Michigan State University
Ferris State (CCHA First Round Playoffs)
Hockey Defeats Ferris State, 6-4
3/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 12, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State hockey team captured a 6-4 victory over Ferris State on Friday, March 12 to put them within one game of the CCHA Super Six in Detroit next weekend.
"The big thing tonight is that we found a way to win," said MSU Head Coach Rick Comley. "I would not give us a very good grade for our performance, but I would give us a good grade for finding a way to win. It is huge that we won the first one out, but we must play harder and better if we want to win tomorrow."
The Spartans got on the scoreboard with a power play goal at the 5:50 mark of the first period after countless chances in the opening minutes. After a series of quick passes, Corey Potter (Mason, Mich.) fed Kevin Estrada (Surrey, B.C.) who fired a one-timer from the point. Adam Nightingale (Cheboygan, Mich.) was standing right in front of goalie Mike Brown and tipped the puck into the roof of the net to give MSU the 1-0 lead. The goal was Adam Nightingale's first since Jan. 30 against Miami - a span of 10 games.
Michigan State tallied their second power play goal of the period with just 2.4 seconds left on the clock. Joe Markusen (Park River, N.D.) fired a slap shot that bounced hard off the end boards and right into the slot. Drew Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) was streaking down the middle and fired home his third goal of the season, and first power-play goal of his career to put State up 2-0. Chris Snavely (Lancaster, Pa.) also picked up an assist on the goal.
Ferris State closed the margin to one goal, 2-1, at 12:06 of the second period. Joe Van Culin beat Dominic Vicari (Clinton Township, Mich.) from a virtually impossible angle on the near side for his first goal of the season.
Just 13 seconds later at the 12:19 mark of the second, the Bulldogs tied the game at two. A tip in front by Simon Mangos just slipped past Vicari and trickled over the goal line to knot the game.
The Green and White reclaimed the lead at 18:02 of the second period. Goebel broke into the FSU zone on a two-on-one opportunity with Slater. He slid a pass over to Slater, who put it to his backhand and snuck it through Brown's five-hole to make it a 3-2 game.
State went back up by two goals, 4-2, just 2:48 into the third period. Off an initial shot from the point by Snavely, Goebel, who was fighting for position in front, took multiple swings at the puck before slamming the rebound home for his 15th goal of the season.
With two assists on the night, Snavely ties a career high, and records his first multi-point game since Dec. 27 against Michigan Tech.
One minute later at 3:48 of the third, FSU got back within one goal. Jeff Legue was left all alone in front, put a shot through Vicari's five-hole to make it a 4-3 game. Ferris State tied the game at 4-4 at 6:06 of the third as Greg Rallo put a rebound home to deadlock the game once again.
"I thought we were in control, we had two-goal leads twice throughout the game and when you get like that in playoff time you need to close those games out," said Slater. "We were real sloppy and gave them a chance to come back."
 Mike Lalonde registered a career-best three assists vs. Ferris State.  | |
State took the lead back on a fluke goal by Slater at 8:24 of the third. Goebel flipped a shot on goal from the corner and as Slater was crashing the net, he had the puck bounce of the front of his mask and into the net, giving State a 5-4 lead. Lalonde also tallied an assist on the goal to give him three for the night and a new career best.
Goebel continues an incredible seven-game point streak with 1-2-3 points on the night. During that streak, which dates to Feb. 13 against Alaska Fairbanks, he has 5-7-12 points. Jim Slater now has five multi-goal games after his two-goal effort tonight.
Michigan State sealed the deal 18:43 of the third as Colton Fretter (Harrow, Ont.) launched a twisted wrist shot from in close. The puck went firmly off the post, bounced off the back of Brown, and just snuck over the goal line. After a lengthy review, the goal stood. Estrada and Dominic Vicari (Clinton Township, Mich.) picked up the assists on Fretter??s tally.
Estrada now has two multiple assist games in his past three games played.
"I will definitely consider making some changes, and juggling lines for tomorrow's game," stated Comley. "We just have to take the good from this game and trust that our guys will come out better tomorrow."
Vicari finished with 20 stops, while Brown recorded 34 stops.
These same two teams return to action again tomorrow night (March 13) at 7:35 EST as game will be aired on Fox Sports Net Detroit.
