MSU Hockey Falls To Notre Dame
2/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 9, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Goaltender Morgan Cey made 34 saves to lead Notre Dame to a 3-2 win over Michigan State at Munn Ice Arena Saturday. The loss snapped the Spartans' school-record, 33-game home unbeaten streak and, coupled with a Michigan win against Nebraska-Omaha, puts MSU in a first-place tie with the Wolverines in the CCHA standings.
"I thought their goalie tonight was just spectacular," said coach Ron Mason. "He made some saves that were phenomenal and he was lucky at other times. That combination produces a good night."
The Fighting Irish (10-15-5 overall, 8-12-4 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) scored first in an evenly-played first period on a goal by defenseman Neil Komadoski at 14:02. Wing Jon Maruk lugged the puck behind the MSU net and, as the Spartan defense collapsed, found Komadoski all alone in the high slot. The sophomore defenseman walked in to the top of the far faceoff circle and got off a wrist shot that beat goaltender Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.).
Freshman defenseman Duncan Keith (Penticton, B.C.) tied the score a little more than two minutes later with his first goal in more than three months. Junior wing Steve Jackson (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) cycled the puck behind the Notre Dame cage to Keith, who skated to the near corner and put a shallow-angle shot on goal that caromed off Cey's shoulder and into the net at 16:50.
Notre Dame would regain the lead for good with 18 seconds left in the first on a David Inman goal. Forward John Wroblewski, on the near wing, found his linemate beating the Spartan back-checkers into the offensive zone and lofted a bouncing feed into the slot. Inman handled the wobbling puck and backhanded a shot past Miller for his 15th goal of the season.
The Fighting Irish took a 3-1 lead 1:43 into the second period on another odd-man rush, this one resulting in a Brett Lebda goal. Rob Globke poked the puck into the neutral zone and brought it into the MSU end. He fed Lebda, who muffed a backhand attempt but got enough of a shot off to get it through Miller's legs.
Junior defenseman Brad Fast (Fort St. John, B.C.) brought the Spartans to within one goal at the 6:36 mark of the second period during a four-on-four situation. Freshman Lee Falardeau (Midland, Mich.) started the play by picking up a rebound to the right of the Notre Dame net and poking it away from a pair of Fighting Irish defenders. Keith played the puck to Fast, stationed in the middle of the ice just inside the blue line and his low shot slipped past Cey's left leg pad.
The Spartans (20-6-5 overall, 15-5-4 CCHA) had a number of quality scoring chances during the final 40 minutes of play, but Cey was equal to the task. MSU outshot Notre Dame 26-14 over the final two periods and the shots the goalie didn't block, the Fighting Irish defense knocked down.
"We had a lot of chances," said senior wing Adam Hall (Kalamazoo, Mich.). "We were getting a lot of pucks in front of the net. We have to give their goalie a lot of credit for making saves and you have to give their team a lot of credit for picking up sticks and blocking out.
"I think we had them scrambling in their offensive zone all the time. Their defenseman or their forwards made more saves than their goalie did."
The Spartans play a single game against Michigan - a non-conference match - Saturday (Feb. 16) at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Game time is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. EST.
