Michigan State University
Michigan
Hockey Season Ends in Big Ten Tournament Semifinals
3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
DETROIT - The Michigan State hockey team's season came to an end on Friday night at Joe Louis Arena as the Spartans fell to Michigan, 4-1, in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. MSU ends the 2014-15 season with a 17-16-2 record.
The Wolverines never trailed in the game and out-chanced and outshot the Spartans from the start, finishing the game with a 49-27 edge in shots on goal.
Michigan grabbed a 1-0 lead on the only power play of the opening period when Michael Downing's shot from the blue line worked its way through traffic in front and the puck deflected and skipped over goaltender Jake Hildebrand's left shoulder.
"There wasn't much positive in the first period," MSU head coach Tom Anastos said. "The positive of the first period is that we got out of it with only a one goal deficit, and I told our guys the good news is there's 40 minutes to play, so we're still in the game, at least from a score perspective, and although they were carrying the play."
The Spartans fought back with a power-play goal of their own 8:41 into the second period to knot the game. MSU controlled the puck in the U-M zone for the entire power play and Matt Berry eventually swept home a loose puck past goaltender Steve Racine, making it 1-1.
The goal was Berry's 12th of the season.
Just as the Spartans seemed to be gaining some momentum, an odd-man rush helped the Wolverines reclaim the lead. Less than three minutes after Berry's goal, U-M's JT Compher carried the puck into the MSU zone and released a snap shot from the high slot that beat Hildebrand up high to make it a 2-1 game.
The Spartans had chances early in the third period, including an opportunity by Villiam Haag right in front of the Wolverine net off a 2-on-1 down low.
With the Spartans unable to respond again, Michigan put the game away with consecutive goals by Boo Nieves at 9:14 and, later, Alex Kile at 13:40, making the score 4-1.
Hildebrand finished the game with 45 saves.
"I thought he was great tonight," Anastos said. "I thought he played phenomenal all season long and really well tonight."
The Spartans will return all but five seniors - Berry, Brent Darnell, Ron Boyd, Tanner Sorenson and Zack Cisek - next season.
"I think we're a lot further ahead than we were last year at this point," junior captain Michael Ferrantino said. "We were able to put together a good little stretch here, but obviously not quite far enough. We've got to keep pushing to get better, and we'll get a lot better this off season and be back next year."
