Michigan State University
Northern Mich
Hockey Completes Sweep Of NMU, 2-0
2/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 12, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. - In another must-win situation, Michigan State responded with one of its most complete efforts of the season, shutting out Northern Michigan, 2-0, Saturday night at Munn Ice Arena.
The Spartans scored two first-period goals and held off the dangerous Wildcats for the rest of the game, posting their school-record-setting seventh shutout of the season.
Freshman goaltender Ryan Miller posted his sixth shutout, tying Chad Alban's school record, and his fifth in CCHA games, tying the conference record originally set by Western Michigan's Marc Magliarditi in 1995-96.
Most important, however, Michigan State leapfrogged NMU in the CCHA standings, moving into second place, four points behind first-place Michigan. The victory completed MSU's first conference sweep since Nov. 12-13 against Bowling Green as the Spartans won back-to-back games for the first time since capturing the Great Lakes Invitational title, Dec. 29-30.
"Tonight was a crucial game because we had a chance to sweep and a chance to get back in the race," head coach Ron Mason said. "I can't ask any more, I thought we played extremely well."
Mason was especially pleased with his team's effort over the two-game weekend in which anything less than four points may have ended MSU's CCHA regular-season title hopes.
"I saw us play up-tempo games both games and we had a lot of tenacity," Mason said. "We probably had more tenacity than at any other time this year. We did a good job in one-on-one battles and got rewarded for it."
The Spartans got the kind of break which had been eluding them recently on the first goal, as the puck came to sophomore defenseman Andrew Hutchinson just as he left the penalty box. Hutchinson, who had been serving a penalty for hooking on a partial NMU breakaway, got a breakaway of his own and converted with a high shot over NMU goaltender Dan Ragusett.
"My eyes got huge when I was about halfway out the door and saw the puck," Hutchinson said. "I went as fast as I could, because I really didn't want anyone to catch me. I tried to get the puck over him and luckily enough, I did."
"He's one of our better guys on a breakaway," said Mason. "Believe it or not, if we had a shootout, I'd probably use him because he's got good hands and reach. I was pretty happy when I saw him going in."
The crowd of 6,891, the eighth-largest in Munn Ice Arena history and the 250th consecutive regular-season sellout, was especially happy, erupting when Hutchinson beat Ragusett at the 14:39 mark of the first period.
With just 25 seconds left in the first, Michigan State scored on a power play thanks to a goal from Adam Hall. Hall took a Rustyn Dolyny rebound on his backhand right in front of the crease, moved the puck to his forehand and put it in the back of the net -- the same net in which he scored the overtime game-winner last night.
Michigan State had its chances to go up 3-0, but couldn't beat Ragusett for the final two periods. It didn't matter, however, as the Wildcats never pulled within one thanks to the efforts of Miller and the Spartan defense.
Miller turned aside 11 shots in the second period and nine more in the third to secure the shutout.
"I always hate 2-0 leads," said senior defenseman Mike Weaver, who matched up against NMU's high-scoring duo of Roger Trudeau and J.P. Vigier all weekend. "We really didn't worry about the score or the shutout, though, we just worried about getting the puck out and making the easy play. We played 60 minutes today and 120 minutes this weekend."
The shutout records came as a surprise for Miller.
"It's amazing," said the rookie from East Lansing. "I never expected to come in as a freshman and have six shutouts. Maybe one, if that. I've gotten some pretty good bounces this year, and I have an amazing defense in front of me. The important thing tonight was that we had to win to stay in position to win the league."
"(Miller) has got a great team in front of him," Mason said. "Our defense cleared everything in front tonight and if our guys do that, the goalies can play the percentages. Ryan does that very well, and he was sharp tonight."
Michigan State returns to action next weekend, as the Spartans host the last-place Nanooks of Alaska Fairbanks.
