Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Ohio St
MSU Hockey Powers Past Ohio State
1/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 25, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - As Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" and the Michigan State hockey team can tell you, there's no place like home.
The Spartans (18-5-3 overall, 13-4-2 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) used a pair of power-play goals and another sterling performance from junior goaltender Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) to down Ohio State 3-1 at Munn Ice Arena Friday. MSU's school-record home unbeaten streak reached 31 games (28-0-3) with the win.
"I thought tonight was a good college hockey game between two pretty darn good teams," said coach Ron Mason. "Our power play was clicking tonight and that's the reason we won."
Senior wing Joe Goodenow (Toronto, Ont.) gave the Spartans a 1-0 first period lead during State's first power-play opportunity. Freshman Mike Lalonde (Chetwynd, B.C.) set up the scoring opportunity, tracking down a puck dumped into the OSU zone by defenseman John-Michael Liles (Zionsville, Ind.). Lalonde hit Goodenow with a perfect feed as he skated into the goal mouth, whose shot got underneath Buckeye netminder Mike Betz's blocker with 5:49 left in the period.
Ohio State (14-9-2, 9-6-2 CCHA) evened the score with the first goal of the second period on a goal by Scott May. The Buckeyes' Paul Caponigri carried the entire length of the ice just after an MSU penalty expired. Miller stopped Caponigri's shot, but May was there to capitalize on the rebound for his 10th goal of the season 8:13 into the period.
The Spartans would regain the lead a little more than eight minutes later with their second power-play goal of the game. Liles hit freshman Ash Goldie (London, Ont.) with a nifty cross-ice pass from the near point. Goldie, stationed to Betz's left, made a quick fake slid the puck past the sprawling OSU goalie with 3:12 left in the period.
"It was a great pass from Liles," said Goldie. "I was going to shoot it right away but I decided to hold onto it. I think the goalie god a piece of it, but it had enough on it to get over the goal line."
Freshman Jim Slater (Lapeer, Mich.) picked up an insurance goal 7:23 into the third period. Senior Adam Hall (Kalamazoo, Mich.) held the puck in the offensive zone on the near point, giving it to Slater and creating an odd-man rush in the process. Slater passed to defenseman Duncan Keith (Penticton, B.C.), who returned the favor and Slater easily notched his eighth goal of the season.
The rest of the period belonged to Miller, who stopped all 16 shots he faced in the third period en route to a 28-save performance on the night. Betz made 24 saves on 27 shots.
MSU aims for a series sweep Saturday as the Spartans and Buckeyes close out the two-game series at Munn Ice Arena. Faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m. EST.
