Michigan State University
Nebraska-Omaha
Spartans tie UNO 3-3, Lose Shootout
11/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 6, 2009
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Coach Rick
East Lansing, Mich. - Michigan State skated to a 3-3 overtime tie with Nebraska-Omaha on Friday evening, but lost the shootout 2-1 in four shooters. Mike Merrifield had a goal and an assist for MSU, which is now 7-2-1, 4-1-1-0 in conference play.
The shootout went into sudden death, after the teams each had one shootout goal in the first three shooters. Andrew Rowe beat Jeremie Dupont with a backhand high over his glove hand, while UNO tied it up with their third shooter when John Kemp beat Drew Palmisano low stick side. Merrifield was the fourth shooter for MSU, and Dupont made a relatively easy pad save, and Terry Broadhurst secured the extra point for UNO by beating Palmisano at the near post.
The Spartans got a goal at the 10-minute mark of the opening period. Blueliner Brock Shelgren brought the puck up the left side, and put a shot on net that was saved by the goalie. Mike Merrifield was there for the putback amid a lot of bodies in front, and after a video review, the goal stood and the Spartans had a 1-0 lead.
The Mavericks got their first goal of the weekend at the 11:53 mark of the first, while skating with a man advantage. Terry Broadhurst made the pass from the right circle into the low slot for Matt Ambroz, and the junior scored from below the left hash for his second tally of the season.
The teams emerged from the intermission still deadlocked, but the Spartans jumped on the board at 1:52 of the second. Mike Merrifield came in on goalie Jeremie Dupont alone and made a move, but the goalie made the pad save. Chris Forfar swooped in following Merrifield and tapped the puck from the right post into the back of the net for his third goal. The lead was short-lived, as less than three m inutes later the score was tied at two when a Brent Gwidt pass went off an MSU defender and caromed into the back of the net.
Dean Chelios was whistled for a five-minute major for hitting from behind at 9:39 of the period, and the Mavericks got their second PPG of the night at 13:06 when Joey Martin moved up the right side with Jeff Petry on his hip, but his shot fluttered over the glove hand of Palmisano to give UNO its first lead of the weekend. The Mavericks took the 3-2 lead into the locker room.
MSU tied the game at 8:04 of the third. With UNO whistled for consecutive infractions, the Spartans had an extended man advantage. Midway through the second penalty, Jeff Petry lined up for a shot at the right point, and his shot was tipped by Grant and saved by Dupont. Grant got his stick on the rebound, and Nick Sucharski buried it for the equalizer. MSU nearly took the lead four minutes later when Tropp and Grant came in on a two-on-one, and Tropp eluded a defender to get a great shot on Dupont - but the goalie was up to the challenge with a glove save.
The close of regulation was exciting as the visitors buzzed in their offensive zone, but could not get a go-ahead tally. Once the overtime period started, Tropp was whistled for slashing 21 seconds into the extra frame, giving UNO its eighth power-play chance of the night. The Spartans killed off the man advantage, then had some chances in their own zone in the final minute of overtime - but the game ended in a 3-3 tie and the teams went to a shootout.
