Michigan State University
Michigan
MSU Hockey Hangs On, Tie Michigan
1/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 19, 2002
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) made a statement tonight at Yost Ice Arena to those who said he isn't measuring up to the standards he set during his sophomore season.
The 2001 Hobey Baker Award winner matched a career high with 42 saves as the Spartans (17-5-3 overall, 12-4-2 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) escaped with a 1-1 tie against Michigan. With the tie, MSU maintains a two-point edge over the Wolverines in the race for the conference regular-season title.
"Our best player was our best player tonight and when he is, we can hang in there," said coach Ron Mason. "Ryan made a lot of nice saves for us."
Michigan (13-7-5 overall, 12-4-2 CCHA) spent most of the third period in the offensive zone, but the Spartan backstop was equal to the task, stopping 15 shots over the last 20 minutes. Miller stopped the Wolverines' John Shouneyia has he attempted to tuck a feed from Jed Ortmeyer just inside the far post. The MSU junior slid across the crease and got his body in front of the crafty Michigan forward just in time. Miller also made a brilliant kick save on a shot from 20 feet out by freshman Jason Ryznar, throwing his right leg out in front of a low shot to his stick side.
"It's not every day you get to go into an environment like this and play such an important game," said Miller. "We stay two points ahead with the same amount of games to play. It was really important for us."
Miller and the Spartan defense, which bent for most of the final period, finally broke with 6:37 left in regulation. MSU had the puck nearly out of their end but failed to clear successfully. Michigan's Eric Werner pulled the puck from a scrum just inside the blue line on the near boards and skated into the high slot. Instead of shooting, the freshman defenseman slipped a pass to fellow rookie Dwight Helminen as he broke into the circle on the near wing. Helminen's shot got over Miller's glove and underneath the crossbar for his eighth goal of the season.
Freshman Mike Lalonde (Chetwynd, B.C.) scored the game's first goal a little more than halfway through the second period. The winger drove to the net as linemate Ash Goldie (London, Ont.) fired a centering pass through the slot and tipped the puck past Michigan goaltender Josh Blackburn with 7:01 left before the break.
"(Goldie) was just trying to put a shot on net," said Lalonde. "We were just trying to get shots on net, especially in a building like this where it's pretty tough for the Spartans to come into Wolverine territory."
The first period was an evenly-played 20 minutes, with Michigan controlling the flow early and Michigan State picking up the pace. The Spartans had a couple great chances but couldn't capitalize. The first came during a Wolverine power play, when junior center Troy Ferguson (Kitchener, Ont.) was stymied by Blackburn on a two-on-one. The second occurred during the Spartans' first man-advantage opportunity of the night as an MSU player slipped the puck past Blackburn, but it trickled harmlessly through the crease.
Blackburn came up huge on a Spartan two-on-one early in the second period as junior Brian Maloney (Bassano, Alta.) slipped into the high slot unnoticed. The rugged winger undressed Blackburn with a pretty backhand move, but the Choctaw, Okla., native got just enough of his glove on the puck to cause it to flutter in the air and keep it from crossing the goal line.
The Spartans, already playing without injured forwards Lee Falardeau (Midland, Mich.) and Steve Jackson (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), suffered another blow when senior defenseman Andrew Hutchinson (Hudson, Ohio) suffered a neck strain late in the first period and did not return to the game. The severity of the injury is not known.
"We got down to five defensemen and our guys got really tired," said Mason. "Michigan was really forechecking well tonight and they used the emotion of the building."
The Spartans wrap up the month of January with a two-game set against Ohio State at Munn Ice Arena Friday and Saturday (Jan. 25-26). Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. both nights.
