Michigan State University
Michigan
Spartans Fall, 5-2, to Michigan at Joe Louis Arena
2/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 23, 2008
Post-Game Audio:
Head Coach Rick Junior Tim Senior Daniel
Detroit, Mich - Michigan State allowed a goal in the final minute of each period and fell, 5-2, to Michigan at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday, denying the Spartans an unbeaten regular season against the Wolverines. Tim Kennedy and Chris Mueller scored for the Spartans, who battled back from a 3-0 deficit after a period to cut the lead to 3-2, but the final-minute tallies were too much to overcome for MSU. The Spartans fall to 21-9-5, 17-6-3. Michigan moves closer to clinching the CCHA regular-season title, and improves to 26-4-4. 19-3-4 in conference games.
"Obviously [3-0] was a big hole," noted head coach Rick Comley. "I thought they came out and were quick and physical, and they were much better than us in the first period. To our credit though, we fought back and made it a hockey game. The goal late in the first period really hurt, and the goal late in the second period really hurt, but our kids really fought back."
Michigan got the first goal of the game - the first time in three games that the Spartans allowed the first goal to their opponent. Chris Summers initiated the rush up the near side, and put a shot on Jeff Lerg that was saved. Ben Winnett took a swipe at the rebound, but the defender knocked him off the puck - but Tim Miller was able to crash and shoot the puck over the glove-hand shoulder of Lerg for his first goal of the 2007-08 season.
The Wolverines went up 2-0 after a turnover in front of the Spartan net put the puck right on the stick of Aaron Palushaj, who wristed the puck over Jeff Lerg's glove hand at 10:38.
Michigan took a 3-0 lead into the intermission thanks to a power-play tally with under a minute remaining in the period. With the seconds ticking off the clock, Brandon Naurato poked the puck off the halfwall up to Mark Mitera at the left point, and Mitera's shot was saved by Jeff Lerg. The rebound came out to the left side for a crashing Naurato, and he buried the big rebound over the right leg pad of Jeff Lerg.
The Spartans stormed back to cut the lead to one with a pair of goals midway through the middle frame. Mueller's 100th career point came on a goal at 8:53. Michael Ratchuk made a great move at the blueline to keep the puck in the zone, and backhanded a pass to Mueller, who's own backhanded attempt found its way past Sauer stick-side.
At 12:14, Kennedy cut the lead to 3-2 with his power-play tally. Jeff Petry drove to the net and put a shot on from the far side, which was saved by Sauer. The rebound rocketed into the high slot for Kennedy, who knocked home his second goal of the weekend and third in four games.
The Spartans allowed another goal in the final minute of the period, the second straight frame in which they allowed a tally with less than 40 seconds on the clock, Max Pacioretty tipped a Mark Mitera blast from the left point high over the glove hand of Jeff Lerg to push the Michigan lead back to two goals as the period expired.
MSU was sharp in the third, and kept generating chances low, but could not put another tally on the board. Miller got the ermpty-netter in the final minute to ice the victory.
Jeff Lerg finished with 39 saves, his second-highest total of the season. Billy Sauer made 26.
Michigan State will tangle with Bowling Green in the final weekend of the regular season - MSU hosts the Falcons on Friday, then will return the date in Ohio on Saturday.
NOTES: MSU completed the season series against Michigan with a 2-1-1 record ... Chris Mueller's second-period goal was his 100th career point ... Bryan Lerg extended his point-scoring streak to four games, while Jeff Petry finished with a four-point weekend ...
