Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Hockey Ties Ohio State
2/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 1, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio. - - Ohio State scored two third-period goals as the Buckeyes and Michigan State skated to a 3-3 overtime draw at Value City Arena Friday. The Spartans' unbeaten streak improves to five in a row (3-0-2) while the Buckeyes are winless in their last four outings (0-3-1).
"It was an interesting game," said MSU coach Ron Mason. "In the second period we had all kinds of chances and we didn't score much. In the third period, we got up by two and I thought we could win the game, but we're still learning how to protect leads."
Yan Des Gagnes capped Ohio State's third-period rally, scoring the game-tying goal with 1:54 left in regulation. Spartan goaltender Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) stopped R.J. Umberger on a point-blank attempt during a scramble in front of the MSU net, but Des Gagnes came up with the rebound and slid the puck underneath the cartwheeling Spartan goalie for his third goal of the season.
Dave Steckel brought the Buckeyes (14-10-3 overall, 9-7-3 CCHA) to within one goal with his second tally of the night. Defenseman Doug Andress' shot whistled over the cage and ricocheted off the high glass behind the Spartan net. Steckel controlled the carom and fired a shallow-angle shot past Miller with 8:43 left in third period.
The Spartans (19-5-3 overall, 14-4-2 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) had prime opportunities to get out to an early lead with two power-play opportunities in the first eight minutes of the game, but the Buckeyes took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Steckel at 9:18. Miller steered a Scott Titus shot from the near point off to his left but Steckel was waiting all alone on the near post and batted the rebound into the net.
Ohio State controlled the flow of the game until the Buckeyes' John Toffey took a cross-checking penalty with 57 seconds left in the opening period, leading to an MSU power play and a man-advantage goal with 4.4 seconds left before the break. Junior wing Brian Maloney (Bassano, Alta.) scored his fourth goal in two games, corralling the rebound off a John-Michael Liles (Zionsville, Ind.) shot just to the right of goaltender Mike Betz and and flicking into the OSU net for his 14th goal of the season.
"It was an open net. but sometimes those are pretty tricky," said Maloney. "It was an important goal for us, being able to tie (the game) going into the second period. It's crucial, especially when we're on the road."
Liles, the reigning CCHA Offensive Player of the the Week, displayed his scoring touch yet again early in the second period to give MSU a 2-1 edge. Junior forward Steve Clark (Mississauga, Ont.) fired a centering attempt through the slot to the far side of the rink where Liles picked up the puck, wheeled from the top of the far faceoff circle and fired a low shot that eluded a scrambling Betz at 2:57.
"A couple points for me is definitely secondary to a point for the team," said Liles, who has seven points in his last three games. "Obviously, we'd like to come out with two points for the team, but they battled back and got some bounces in the third."
Senior wing Adam Hall (Kalamazoo, Mich.) put the Spartans up by a 3-1 margin on a great individual goal at the 6:26 mark of the third period. The captain picked up a loose puck along the far wall, walked around two Buckeyes and, with an OSU defender draped all over him, unleashed a wicked backhand shot that zipped over Betz's right shoulder.
The Spartans and Buckeyes wrap up their two-game series tomorrow (Saturday) at Value City Arena. Face off is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. EST.
