Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Hockey Outlasts Alaska-Fairbanks
2/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 9, 2001
Michigan State received goals from some unlikely sources as the top-ranked Spartans (23-3-4 overall, 16-3-3 CCHA) overpowered Alaska-Fairbanks, 4-1, in front of 6,742 fans at Munn Ice Arena tonight.
A pair of Spartan blueliners combined to get MSU on the board at 18:07 of the first period. UAF's Daniel Carriere tried to get the puck out of the Nanooks' zone but sophomore Brad Fast (Fort St. John, B.C.) held it in the MSU end and fired it around the boards. Junior Andrew Hutchinson (Rochester Hills, Mich.) took hold of the puck and blasted it over UAF goaltender Preston McKay left shoulder from the near face-off circle to put MSU up 1-0.
"It went in through a deflection off one of their guys," said Hutchinson, who scored his fourth goal of the season. "I don't think it would have went in on itself. I was just lucky to get a goal like that. We tried to keep it slow, move the puck, cycle a lot and keep it low in their zone."
MSU got its second goal in the second period thanks to the face-off talents of junior Joe Goodenow (Detroit, Mich.), who won a draw to McKay's right and warded off a pair of Nanook defenders and eventually swept the puck to a wide-open John-Michael Liles (Zionsville, Ind.) on the point. Liles' blast eluded McKay for his sixth goal of the season, a one-timer at 14:11 into the second stanza.
"I didn't think I could get to it fast enough," said Liles. "I saw a couple guys coming at me and I was just trying to get it past them. Those are the kinds of pucks you ask for in your prays before you go to bed. I was lucky I just finally got one."
Goodenow scored the first MSU goal of the third period at 8:03. Junior Adam Hall (Kalamazoo, Mich.) made a head-man pass to Goodenow, who then raced in on the near wing and beat McKay with a pretty fake for his second goal of the season and his fourth point in four games since returning from a shoulder injury. Fast also received a helper.
"(Hall) made a great play," said Goodenow. "I couldn't believe their guys went down to block a shot. Hopefully our line will continue to contribute offensively."
Alaska-Fairbanks' lone goal came at 8:56 into the third on a drive from defenseman Daniel Carriere. Blaine Bablitz and Cam Keith each received assists.
Sophomore Troy Ferguson (Kitchener, Ont.) finished the scoring at 11:55 with the Spartans fourth goal of the night. Ferguson, who won most accurate shot honors in MSU's unofficial skills competition earlier in the week, scored his second goal of the season -- an unassisted tally -- after tipping a turnover by a UAF defenseman past McKay.
"It was a pretty entertaining game because it was end-to-end action," said MSU coach Ron Mason. "The game was a little more wide open than usual.
"I thought that in the second period we missed many good chances that sometimes that can come back and really haunt you. Alaska missed some opportunities, too."
Sophomore Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) made 25 saves for the night, while McKay stopped 30 Spartan shots.
Michigan State closes the two-game set with Alaska-Fairbanks as the Spartans and Nanooks tangle tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 10)
