Mike Merrifield’s short-handed goal early in the third period gave No. 20 Michigan State a 4-4 tie with No. 8 Maine on Thursday.
The Black Bears were on a five-minute power play after a boarding call to the Spartans’ Torey Krug late in the second period, but Merrifield’s goal completed a comeback from a 4-2 deficit.
Robby Dee scored twice for Maine (1-0-2), which answered a Dustin Gazley goal with three first-period goals.
Michigan State (0-0-1) pulled within one after another five-minute penalty, a hitting-from-behind call on Maine’s Theo Anderson in the second period. Brett Perlini scored on the power play to make it 4-3.
