Michigan State University
Penn State
Nittany Lions Too Much For Spartans
1/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pennsylvania - Penn State scored four unanswered goals to rally from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Michigan State hockey team on Saturday, 5-2, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania. The Spartans led 2-1 after the opening period, but two Nittany Lion goals in the final stages of the second stanza and two more in the beginning minutes of the third turned the tide for good in PSU's favor.
Villiam Haag and Michael Ferrantino scored for MSU (7-11-2, 1-3-2-2), while Jake Hildebrand turned away 35 of the 40 shots he faced.
With Penn State leading, 3-2, to begin the third period, the Nittany Lions killed the remaining minute of an MSU power play and then scored twice in 59 seconds, putting the game out of reach.
Taylor Holstrom got the first on a redirection 1:33 into the third period and Casey Bailey followed with his second goal of the game 59 seconds later, making it 5-2.
"I'll give their team credit - they were hungry and looked really good. We didn't put up enough fight," MSU head coach Tom Anastos said. "I'm very disappointed in our effort."
Penn State took a 1-0 lead just 1:11 into the opening period when Bailey scored on a breakaway. Bailey picked up a loose puck at the MSU blue line and raced down the ice untouched and beat Hildebrand with a low shot.
The PSU lead lasted just over three minutes as Haag responded for MSU with his second goal in as many games. With MSU operating on the power play, Haag took a pass just inside the blue line, near the center of the ice. Haag took a few steps and then rifled the puck through traffic in front and into the back of the net for his fourth of the season.
The game looked like it would remain tied heading into the first intermission, but Ferrantino put home a rebound with 23.3 seconds to play to give MSU a 2-1 lead.
Ferrantino started the play when he won a faceoff deep in PSU territory, getting the puck to Haag. Haag pushed the puck back to Travis Walsh at the left point, who sent a shot toward PSU goaltender Matthew Skoff. The puck bounced off Skoff, right to Ferrantino and he put it upstairs for a 2-1 Spartan advantage.
Connor Wood nearly gave MSU a two-goal lead midway through the second period when his shot from the low slot clanked off the post.
The almost-goal proved to be large as the Spartans' lead stood until the final five minutes of the second period when Penn State struck twice in a 2:21 span to claim a 3-2 advantage.
The Nittany Lions tied the game with 4:59 to play in the second when Nate Jensen jammed a loose puck through a crowd after a series of stops in close by Hildebrand.
David Goodwin put Penn State in font, 3-2, 2:21 later as the Nittany Lions outnumbered the Spartans deep in MSU territory and capitalized. Bailey threw a pass from the right corner out front to Goodwin, who put the puck behind Hildebrand.
Skoff finished with 28 saves for Penn State (11-7-3, 5-2-1).
The Spartans return home next weekend to host Ohio State on Friday at Saturday at Munn Ice Arena.
