Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Rallies, Downs Bowling Green In OT
3/8/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 8, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Bowling Green came into Friday's game against Michigan State as a playoff giant killer - the Falcons have won each of their last two Central Collegiate Hockey Association first-round playoff matches as the underdog on the road - and seemed ready to fulfill that role again, taking a 3-1 third-period lead in front of a stunned crowd of 5,408 at Munn Ice Arena.
Then the Munn magic kicked in.
The Spartans (25-7-5 overall) scored two goals in the last 9:30 of the third period, including the game-tying goal by freshman center Jim Slater (Lapeer, Mich.) with 50 seconds left in regulation - to send the game into overtime before the game-winner from senior wing Adam Hall (Kalamazoo, Mich.) 4:57 into the extra session as MSU topped Bowling Green 4-3.
The game-winning goal was textbook Hall. The MSU captain stationed himself between the circles and took a feed from behind the net from freshman wing Brock Radunske (New Hamburg, Ont.). Radunske put the pass on Hall's backhand, warded off a Falcon defender and tucked a shot underneath the crossbar for his 18th goal of the season.
"A little too much excitement for me," said Hall. "Brock did a great job. Half the thing is being in the right place at the right time, just trying to stay in the slot."
Slater's game-tying goal was set up by Hall, who jumped in the play as the extra attacker after goaltender Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) left the net. Hall held the puck in the offensive zone at the far point and fired a shot that Slater deflected past Bowling Green goaltender Tyler Masters.
"(Tying the game) and going into overtime was a great feeling," said Slater. "Hall made a great play, threw it at the net and I got my stick on it and it went over the guy's shoulder.
Freshman wing Mike Lalonde (Chetwynd, B.C.) made the score 3-2 with his second goal of the night midway through the third period on a Spartan power play. Slater, breaking into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 with Lalonde, made a pass to his teammate on the left wing. Lalonde's shot got over Master's glove hand with 9:29 left in regulation.
"All you try to do is to jump start your team in anyway that you possibly can," said MSU coach Ron Mason. "If nothing else, we wanted to try and establish ourselves and level the playing field a little bit for the game on Saturday. That's all we were thinking about."
Bowling Green (9-24-6 overall) took an early 1-0 lead on a first-period goal by Steve Brudzewski. The freshman tipped a Grady Moore shot past Miller 2:13 into the game. The Spartans answered on Lalonde's first goal of the game at 7:19. Freshman wing Kevin Estrada (Surrey, B.C.) got the puck on the center line near the Spartan bench and chipped it ahead to Lalonde, who split two defenders and beat Masters with a backhand shot.
The Falcons took a 2-1 lead with the lone goal of the second period. Senior Greg Day, the team's leading scorer, set up defenseman Kevin Bieksa from behind the net. The Bowling Green sophomore netted his fifth goal of the year with a one-timer past Miller. Austin de Luis gave the Falcons a 3-1 advantage 5:41 into the third period on a power-play. A Spartan defender tried to tip a centering pass out of harm's way, but it ended up on de Luis' stick and he beat Miller high for his fourth marker of the season.
The victory may have been a costly one for the Spartans. Junior wing Brian Maloney (Bassano, Alta.), the team's leading scorer with 33 points, left the game midway through the second period with an injury to the left side of his chest. He was admitted to Sparrow Hospital, where he will spend the night. He will not play tomorrow. MSU was also without the services of junior defenseman Brad Fast (Fort St. John, B.C.), who hurt his shoulder in the second period. He's listed as day-to-day.
MSU can wrap up the CCHA first-round playoff series with a win tomorrow night at Munn Ice Arena. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EST.
