Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Michigan
Hockey Rallies To Tie Michigan, 3-3
2/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 26, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State battled back from a pair of two-goal deficits Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena to tie Michigan, 3-3, in a non-conference game.
The Spartans got third-period goals from freshman defenseman John-Michael Liles (15:44 remaining) and junior right wing John Nail (4:56 remaining) to erase a 3-1 Michigan lead and salvage a tie in front of the sellout crowd of 19,983.
"When we were down by two we were wondering if we would ever get it back," head coach Ron Mason said. "We kept playing well and developed some good scoring chances."
"I'm really happy with the way we played and especially the way we came back," senior center and team captain Shawn Horcoff said. "We had a lot of chances we didn't finish, but I give their goalie credit. He played a heck of a game."
Michigan State fell to third in the conference thanks to Northern Michigan's win over Miami. The Spartans (22-10-3 overall, 17-8-1 CCHA) are one point behind the Wildcats and four behind Michigan (23-7-4, 18-5-3) entering the final weekend of play.
Michigan got on the board first, and for the second night in a row it was off a faceoff on a deflected shot. John Shouneyia won the draw to Bill Trainor, who gave it to Mike Roemensky. His shot was tipped by J.J. Swistak past goaltender Ryan Miller at 4:47 of the first period.
Michigan State had several chances to even the score, but Josh Blackburn was very sharp in the Michigan net. The Spartans fired 12 shots on Blackburn, including five by sophomore right wing Adam Hall. Hall had several point-blank chances, but Blackburn stopped them all.
The Wolverines went up 2-0 just 2:05 into the second period as freshman Andy Hilbert buried a shot from the slot.
The Spartans answered, however, on the very same shift. Freshman left wing Brian Maloney took a cross-ice pass from Hall and fired a slap shot from the top of the circle, beating Blackburn at the 2:45 mark.
That goal made it 2-1, and although the Spartans have several more chances in the second, they couldn't even the score.
Michigan took a 3-1 lead on their first power-play goal of the weekend, at 30 seconds of the third period. Mike Cammalleri found himself alone in the slot and fired a hard wrist shot past Miller.
Liles scored less than four minutes later on assists from Rustyn Dolyny and Horcoff, but much of the credit went to Hall setting a screen in front. Liles' low slapshot found its way past Blackburn, who couldn't see around the towering Hall.
"Rustyn gave me a great feed at the point and Hall had a great screen set up in front," Liles said. "You could feel a lift on our team when that went in. There was a little more jump in our step and we were a little less frustrated by the saves Blackburn had been making."
Nail's goal came on a scramble in front after Andrew Hutchinson, who now has assists in back-to-back games, fired a shot from the point. After Hutchinson's shot, Joe Goodenow took a whack at the puck before Nail put it away.
"I thought we were kind of building momentum throughout the third period," Nail said. "Eventually it seemed like something had to go in."
The Spartans and Wolverines each traded quality shots in the overtime, highlighted by a save by Miller on Mark Kosick as Kosick raised his arms in celebration of what he thought was a goal. Junior left wing Sean Patchell had the Spartans' best chance, but Blackburn made the save as Patchell fired a loose puck from the slot.
Blackburn made 26 saves on the game to Miller's 24, as MSU outshot the Wolverines, 29-27.
Michigan State closes out the regular season next weekend with a home-and-home series against Notre Dame, beginning Friday in South Bend. Michigan has a home-and-home with Bowling Green, while Northern Michigan plays a home-and-home against Lake Superior.
