AUSTIN, Texas — The East Lansing-based Michigan State hockey team left Austin with a ranked win Saturday night, as the No. 4 Spartans beat No. 8 North Dakota 5-3 in the annual Hall of Fame game.
The matchup drew 13 NHL first-round draft picks, the most ever to appear in a regular-season college hockey game.
Neither side scored in the first period. Anthony Romani put the Spartans ahead in the second, and Eric Nilson went end-to-end for a 2-0 lead before North Dakota answered late in the second and early in the third to pull even.
Romani struck again with roughly 12 minutes to go, his second goal of the night and seventh of the year, which leads the team. The Fighting Hawks drew level a third time with about four minutes left, but Cayden Lindstrom scored less than half a minute later to make it 4-3.
Tommi Mannisto sealed it with an empty-net goal. Goaltender Ravensbergen made several key stops along the way.
Michigan State returns home to Munn Arena next Friday and Saturday for a two-game series with Boston University.
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