Ten Hockey Tournament

Photo courtesy of Michigan State Athletics

BOX SCORE

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Isaac Howard lifted No. 1 seed Michigan State to a 4-3 double overtime victory over No. 3 seed Ohio State in the Big Ten Hockey Tournament Championship Game on Saturday evening.

Howard scored from near the slot at 15:09, ending the longest game in Big Ten Tournament history before a sellout crowd of 6,555 at Munn Ice Arena and a Big Ten Network viewing audience.

With the victory, Michigan State (26-6-4) captured its second Big Ten Tournament title, adding to the Big Ten regular season championship it won this season. MSU becomes the first program to capture the Big Ten “Double” in consecutive seasons. The top-ranked Spartans receive the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, which begins next week. The 16-team field will be revealed tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

Ninth-ranked Ohio State (24-13-2), which was making its third appearance in the finals, rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the third period, scoring twice in a five-minute span. All-Tournament selection Gunnarwolfe Fontaine provided the equalizer with 2:21 left in regulation. MSU built its lead with two power play goals in the opening period and an even-strength marker 42 seconds into the third.

Howard was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Award, tying a championship record with his four-point (two goals, two assists) performance. Ohio State defenseman Aiden Hansen-Bukata tied a championship record with three assists and teammate Logan Terness finished with 47 saves, including 20 in overtime. At the other end of the ice, MSU netminder Trey Augustine made 38 stops.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Isaac Howard, F, MSU
Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, F, OSU
JJ Wiebusch, F, PSU
Matt Basgall, D, MSU
Damien Carfagna, D, OSU
Trey Augustine, G, MSU

MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
Isaac Howard, F, MSU