Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Bowling Green
MSU Hockey Hangs On, Ties Bowling Green
12/1/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 1, 2000
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - College hockey observers warned of a potential Michigan State letdown against Bowling Green this week following impressive wins at Minnesota and Wisconsin in last week's College Hockey Showcase. And while the Spartans turned in perhaps their least impressive showing of the 2000-01 season, they still emerged with its 11-game unbeaten streak intact as MSU (10-1-3, 7-1-2 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) skated to a 3-3 tie with the host Falcons (2-7-4, 2-5-4) tonight.
Bowling Green jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to its heretofore mediocre power play that had managed just 12 goals in 79 man-advantage attempts coming into the night. With both Joe Markusen (Grafton, N.D.) and Damon Whitten (Brighton, Mich.) serving minor penalties, the Falcons' Curtis Valentine beat MSU netminder Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) during the five-on-three advantage at 3:57. Bowling Green doubled its edge on the ensuing one-man edge a little more than a minute later when Ryan Murphy, standing near the goal mouth to Miller's right, tipped a Grady Moore drive past the Spartan goaltender at 5:06. The Spartans had numerous scoring chances in the opening frame, but Masters was equal to the task, stopping all 14 shots he faced in a busy first period.
"We shot ourselves in the foot in the first five minutes of the game by taking unneccesary penalties," said MSU coach Ron Mason. "When we got ahead 3-2, I thought maybe we could steal the game but we couldn't."
MSU sprang to life in the second period, rallying to tie the score. Andrew Bogle (Calgary, Alta.) cut the Falcons' lead in half at 8:18 when he fired a shot from the near circle that caromed off Masters and fluttered into the net. Sean Patchell (Moonstone, Ont.) then notched his fourth point in two games by tying the score just 41 seconds later. Defenseman Andrew Hutchinson (Rochester Hills, Mich.) carried the puck behind the BGSU net and found Patchell stationed to Masters' left for the senior winger's second goal of the season.
Brian Maloney gave the Spartans their first lead of the night just 1:26 into the third period on a play created by Adam Hall (Kalamazoo, Mich.). Hall lugged the puck from the far corner of the BGSU zone to the slot, shed a couple of Falcon defenders and passed to the sophomore winger, who had positioned himself to the left of opposing goaltender Tyler Masters. Maloney then flicked the puck just underneath the crossbar and into the net over the sprawling Masters for his sixth goal of the season.
Bowling Green's Ryan Fultz sent the game into overtime with his tally with less than five minutes left in the third period. Fultz, breaking toward the Spartan net on the near side, gathered in a rebound off a Greg Day shot and easily beat diving MSU goalteder Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) with 4:56 left in regulation.
The Spartans close the two-game set with Bowling Green tomorrow night on the Falcons' home ice. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m.
