Physical Match-Up Ends in Anticlimactic Tie at Michigan State

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Sun Devil Hockey (0-2-1) and Michigan State (0-0-1) played in the first overtime game of the college hockey season, and after a suspenseful 65-minute hockey game on the Big Ten Network, it ended in a 1-1 tie at Munn Ice Arena.

Redshirt junior forward Chris Grando scored the game-tying goal with 4:14 remaining in the 3rd period off a rebound to help force overtime.

.@C_GRAND_3 cleanin' up the garbage.

Tied with just under a minute to go on @bigtennetwork! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/YE6rvKa1VZ

— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) November 20, 2020

"I liked the way the team played tonight and the intensity from the get go," said head coach Greg Powers. "We weren't able to get pucks through early, but the team persevered and found a way to get a goal late to force overtime."

The Sun Devils will meet the Spartans for game two Friday night at 6 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. MT on Big Ten Network Plus. 

Game Notes:

• Three different Sun Devils played in their 100th collegiate game on Thursday night, including James Sanchez, Jacob Wilson and Dominic Garcia. Wilson and Garcia have played all 100 in the Maroon & Gold, and move into a tie for 7th all-time in program history.
• Redshirt junior Chris Grando scored his first goal as a Sun Devil at the end of regulation to push the game into overtime, which also included sophomore defenseman Jacob Semik tallying his first point in the season. Senior forward Willie Knierim also earned a secondary assist.  
• Freshman netminder Cole Brady put up a .962 save percentage with 25 saves on 26 shots for the Sun Devils in his second collegiate start.
• The Sun Devils finished 0-for-3 on the powerplay and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. 
• The last meeting between the Sun Devils and Spartans was Dec. 15, 2019 with the Spartans winning 1-0 in overtime.
• Last time the Sun Devils finished in a tie was on December 29, 2019 vs. Harvard (4-4).