Michigan State University
Alaska-Fairbanks
MSU Hockey Falls To Alaska Fairbanks
11/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 30, 2001
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Alaska Fairbanks' Jason Grinevitch scored with 3:43 left in regulation, propelling the host Nanooks to a 2-1 win over Michigan State Friday. The win ended a 13-game Nanook losing streak against the Spartans and snapped MSU's seven-game unbeaten streak.
Grinevitch drifted into an opening in between the face-off circles in the offensive zone. Defenseman Corbin Schmidt fed his teammate, who was all alone in the high slot, and then rifled a shot over the glove of MSU goaltender Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) into the upper left corner of the net
The Spartans (9-3-2, 7-3-1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) thought they had evened the score with 34 second remaining in the third period when Ash Goldie thought he had battled through a scrum in front of the UAF net to poke the puck beneath Nanook goaltender Lance Mayes. However, referee Brian Aaron waved off the play immediately after blowing action dead and reiterated his call after conferring with the goal judge.
Freshman forward Brock Radunske (New Hamburg, Ont.) got the Spartans on the board early in the second period with his third goal of the season. The sequence started when defenseman Andrew Hutchinson (Hudson, Ohio) held a UAF clearing attempt in the offensive zone at the far point. Hutchinson's shot on goal hit traffic in front of the Nanook net but Radunske was there to poke it past UAF netminder Lance Mayes at 3:37, extending his point streak to three games in the process.
UAF (7-6-0, 3-6-0 CCHA) evened the score about six minutes later during its second power-play opportunity of the game on a goal by Cory Rask at 9:31. Miller made the initial save on a Grinevitch shot from the near point but couldn't control the rebound, which kicked to Rask, who was stationed to Miller's right. Rask easily flicked the puck past the sprawling Spartan goaltender for his second goal of the year.
Both teams had chances to score in the first period, but neither side could capitalize. The Spartans came away empty-handed on three power-play opportunities in the opening frame. Junior John-Michael Liles (Zionsville, Ind.) had State's best scoring chance, hitting the post from the high slot during the team's second man-advantage chance. The Nanooks, meanwhile, outshot MSU 10-8 but were kept at bay by Miller, who had 29 stops on the night.
The two teams return to action tomorrow night at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. Faceoff is scheduled for 11:05 p.m. EST.
