Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Minnesota
Hockey Bounces Back With Big Win, 6-2
11/27/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 27, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State went into Saturday night's hockey game against Minnesota desperate for a win to snap a three-game losing streak.
The Spartans played like it and got the crucial bounces which had eluded them the last three games, racing to a 5-0 lead and finishing with a 6-2 win over the visiting Golden Gophers.
Michigan defeated Wisconsin, 4-1, Saturday night, as all four teams in the College Hockey Showcase won one game for the first time since the first year of the annual event, 1993.
The fourth-ranked Spartans improve to 11-4-0 on the year (still 10-2-0 and in first place, CCHA), while Minnesota drops to 5-8-1 (3-4-1 WCHA).
The Spartans scored their first four goals of the night on special teams, with the power play finishing with three goals in nine opportunities.
"We got back to basics," junior right wing Rustyn Dolyny said. "We worked hard down low and they couldn't handle us, so we got some power plays. Once we got one to go, we really got our confidence back and were rolling."
Dolyny got that key first goal, putting in a rebound at the 6:43 mark of the first period on assists from Damon Whitten and Brad Hodgins.
"The first goal dropped a real weight off of our shoulders," said freshman defenseman John-Michael Liles, who had two assists and was the No. 2 star of the game. "There was pretty much a huge sigh of relief on the bench. It was more relief than a cheer."
The Spartans -- who improved to 10-0-0 when scoring first -- regained the confidence that had been missing for three games and continued an assault on the Minnesota net.
Hodgins had the second goal on a wrist shot from a bad angle while the Spartans were short-handed. Whitten started the play with a hit in the Gophers' zone. Dolyny swooped in and picked up the puck, finding Hodgins coming in the zone late. His shot beat goaltender Adam Hauser, who had to face 18 Spartan shots in the first period and escaped down just 2-0.
"You could tell they were hungry," Minnesota coach Don Lucia said. "They came out and beat us to every loose puck ... Michigan State was a better team and they deserved to win."
Despite Michigan State's 18-4 shot advantage and 2-0 lead in the first, head coach Ron Mason called the next two goals -- scored early in the second -- the key to victory.
"In the locker room I thought the first five to eight minutes of the second period would be the key to the game," Mason said. "If they score, it's 2-1. But we got a couple of goals and the game was pretty much over."
Sophomore right wing Adam Hall had his team-leading 12th goal -- and 18th in his last 20 games -- before Dolyny added his second on a one-time from the point to make it 4-0.
With Hauser gone after the fourth goal in favor of Pete Samargia, senior center Shawn Horcoff scored on his own rebound to make it 5-0 at the 9:05 mark of the second.
Minnesota scored two power-play goals of its own to cut the lead to 5-2 by the 1:56 mark of the third, but the damage had been done.
Sophomore defenseman Jon Insana scored his first career goal off a faceoff with just 31 seconds to play.
"It feels great," Insana said. "I didn't expect to even get the shot to the net with all of the traffic in front. It just kind of had eyes."
Junior goaltender Joe Blackburn made 23 saves for the Spartans -- including 13 in the third period -- as he made his first Saturday-night start since the season-opener at Colorado College.
"I decided to start Joe because, as I've said all along, he's our go-to-guy," said Mason of the decision to go with Blackburn instead of freshman Ryan Miller. "Joe is an experienced guy, and I thought he would come in and respond well to what happened last night."
Blackburn had made four saves but allowed three goals in one period of play Friday vs. Wisconsin.
The Spartans return to action next weekend, facing Notre Dame in a home-and-home on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's game is a 7:05 p.m. start at Notre Dame, before Sunday returns to Munn Ice Arena, also at 7:05 p.m.
