Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Merrimack
MSU, Merrimack Skate to 1-1 Tie
11/15/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 14, 2000
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - MSU goaltender Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) turned aside 24 shots as the Spartans and Merrimack skated to a 1-1 tie in the second round of the Johnson Nissan Classic in Anchorage, Alaska tonight.
The game goes in the record books as a tie. For tournament purposes, however, Miller led MSU to victory by stopping all three Merrimack attempts in a shootout round. Rustyn Dolyny (Fort Frances, Ont.) and Adam Hall (Kalamazoo, Mich.) were successful on penalty shots for the Spartans.
Merrimack's Ryan Kiley knotted the score at one with 11:50 left in regulation. Rosa crashed the net and poked a loose puck past Miller on the near side of the goalmouth to end the Warriors' scoring drought.
Miller held Merrimack in check, especially early in the first period when Merrimack outshot the Spartans 7-1 over the first 10 minutes of the game. MSU drew first blood midway through the first period when Dolyny corralled a rebound off a Damon Whitten (Brighton, Mich.) backhand that hit the post. Dolyny gathered the puck in the high slot and fired it low past Merrimack netminder Tom Welby.
The Spartans failed to convert on each of their seven power-play opportunities, snapping a string of 17 straight games in which MSU had scored with the man advantage. Merrimack was held scoreless on both of its power-play chances.
MSU opens conference play next weekend when the Spartans welcome CCHA foe Nebraska-Omaha to Munn Ice Arena for a two-game series Oct. 20-21. Face-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET both nights.
