Michigan State University
Ferris St
Horcoff Leads Hockey Past Ferris, 4-1
10/29/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 29, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - If you've never heard a conference scoring leader say he had been struggling, you missed a chance at the post-game press conference following Michigan State,s 4-1 win over Ferris State Friday night.
Senior center Shawn Horcoff, who entered the game leading the team and the CCHA with nine points on nine assists, broke out of what he called a "slump" with two goals to lead the Spartans.
"Even in the first period tonight I had two great tips, and just couldn't seem to score," Horcoff said. "At that point I thought I'd never score a goal. They come and they go. Fortunately tonight I was able to get a couple."
The win improves MSU to 5-1-0 and 5-0-0 in the CCHA, its best conference start since 1986-87. Ferris State is 3-4-0 (3-4-0 CCHA) entering the two teams' rematch tomorrow night at Big Rapids, Mich., at 7:05 p.m.
Horcoff got the scoring started with a beautiful end-to-end rush on a first-period power play. He took the puck from behind the Michigan State net and weaved through neutral ice, beating Ferris State goaltender Phil Osaer with a backhand from inside the right-wing circle.
Osaer was a big reason the score was just 1-0 through the first period and into the second. He made 28 saves on the game, including several spectacular stops.
"I thought their goaltender tonight made things awfully difficult for us," head coach Ron Mason said. "We got a lot of really good opportunities and he shut us right down."
Ferris State also showed great patience defensively and, while the Spartans got chances, they were frustrated for much of the night.
"We got a little bit of a taste of what it's like to play against us tonight," Horcoff said. "It's very frustrating. But we are a patient team and I think that showed as the game went on."
Bulldog defenseman Troy Milam tied the score at 1-1 with a shot from the point which MSU goaltender Joe Blackburn never saw at 2:33 of the second period.
Another power-play goal gave the Spartans a 2-1 advantage less than 10 minutes later. Junior left wing Damon Whitten picked up a rebound on his backhand and flicked it top shelf for what turned out to be the game-winner.
Despite outshooting the Bulldogs, 25-9, through two periods, Michigan State still nursed a 2-1 lead past the nine-minute mark of the third period. A fluke goal from the right wing gave the Spartans a 3-1 edge, as Andrew Bogle fired the puck towards the net from a bad angle and it got past Osaer.
Still, it was Horcoff's second goal which sealed it. In a short-handed situation, junior center Rustyn Dolyny blocked a shot inside the Spartan zone and stole the rebound in neutral ice. He set up Horcoff on a two-on-one for the goal.
"I was going to change, but I saw Rustyn make the play and steal the puck," Horcoff said. "I just went to the net and got the puck."
The goal gave Horcoff 2-9-11 totals for the year and leaves him two points shy of 100 for his career.
Michigan State got two power-play goals and a short-handed goal as the special teams continue to drive the five-game winning streak.
"Five-on-five goals are hard to come by in this league," Mason said. "If the power play and penalty killing are working, it's going to go a long way in helping you win. Our penalty killing has been pretty consistent the past few years, and our power play is really clicking right now."
