Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
North Dakota (McFadden Invite)
Michigan State Captures Lefty McFadden Title
10/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 9, 2005
The Michigan State men's hockey team improved to 2-0-0 on the young season, and in the process captured the Lefty McFadden tournament championship. The Spartans posted a 3-0 win over 2004-05 national runner-up, North Dakota, to complete the weekend sweep over its opponents. Forward Byran Lerg and David Booth and defenseman Tyler Howells were named to the all-tournament team.
MSU put itself in an early hole when sophomore forward Jim McKenzie (Woodbury, Minn.) was called for checking from behind, at 1:56 of the first period, and received a five-minute major penalty and a game-misconduct. With the help of a North Dakota slashing penalty the Spartans were able to kill off the game's first power-play.
Defenseman Ethan Graham (Xenia, Ohio) foiled another North Dakota bid, on the power-play, at 19:03 of the first period. Spartan goalkeeper Dominic Vicari (Clinton Twp., Mich.) made the initial stop on a Travis Zajac shot, but the rebound slipped behind him towards the goal line, where Graham was waiting to clear the puck off the line.
Sophomore Chris Mueller (West Senaca N.Y.) broke the scoreless tie, early in the second period, when he picked up a cycle pass from junior captain Drew Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) stepped out in front and slotted a shot between the legs of Sioux goaltender Phillippe Lamoureux. The goal came just after a Michigan State power-play had expired.
The Spartans increased their lead to 2-0, after junior David Booth (Washington, Mich.) created a turnover at the blue line, on a North Dakota power-play. Sophomore Bryan Lerg (Livonia, Mich.) collected the loose puck and found Booth on the ensuing 2-on-1 for the shorthanded tally.
The Green and White struck again, just two minutes later, with Mueller's second goal of the game. The sophomore re-directed a Colton Fretter (Harrow, Ont.) slap shot past Lamoureux putting the Spartans up 3-0. Junior defenseman Tyler Howells (Eden Prairie, Minn.) also picked up an assist on the play.
The Fighting Sioux were awarded their second five-minute major advantage of the afternoon when forward Zak Mclellan (Frankenmuth, Mich.) was assessed with a hitting from behind, game-misconduct penalty at 10:54 of the second. Once again the Spartan penalty-kill was able to shut down the North Dakota power-play (0-7 on the night).
Vicari preserved the shutout stopping a point-blank, Ryan Duncan shot at 15:30 of the third. Moments later Howells cleared an errant rebound of the line preventing a North Dakota goal, the second close call of the night for the Spartans. Vicari would also rob Drew Stafford at 19:57, his 30th stop of the night, to earn the 13th shutout of his career and his first this season.
The Spartans return to action on Friday against Western Ontario, at Munn Ice Arena, before opening up CCHA play at Michigan on Oct. 22.
