Photo by: Matthew Mitchell
Spartans Drop Series Opener to Michigan
2/14/2020 9:15:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State hockey team dropped the first of a two-game series with Michigan on Friday night at a sold-out Munn Ice Arena. Michigan (14-12-3, 9-8-2-1) scored twice in each of the first two periods and topped the Spartans (14-14-1, 10-9-1-0) 5-1.
"Not a whole lot to say after that. Give Michigan credit they played real well right through the end," MSU head coach Danton Cole said. "We have to get ourselves straight for the next few days and again on Monday night."
Michigan's Jake Slaker scored twice and got his first with Michigan on the power play early in the game. Slaker got open in the right circle and beat goaltender John Lethemon with a one-timer at the 6:07 mark.
After pressure in the Spartan end, Luke Martin made it 2-0 just over two minutes later.
"They had the jump on us most of the night," Cole said. "Sometimes you get behind and spend a lot of energy trying to get things going and sometimes you make things worse."
Michigan put the Spartans in a deeper hole just 19 seconds into the third period as Jacob Hayhurst scored on a breakaway.
A shot from the middle of the point by Jack Summers with 7:23 left in the second made it a 4-0 game.
The Spartans got their first power play of the game early in the third and took advantage to get on the board. Dennis Cesana's shot from near the top of the right circle got deflected by Sam Saliba and past Strauss Mann 5:11 into the stanza to make it 4-1.
The goal was Saliba's 10th of the season.
The Spartans had a second power play 20 seconds after the Saliba goal and had a handful of chances but couldn't get any closer.
Slaker capped the scoring with his second of the game with 7:59 to go.
Michigan finished with a 38-27 edge in shots on goal.
MSU was 1-for-2 on the power play and held Michigan to 1-for-5.
The two teams will meet again on Monday in the Duel in the D at Little Caesars Arena.
"Not a whole lot to say after that. Give Michigan credit they played real well right through the end," MSU head coach Danton Cole said. "We have to get ourselves straight for the next few days and again on Monday night."
Michigan's Jake Slaker scored twice and got his first with Michigan on the power play early in the game. Slaker got open in the right circle and beat goaltender John Lethemon with a one-timer at the 6:07 mark.
After pressure in the Spartan end, Luke Martin made it 2-0 just over two minutes later.
"They had the jump on us most of the night," Cole said. "Sometimes you get behind and spend a lot of energy trying to get things going and sometimes you make things worse."
Michigan put the Spartans in a deeper hole just 19 seconds into the third period as Jacob Hayhurst scored on a breakaway.
A shot from the middle of the point by Jack Summers with 7:23 left in the second made it a 4-0 game.
The Spartans got their first power play of the game early in the third and took advantage to get on the board. Dennis Cesana's shot from near the top of the right circle got deflected by Sam Saliba and past Strauss Mann 5:11 into the stanza to make it 4-1.
The goal was Saliba's 10th of the season.
The Spartans had a second power play 20 seconds after the Saliba goal and had a handful of chances but couldn't get any closer.
Slaker capped the scoring with his second of the game with 7:59 to go.
Michigan finished with a 38-27 edge in shots on goal.
MSU was 1-for-2 on the power play and held Michigan to 1-for-5.
The two teams will meet again on Monday in the Duel in the D at Little Caesars Arena.
Team Stats
MICH
MSU
Shots
38
27
PPG
1
1
SHG
0
0
Penalties
2
5
Penalty Mins
4
10
Faceoffs Won
30
37
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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