Michigan State University
Ohio State
Spartans Fall in OT to OSU, 4-3
11/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 12, 2010
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East Lansing, Mich. - Michigan State allowed three straight goals to visiting Ohio State, including the overtime game-winner, to fall, 4-3 in overtime, to the Buckeyes. Alex Szczechura got the game-winner 1:23 into overtime for OSU, which evens its record at 5-5-0 and improves to 2-3-0 CCHA. Drew Palmisano made 35 saves, while the Spartans got goals from Derek Grant, Mike Merrifield, and Jake Chelios in the loss. MSU is now 3-3-3, 1-3-1-0 CCHA.
Szchechura's second goal of the night came after a faceoff in the MSU zone. The first Buckeye shot off the draw was blocked by a Spartan defender, and Szchechura's reverse-spin-o-rama move backhanded the puck into the right side of the net. It was his fourth goal of the season.
Michigan State got on the board with an early power-play marker when Ohio State was whistled for too many men on the ice. Dustin Gazley shoveled the puck from the left point into the highslot for Matt Crandell, and Crandell's blast was tipped in front by Mike Merrifield for the junior's third goal of the season.
Ohio State got the goal back at 15:10. Sergio Somma made a heads-up pick at his defensive blue line and rushed it ahead on a 2-on-1 break with Szcechura, catching the Spartan defense on a change. Szchehura finished the play from the right side to knot the game at one.
Derek Grant's long-awaited first of the year came at 18:20 to restore MSU's lead before the intermission. Brock Shelgren shot the puck from the right point, and Heeter tried to freeze the puck at the right post. Grant was able to pick it up and wrap around to the left side of the net, where he used his backhand to tuck it past the skate of the goalie.
MSU struck for a second time on the power play to push their lead to 3-1. Grant started the puck from below the goal line to the left of the goaltender, and threw the puck out to Torey Krug at the point. Krug dished to Jake Chelios in the left circle, and Chelios attempted to throw the puck back down to Grant at the right post. The puck was redirected by the defenseman marking Grant, however, and deflected into the back of the net. The goal was credited to Chelios, his third goal of the season.
A defensive miscue with under two minutes gone in the third period cut into the MSU lead. Drew Palmisano came out to play a puck to prevent a one-on-one, and he got tangled up with a pair of players. A scramble ensued, and Chris Crane was able to shoot the puck from the left circle for the unassisted tally at 1:53. A penalty was levied against Palmisano on the play for throwing his stick, putting the Buckeyes on the power play looking for the equalizer.
While it didn't come on that power play, the Buckeyes did get an equalizer, coming at 9:16. Devon Krogh threw a backhand pass from the left half-wall out to blueliner Shane Sims, and Sims' slapshot from the blueline beat Palmisano over his blocker-side shoulder.
Heading into the final four minutes of regulation, the Spartans were getting great pressure in their offensive zone and forcing Heeter to make big saves - but the goalie made them all, and the teams went to overtime. Szczechura played the role of hero just 1:23 in, extending OSU's winning streak to three games.
The teams will meet again on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena.
NOTES: MSU went to overtime for the fourth time in nine games this season. The Spartans are 0-1-3 in an extra frame ... This was the first overtime game between the two teams since Feb. 13, 2009. That game ended in a 1-1 tie ... Mike Merrifield's first-period goal was his third of the season, a career best. He entered the 2010-11 season with three career markers ... Jake Chelios had his third goal of the season. He leads all freshmen with five points
