Michigan State University
Clarkson
Spartans Overpower Clarkson, 6-4
12/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
EAST LANSING, Mich. - A four-goal second period helped the Michigan State hockey team skate past Clarkson, 6-4, on Sunday evening at Munn Ice Arena. Joe Cox (two goals), Ryan Keller and Thomas Ebbing all scored their first goals of the season in what was the Spartans' final game before the Great Lakes Invitational on Dec. 28.
With the Spartans trailing, 3-2, in the second half of the middle stanza, MSU scored three goals in a 3:13 span to take a lead and turn the momentum. Cox scored the first two goals while Ebbing added the next to make it 5-3.
"Joe was a major factor in the game. Those goals were momentum shifters," head coach Tom Anastos said. "He got a ton of ice time and was a major factor.
"He has been playing really well all season, so it was nice to get scoring a goal behind him."
The six goals for the Spartans were a season high. Clarkson entered the game allowing an average of just 1.82 goals per game.
"It was nice to see six pucks go in the net," Anastos said. "They are a hard team to play against. That was a real positive."
The Spartans (6-9-1) came back from three one-goal deficits on Sunday. After Clarkson took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period, Michael Ferrantino had the first MSU response of the night with three minutes to play in the opening stanza.
Defenseman John Draeger walked through the slot with the puck and had it poked away, but Ferrantino was breaking toward the net and put the loose puck home for his team-leading eighth goal of the season.
It looked as though the teams would head into the intermission tied, but the Golden Knights eventually converted an odd-man rush into a goal to take a 2-1 lead with just 19 seconds to play in the opening period.
Matt DeBlouw scored the first of three second-period, power-play goals at the 7:59 mark to tie the game, 2-2. DeBlouw took a soft touch pass from Josh Jacobs and one-timed it low past Clarkson goaltender Ville Runola from the right point, just inside the blue line.
The seesaw affair continued as Clarkson (6-8-4) regained the lead, 3-2, at the 12:15 mark. A shot from the point by Kevin Tansey got through and Jake Hildebrand appeared to have the puck secured. However, the puck squirted loose and Pat Megannety was in front to poke it in for this second goal of the night.
The tide of the game turned just over two minutes later when Cox was hauled down on a breakaway, drawing a five-minute major penalty. Cox took a long stretch pass from Ron Boyd, fended off Clarkson defenseman Tyko Karjalainen and scored with a nice move. Though not originally called a goal on the ice, the play was reviewed and the goal was awarded, tying the game, 3-3.
Cox scored his second goal of the game on the ensuing five-minute power play, redirecting a pass from Travis Walsh from the bottom of the left circle through the legs of Runola to give MSU its first lead, 4-3.
Just 1:26 later, Ebbing added another goal on the man advantage, putting the Spartans ahead 5-3.
"It was nice to see special teams have a positive impact on the game," Anastos said. "I think that's a bit of a confidence boost to see the puck go in the net on the power play."
Clarkson didn't fade and came back to again make it a one-goal game 7:30 into the third period. Troy Josephs won a face-off deep in the MSU end back to Todd Christain, who scored from the top of the circle, cutting the Spartan lead to 5-4.
Keller eventually sealed the game with 5:31 to play when he backhanded a rebound upstairs past backup goaltender Greg Lewis for a 6-4 advantage.
"It was nice to see us respond so many times tonight," Anastos said. "The team stayed focused on what we were doing and generated some good scoring chances."
Michigan State finished with a 31-24 edge in shots on goal.
The Spartans will return to action in two weeks when they take part in the 50th GLI at Joe Louis Arena. The Spartans will meet Ferris State on Sunday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m.
