Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Hockey Sweeps Ohio State
1/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 26, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Junior wing Brian Maloney (Bassano, Alta.) recorded a hat trick and junior defenseman John-Michael Liles (Zionsville, Ind.) picked up three assists as Michigan State beat Ohio State 5-1 at Munn Ice Arena Saturday. The win extends the Spartans' home unbeaten streak to 32 games (29-0-3) and marks the team's ninth straight home series sweep.
State scored a pair of early first-period goals to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Junior Brad Fast (Fort St. John, B.C.) scored 1:31 into the game on a shot from the near point through a Kris Koski (Schaumburg, Ill.) screen that beat OSU goaltender Mike Betz through the five hole. Maloney picked up his first goal of the game at 7:15, after a shot off the stick of sophomore Joe Markusen (Park River, N.D.) richoted into the net off the forward's leg.
Junior center Troy Ferguson (Kitchener, Ont.) gave the Spartans (19-5-3 overall, 14-4-2 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) a 3-0 advantage on a power-play goal - his first marker of the season - with 4:23 remaining in the second period after he picked up a rebound off a shot from just inside the blue line by Fast. Maloney added his second goal two minutes later with freshmen Mike Lalonde (Chetwynd, B.C.) and Ash Goldie (London, Ont.) earning assists.
Miguel Lafleche snapped the Spartans' hopes of a shutout 1:40 into the third period on a goal that fluttered over the shoulder of junior goaltender Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.). Maloney added an insurance goal with 6:49 left in regulation after easily tapping a rebound off a Liles shot past Betz.
Miller stopped 28 shots for the second straight night. He's given up one goal in each of his last three starts. Betz made 25 saves for the Buckeyes (14-10-2, 9-7-2 CCHA).
The Spartans make the return trip to Columbus to face the Buckeyes at Value City Arena next weekend. Faceoff on Friday is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. with Saturday's game set to get underway at 8:05 p.m.
