Michigan State University
Miami (Ohio)
Hockey Falls At Miami, 4-2
11/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 14, 2003
OXFORD, Ohio - Michigan State hockey saw its six-game unbeaten streak come to an end on Friday night in Oxford, Ohio, as the Spartans fell to Miami, 4-2. MSU falls to 6-4-1, 5-3-1 in CCHA play with the loss, while Miami improves to 6-5-2, 4-2-1 in conference action.
"We got outworked and into trouble," said Spartan head coach Rick Comley. "(Dominic) Vicari kept the game close for two periods. Miami was ready to play and really came at us."
Spartan freshman goaltender Dominic Vicari (Clinton Township, Mich.) stopped a career-high 38 shots, including 19 in the opening stanza. Despite Vicari's effort, the RedHawks jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on goals by Greg Hogeboom at 2:56 and Mike Kompon at 6:51.
"Miami came out and took the early lead," commented Vicari. "They really took it to us."
The Spartans finally got on the scoreboard with a Brock Radunske (New Hamburg, Ont.) marker to cut the lead to 2-1 just 4:22 in the middle stanza. Sophomore forward Colton Fretter (Harrow, Ont.) dug the puck out of the corner and found junior forward Ash Goldie (London, Ont.), who put the initial shot on net. Miami netminder Brandon Crawford-West couldn't find the rebound and Radunske tapped it in for his fourth goal of the campaign.
MSU tied the game at two on Kevin Estrada's first goal of the season. With Vicari out of the net on a delayed penalty call, freshman forward Tyler Howells (Eden Prairie, Minn.) dug the puck out of the corner and passed it to Joe Markusen (Park River, N.D.), who was all alone in the slot. Crawford-West made the initial save on the shot, but couldn't control the rebound. Slater sent a shot that hit the outside of the post, before Estrada banged home the rebound for the equalizer.
The RedHawks would answer the Spartan charge early in the third period. Todd Grant posted his second goal of the season at the 2:31 mark; just seconds after MSU's first power-play opportunity had expired.
Lansing, Mich., native Marty Guerin gave Miami a 4-2 lead with an unassisted tally at 12:02.
For the game, MSU was outshot, 42-22.
Michigan State and Miami close out its two-game set tomorrow night (Sat., Nov. 15) with a 7:35 p.m. face-off at Goggin Ice Arena.
Spartan Notebook
* Kevin Estrada's goal marked his first tally since the CCHA quarterfinal contest vs. Northern Michigan (March 20, 2003).
* Dominic Vicari stopped a career-high 38 shots, including 19 in the opening stanza.
* MSU allowed 42 shots on goal, marking the first time since Jan. 25, 2003 (43 shots by Notre Dame) that a Spartan opponent had 40 or more shots on goal.
