After its first ever Big Ten win last weekend, coach Guy Gadowsky’s squad looked to keep the momentum going against a struggling Michigan State team on Friday night.

Unfortunately for Penn State fans, the Nittany Lions weren’t able to hold off a resilient Spartan attack, and ended the game tied with the Green and White 2-2. Penn State lost in a shootout and gained one point in the Big Ten standings, while Michigan State earned two points. The loss dropped Penn State to 1-9-1-0 in Big Ten play.

The action in the first period started early, when team leading-scorer Eric Scheid hit the post with a shot from the left circle six minutes in, but neither team could get much going offensively after that. Penn State attempted 25 shots, but only 12 reached Michigan State’s goaltender Jake Hildebrand.

Penn State earned its first power play just two minutes into the second period, yet the Spartans got on the board first as the puck took a funny bounce past defenseman Patrick Koudys, and Lee Reimer scored on a shorthanded breakaway as the power play expired. The lead didn’t last long, however, as Ricky DeRosa tied it up for the Nittany Lions with one of the sauciest goals of the year.

Just two minutes later, Dylan Richard scored a power play goal to give Penn State a 2-1 lead. Casey Bailey took a slapshot from the blue line, and after being redirected by Taylor Holmstrom, Richard tapped it in past an out-of-position Hildebrand. The Nittany Lions used the momentum to create a few more chances in the second, but couldn’t capitalize again and went into the second intermission with a 2-1 lead.

Despite taking three penalties, Penn State played well in the third period. The team took two penalties within ten seconds of each other, including a questionable holding call on assistant captain David Glen, to give Michigan State 1:50 of 5-on-3, but the Nittany Lions were able to kill both penalties.

“I really liked how our guys responded and killed it,” coach Gadowsky said about the penalty kill. “If you can kill a five-on-three as long as we did, especially on such a marginal call that can sometimes give you a lot of momentum. I was hoping it would.”

Unfortunately for Gadowsky’s squad, the momentum quickly shifted in the Spartans’ favor, as Michael Ferrantino scored at the 16:06 mark when a juicy rebound bounced off goaltender Matt Skoff’s pad to tie the game. After a quick overtime period, the two teams went into a shootout, where after six rounds, Michigan State’s Brent Darnell was able to put the puck past Skoff’s left shoulder. With the sold-out crowd cheering him on, Glen had a chance to tie, but Hildebrand made the final save and sent Michigan State home with an extra point in the Big Ten standings.

“We talk about playing to win and not playing to not lose, and we just kind of got away from our game, Penn State hockey, in the third,” Ricky DeRosa said after the game. “It’s a quick turnaround though, 3:30 tomorrow, and we’re just ready to get back after it.”

Penn State takes on Michigan State in the series finale tomorrow afternoon in the Pegula Ice Arena. The game starts at 3:3o p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPNews. John Buccigross will call the game.

Game Notes: 

• Quick Stats: Shots – Michigan State 34, Penn State 27. Saves – Hildebrand (MSU) 25, Skoff (PSU) 32. Faceoffs – Michigan State 31, Penn State 43. Penalties – Michigan State 5, Penn State 6.
• 3 stars: 1st star – Brent Darnell (MSU), game winning goal in shootout. 2nd star – Dylan Richard (PSU) – one goal. 3rd star – Michael Ferrantino (MSU) – one goal.
• This was Penn State’s second tie of the year. The team also tied RIT in October.
• Eric Scheid, Mike McDonaugh, Dylan Richard, Casey Bailey, Jacob Friedman, Kenny Brooks, and David Glen all shot for the Nittany Lions in the shootout.
• Luke Juha and Nate Jensen both missed the game due to undisclosed injuries suffered in the Michigan series last weekend.