Michigan State University
Michigan
Spartans Rally, But Fall to UM
12/9/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 9, 2011
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Ann Arbor, Mich. - Despite a furious third-period rally, the Spartans could not overcome a three-goal deficit and fell to archrival Michigan, 4-3, on Friday night in Ann Arbor. Freshmen Brent Darnell and Matt Berry had the third period power-play markers for MSU (10-6-1, 6-5-0 CCHA), while blueliner Matt Crandell had the other score for the Spartans. Will Yanakeff made 23 saves, while Michigan goalie Shawn Hunwick made 12 of his 31 saves in the final period.
The teams traded goals 14 seconds apart in the early going. Michigan senior David Wohlberg got UM on the board first, carrying the puck to the right faceoff dot and lifting a wrister over the shoulder of Yanakeff. The Wolverine lead was short-lived, as just 14 seconds later, Kevin Walrod got the puck to Matt Crandell at the left point.
Chris Brown gave UM the 2-1 lead at 11:39, as the Wolverines finished killing off Brown's penalty. Brown won the puck in a neutral-zone battle, streaked up the left side, and put the puck through Yanakeff's five-hole moving while moving laterally across the crease.
The Wolverines blew open the game with a pair of goals in the final five minutes of the second period. At 15:47, Alex Guptill blocked a clearing pass out of the zone, creating a one-on-one opportunity for himself, which he converted for his ninth goal of the season. At 18:49, Kevin Lynch got on the board with a shot from the bottom of the right circle off a feed from behind the net, his third marker of the season.
The Spartans refused to roll over, scoring twice on the power play in the opening six minutes of the third frame to pull within a goal. First it was Matt Berry getting on the board at 1:50, converting a pass from Brock Shelgren for his fifth goal of the season. Five minutes later on the man advantage, Shelgren's blast from the point sailed high and off the glass behind the net. The puck caromed out far, into the front of the crease, where Darnell kept his stick down and got the shaft of it onto the puck, redirecting it past Shawn Hunwick for his third goal of the season.
The Spartans continued to pour it on the third period, outshooting the Wolverines 14-3 in the frame. MSU had a few prime looks as the final minutes ticked away, but as close as they came, could not get the equalizer.
The teams will play the rematch on Saturday at Munn Ice Arena.
NOTES Matt Crandell celebrated his 23rd birthday with his second goal of the season. It is the first time in his career he has had more than one goal in a season ... Brent Darnell had his first collegiate point on Nov. 18, and in the last seven games, has been held off the board only once ... All three of Darnell's goals have come in the last five games ... Darnell's five-game point streak is the team best ... Matt Crandell has points in three of the last four games and has a 2-3-5 scoring line in that stretch ... Brock Shelgren has his first career 10-point season, thanks to his back-to-back assists on power-play tallies in the third period. Both were primary assists ...
