Hockey Falls To Bowling Green, 2-1

Dec. 3, 2004

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State hockey team (6-8-1 overall, 3-0 CCHA) dropped a tough, 2-1 decision against Bowling Green Friday, Dec. 3, at Munn Ice Arena. The Falcons received an outstanding performance from senior goalie Jonathan Sigalet who had 46 saves in the victory. The Spartans received their lone goal of the game from senior captain Jim Slater (Lapeer, Mich.). Dominic Vicari (Clinton Township, Mich.) had 21 saves in the loss.

The Spartans came out flying, outshooting BGSU 10-2 in the first 10 minutes of the game. Then, at 10:45 of the first, Slater was taken out down on a clear breakaway, and was awarded a penalty shot. But, his attempt to convert on the most exciting play in hockey was denied by Sigalet.

Prior to tonight, the last MSU attempted a penalty shot was Jan. 25, 2003, when Slater was stopped by Notre Dame's Morgan Cey.

The first 15 minutes of the second period were played relatively even, until 18:23, when too many costly penalties caught up to the Spartans. With A.J. Thelen (Savage, Minn.) in the box, Jonathan Sigalet received a pass from behind the net and a fired a shot over Vicari's glove, giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead.

In the ensuing play following the goal, a Bowling Green player crashed into Vicari, causing a huge scrum in front of the MSU net. A total of 33 penalty minutes were given to both teams. Corey Potter (Mason, Mich.) received a 5-minute fighting major, 10-minute disqualification penalty and a game misconduct, putting the Falcons back on the power play. Potter will not be eligible for tomorrow night's game at Bowling Green.

Just 15 seconds later, Sigalet scored his second power-play goal of the night, putting a wrist shot behind a screened Vicari and giving Bowling Green a 2-0 lead.

At the conclusion of the second period, the Green and White had been held scoreless in five consecutive periods.

The Spartans finally got on the board with a power-play goal of their own at 10:58 of the third to cut the lead in half. Tyler Howells (Eden Prairie, Minn.) took a solid slap shot from the point. The rebound came to Slater on the doorstep who put his shot right into the body of the sprawled out netminder Sigalet. The puck deflected off Sigalet's arm and just trickled over the goal line. The goal was initially disallowed by referee Dan Brown, but after a discussion with the goal judge, he overturned the call. Chris Mueller (West Seneca, N.Y.) also picked up an assist on the Slater goal.

The goal now gives Slater 4-3-7 points in the past five games, and ties him for second on the team with six goals. Mueller's assist is his eighth of the year, putting him in sole position of second on the team in that department. For Howells, it marked his third assist in four games.

State failed to convert on a five-on-three situation with less than four minutes left in regulation that could have potentially tied the game at two.

The same two teams return to action tomorrow night, Dec. 4, in Bowling Green, Ohio, to play the second half of the home-and-home series. Game time is scheduled for 7:05 EST.

Spartan Notebook
* SR F Jim Slater's goal at 10:58 of the third period was his 10th point against the Falcons.

* Jim Slater also attempted a penalty shot, the second of his career, at 10:45 of the first period. His first penalty shot attempt was made on Jan. 25, 2003 against Notre Dame's Morgan Cey. The last time the Spartans scored on a penalty shot was when Bobby Reynolds beat Michigan's Tim Keough on Feb. 17, 1989.

* Jim Slater has seven points in his last five games.

* The Spartans are now 30-9-3 at home against the Falcons. BGSU's 2-1 win marked the Falcons first victory in East Lansing since Dec. 7, 1997.

* SO D Brandon Warner suited up for the first time in 12 games. He last saw action against New Hampshire on Oct. 17, a 5-1 victory for the Spartans.

* SR F Kevin Estrada dressed for just the second time in eight games against the Falcons.

* FR F Chris Mueller, who drew an assist on Jim Slater's goal, now has eight helpers on the season to place second on the team in that category.

* The Spartans are 0-3 in one-goal games this season.

* The 47 shots the Spartans took on Jordan Sigalet was the second-highest shot total the Spartans have recorded this season. It was the first time the Spartans fell this season when firing over 40 shots at the opposing goaltender.

* MSU, who trailed 2-0 after the second period, are now 0-8 overall when trailing after 40 minutes of play.

* The Spartans are winless when their opponent scores first, with an overall record of 0-5.

* When failing to score more than two goals a game, the Spartans are 1-6-1 overall.

* The loss to the Falcons on Friday marked the first time this season that State dropped a contest after opponent its opponent to two goals or less. Previously, the Spartans were 6-0-1.

* JR D Corey Potter was disqualified for Saturday night's game in Bowling Green after receiving a 5-minute major for punching after the whistle during a melee at the end of the second period.