Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Hockey Patches Together Win
3/10/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 10, 2001
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State hockey team did it again.
They found heroes to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat. Saturday, it was senior Sean Patchell's (Moonstone, Ont.) turn. His goal 7:18 into overtime gave the top-ranked Spartans a 3-2 win over Alaska-Fairbanks and propelled MSU to a sweep of the CCHA first-round, best-of-three playoff series of Munn Ice Arena.
"I actually took a chance," said Patchell. "They were starting to break out of the zone. I took a chance and stayed back. All their guys rushed, they turned it over and (defenseman Brad) Fast actually tried to pass it to me.
"It went through my legs and I turned around and got it off the wall. I came out kind of ripped it. I was going to pass it to Fast and then just shot it. It went sliding across and went in."
The Spartans (30-4-4) improve to 11-0 all-time in CCHA playoff overtime games and finish the season with a 15-1-1 home record, second best in school history, trailing only the 20-1-2 mark MSU posted during the 1985-86 campaign.
"We find ways to win," said MSU head coach Ron Mason. "You have that chance when you are at home. It makes a big difference when you are at home and have the crowd behind you. We're a team that has won a lot of close games this year so there was no panic in our locker room."
The most important play during a scoreless first period was a five-minute major penalty for checking from behind and game misconduct given to MSU defenseman Jon Insana (New Baltimore, Mich.) after hitting UAF's Tom Herman with seven seconds left in the frame. The Nanook power play carried over to the second period, and the opponents finally converted on the extended man advantage when Ryan Lang scored at 3:36 of the middle stanza.
"The five-minute penalty call was a determining factor giving (UAF) the life they needed to get that first goal," said Mason. "I felt that allowed them to play the game they played."
Sophomore Brian Maloney (Bassano, Alta.) knotted the score with 3:32 remaining in the second period after Fast, stationed deep in the MSU defensive zone, found him lurking near the far blue line, allowing him to break in on UAF netminder Lance Mayes virtually uncontested.
"I jumped off the bench and Fasty saw me and sent out a prayer and I was able to get a stick on it," said Maloney. "I was going high all night and decided to go low at him this time and beat him. It just trickled through."
Any momentum gained from Maloney's goal was short-lived as UAF's Scott McIlroy gave the Nanooks the lead again on a backhanded shot just 32 seconds after the Spartans' first tally.
The Spartans outshot Alaska-Fairbanks by a 19-8 margin during a frenetic third period but couldn't tie the score until late in the third period. With the Nanooks' Pat Hallett serving a two-minute minor for interference, senior John Nail (Brampton, Ont.) batted a rebound off a Damon Whitten (Brighton, Mich.) shot for his team-best 19th goal of the season with 2:42 remaining in regulation.
"I was telling people yesterday they asked me why I didn't score and asked me if I was in a slump since I haven't score in a few games," said Nail. "I told them I would score the one that counts. Luck happened to go my way and the puck came on my stick with an empty net and I put it home."
"The senior class did not want to go out with a loss in a three-game series," said Nail, one of six seniors who played their final contest in Munn Ice Arena Saturday. "We wanted to leave on a great note. Winning an overtime game, having a senior score the overtime goal - it's the best way to leave this great facility."
The Spartans move on to Joe Louis Arena for the CCHA playoff semifinals in Detroit Friday (March 16). MSU will play the winner of Tuesday's play-in game at 5 p.m. EST.
