Michigan State University
Ferris State
Spartans Win Nailbiter, 1-0
2/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 7, 2009
Big Rapids, Mich. - Michigan State scored in the first minute of play and made that goal stand up in a 1-0 victory at Ferris State on Saturday night. Jeff Lerg made 32 saves in his second shutout of the season and 12th of his career, and the Spartans improved to 8-18-4, 5-14-3-2 in conference play. The Spartans got a three-point weekend from the Bulldogs, MSU's first three-point weekend since Oct. 24-25 when it gained four in a victory and a shootout win over Northern Michigan.
"We're at a point where we're low on numbers - and this is just a gutsy win for us tonight," noted head coach Rick Comley. "Our guys really did a great job of blocking shots and doing all the little things we needed to do to be successful. A three-point weekend for us is huge - we're in playoff mode, and every little bit is going to help. "
Michigan State jumped on the board early once again, as senior Matt Schepke potted his 13th goal of the season off assists from Ben Warda and Jay Sprague at just 36 seconds into the contest. Sprague dug the puck out o the right corner and dished it to Warda in the right circle, and Warda sent it over to Schepke, who was crashing the net from the left circle. The Bulldogs held a 12-4 edge in shots in the opening frame, but MSU took the 1-0 lead into the locker room.
The Spartans had a chance midway through the second with a three-on-one. Daultan Leveille raced up the left side and sent it to Andrew Rowe in the high slot, and he backhanded a pass to Dustin Gazley on the right. Gazley passed on the shot and sent it back to Leveille, but his shot was saved with a nice pad save by Taylor Nelson to keep it a one-goal game.
Jeff Lerg did his usual job of making all the routine saves, plus a few of the highlight-reel variety, that allowed the Spartans to maintain that 1-0 lead headed into the locker room for the second intermission. Cody Chupp had a wide-open net for what appeared to be the equalizing tally, but Lerg's quick reflexes got his leg pad in the way just in time to preserve the shutout.
The play was chippy in the second period, with a combined 13 penalties for 37 minutes. With the teams skating four-on-four in the final minute of the frame, Mike Embach was whistled for hitting Kurt Kivisto from behind and was given a five-minute major and game misconduct. This gave MSU a non-releasable five-minute man advantage to start the third period. Other than a point-blank chance by Ben Warda a little under three minutes in, the Spartans could not get much going and play pressed on into the third with the Spartans hanging onto a 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs pulled their goalie for the final minute, but the Spartans blocked four shots to keep the puck from reaching Jeff Lerg and the Spartans earned the victory.
NOTES: Michigan State earned its second shutout of the season. The first was also a nailbiter, as an empty-net goal gave the Spartans a 2-0 victory over Northern Michigan back on Oct. 25 ... The Spartans are 5-1-1 in its last seven games against the Bulldogs ... Two of MSU's last three victories have come on the road ... The Spartans got their first road shutout since March 2008 at Bowling Green ... The Spartans are 3-5-2 in the first game of a CCHA set this season, and just 2-7-1 in game two ... The Spartans scored just one goal for the 12th time this season, and picked up its first win in doing so ... Matt Schepke scored his team-high 13th goal of the season ... Jeff Lerg recorded his 12th career shutout, and second this season. It is his third by a 1-0 score in his career: the first was against New Hampshire in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman, the second was a win last year at Yost against Michigan with his cousin, Bryan, scoring the lone goal ... Lerg also had his 12th straight game of 29 or more saves. He had 32 in the game and 66 on the weekend, with just two goals allowed (.971) ... Trevor Nill recorded three blocked shots on one shift in the final minute of play as Ferris had its goalie pulled in favor of an extra skater ... MSU has scored first in its last three games and is 1-1-1 in those contests ...
