Michigan State Swept in South Bend, Loses in Shootout to Notre Dame

A weekend to forget for the Spartans. Two losses, two conference losses and an abysmal offensive performance across both games.

Saturday's game was a great one to watch, featuring a defensive battle with its share of opportunities and tremendous goaltending. Sixty minutes weren't enough, and another five minutes of overtime hockey still couldn't decide a winner. The Spartans were once again unable to solve Sammy Nelson, who played the role of Spartan killer for the second straight night.

Michigan State drops two consecutive games for the first time this season and will now head to Ann Arbor for a home-and-home series against in-state rival No. 2 Michigan.

Here's a recap of how the Spartans suffered their second straight loss.

The Spartans' top line showed a little more life after being relatively absent in Friday night's loss, as the offense came out looking to push the issue early.

With 11:30 remaining in the period, Notre Dame put together a great possession, moving the puck around the ice as cleanly as possible. It resulted in a very good scoring opportunity, but Joshua Ravensbergen slid with the puck every step of the way and was already in position by the time the shot came.

Ryker Lee then had the best opportunity for Michigan State when the puck found its way to a wide-open Lee, standing just a few feet in front of the net. Lee ripped a shot glove side, but quicker than a cat's reflexes, Notre Dame goaltender Quinlan snagged the puck out of the air to keep the game tied at zero.

That was followed by a Fighting Irish scoring chance as the game started to pick up, but both goaltenders looked up to the task early.

Cayden Lindstrom added another scoring opportunity of his own, which was also met by Quinlan's glove.

The period ended 0-0, just like Friday night's game. The goaltenders were the stars of the period, but both teams had opportunities to take the lead. It was déjà vu from the night before.

It didn't take long for the first penalty of the period to appear, as Notre Dame cross-checked Ethan Belchetz down low. Belchetz went down in clear pain, holding his back, but the penalty gave Michigan State its first power-play opportunity of the period.

Ryker Lee got the first opportunity with a one-timer, but Quinlan gloved it for a save. Outside of a couple of shots that never really threatened, the Spartans were unsuccessful during their man advantage.

Michigan State was outshooting Notre Dame 11-4 halfway through the period, but the game remained scoreless.

The defensive showdown continued throughout the period, but with less than four minutes remaining, the Spartans earned another power-play opportunity and another chance to break through.

Unfortunately, Michigan State's special teams units continued to struggle. However, after Notre Dame successfully killed off the penalty, the Spartans' offense started firing shots.

It almost seemed as though the frustration of being held scoreless throughout the game, following a two-goal performance the night before, was forcing the Spartans to shoot harder and faster, desperately looking for something to find its way through.

Still, neither team could break the deadlock, and the game remained 0-0 heading into the third.

The third period started much like the second, with a power play. This time, however, it was Notre Dame getting the man advantage.

The Spartans defended it well, but it wasn't more than a couple of minutes before they were right back on the penalty kill, giving the Fighting Irish another opportunity to score the game's first goal.

Michigan State successfully killed off the penalty, and with 20 seconds remaining on the man advantage, the officials called a penalty on Notre Dame. That created 20 seconds of four-on-four hockey before the Spartans would get a power play of their own.

Notre Dame successfully defended that opportunity as well, and the game remained scoreless as the clock continued to wind down.

With 2:19 remaining in the period, all signs were pointing toward another overtime matchup. However, the Fighting Irish won a massive faceoff in the offensive zone and battled to get the puck across the ice. Evan Werner was there to greet it and knock it into the back of the net, finally breaking through after nearly 58 minutes of scoreless hockey.

The Spartans weren't going down without an answer.

Just 35 seconds later, Tommi Mannisto fired a shot from the circle, sending the puck through a defender's legs and past the goaltender to tie the game with 1:44 remaining.

After nearly 58 minutes of pure goaltending, those 35 seconds turned the game on its head. Suddenly, we had a tie game with a chance for either team to steal the victory in the closing minutes.

Neither could find another goal, and for the second straight night, Michigan State was headed to overtime.

For the second consecutive game, the Spartans found themselves playing extra hockey.

The Fighting Irish controlled the puck for the first minute before both teams began trading scoring opportunities.

Michigan State played more conservatively, while Notre Dame attacked with everything it had.

With 20 seconds remaining, the Spartans had a two-man breakaway, with defenseman Chase Reid, the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, carrying the puck.

Reid elected to take the shot himself, firing a calm attempt that just couldn't get over the goaltender's pads.

Notre Dame survived the overtime opportunity and forced a shootout, where the game would finally be decided.

The Spartans were shut out in the shootout, while Notre Dame's freshman Sammy Nelson came through once again.

Nelson scored in the second round, giving the Fighting Irish the shootout victory and completing the weekend sweep of Michigan State.

It was a frustrating weekend for the Spartans, who leave South Bend with two consecutive losses and two conference losses. After struggling offensively throughout the weekend, Michigan State will need to find some answers quickly.

Now, the Spartans will take their losing streak back on the road as they head to face No. 2 Michigan in a split home-and-home series.

The series will begin in Ann Arbor on Friday, November 20, before moving to East Lansing on Saturday, November 21.

It's one of the biggest in-state rivalries in college hockey, and a matchup that always carries major implications when it comes to the end-of-year rankings. Michigan State will have an opportunity to bounce back in a big way, but it won't come easy against the second-ranked Wolverines.