Michigan State University
Bowling Green
Hockey Drops 2-1 Decision At Bowling Green
2/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 26, 2005
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Michigan State dropped a tough 2-1 decision on the road at Bowling Green Friday night (Feb. 25). With the loss, State falls to 14-15-4 overall, 9-13-3 in the CCHA, while BGSU improves to 16-11-4 overall, 13-9-3 in league action.
"I thought we played an outstanding road game," said MSU head coach Rick Comley. "We worked our tails off, so this is very disappointing.
"We have to come back tomorrow and find a way to win."
Bowling Green jumped out to a 1-0 lead, just 24 seconds into the opening stanza. In a scrum in front of the net, Jon Mazzei knocked the puck past Dominic Vicari (So., Clinton Township, Mich.) for his third goal of the season.
It looked as if State had scored the equalizer, 36 seconds later, as Ash Goldie (Sr., London, Ont,.) redirected a Corey Potter (Jr., Mason, Mich.) shot from the point. However, the goal was waved off by the referee due to a high stick.
The Spartans would even the game at one at the 6:04 mark on a goal by Jim McKenzie (Fr., Woodbury, Minn.). With a delayed BGSU penalty and Vicari out of the Spartan net, State controlled the puck deep in the zone as Jim Slater (Sr., Lapeer, Mich.) took the puck and tried a wrap-around shot that Jordan Sigalet make the save. However, with the puck lying in the crease, Colton Fretter (Jr., Harrow, Ont.) put another shot that forced Sigalet to make a save before McKenzie followed home the rebound for his seventh goal of the season.
The Spartans controlled play in the second period, outshooting the Falcons by an 8-to-2 mark, just nine minutes into the period. BGSU made Vicari came out with a big stop on Brett Pilkington. Pilkington fired a shot that was sitting to the right of the Spartan netminder in the crease and Vicari pounced on it before it could cross the line.
Play really picked up following BGSU's chance as action continued back and forth. However, it was the Falcons that finally beat Vicari with just 1:12 left in the middle stanza. James Hunger sent home a shot by Pilkington for his 13th goal of the season.
With the Spartans shorthanded as Goldie was in the penalty box for high sticking, forward Chris Mueller (Fr., West Seneca, N.Y.) had an opportunity to pull MSU even with a breakaway opportunity. However, the puck slid off his stick just before he had a chance to attempt a shot on net.
With 4:35 remaining, Bryan Lerg (Fr., Livonia, Mich.) had two chances to beat Sigalet. Lerg sent a shot that Sigalet stopped low and had a second opportunity on the rebound but couldn't beat the Falcons' netminder.
Vicari was pulled for the final 1:22 as State had the extra man but the Spartans couldn't find a way to put the puck past Sigalet for the equalizer. Vicari finished with 24 stops for the Spartans, while Sigalet had 33 saves.
"It's real frustrating, but it's the story of our season," said Fretter. "We need to put this behind us and come back to play tomorrow."
MSU and BGSU close out the series tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 26) in East Lansing, Mich. Saturday's puck will drop at 7:35 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena.
Spartan Notebook
* With his first-period tally, FR F Jim McKenzie now has six goals in his last six games.
* State is 2-10-2 when its opponent scores first this season.
* JR F Colton Fretter has five points (three goals, two assists) in his last five games.
* SR F Jim Slater has five points (three goals, three assists) in his last five games.
* The Spartans are 4-10-1 on the road this season.
* State is 0-14-2 when trailing after 40 minutes of play.
* State is 2-8 in one-goal games this season.
