Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Alaska Fairbanks (CCHA QF Game 3, if necessary)
On To the Joe
3/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 12, 2006
East Lansing, Mich - Junior captain Drew Miller netted his second career hat trick, including the game-winner, as No. 5 Michigan State defeated Alaska-Fairbanks 7-4 on Sunday evening. The Spartans take the best-of-three CCHA quarterfinal series, 2-1; MSU (22-11-8) won the final two games of the series versus the Nanooks (17-17-5) and advance to play Michigan on Friday, March 17, at Joe Louis Arena in the CCHA Semifinals. With the win, Michigan State advances to Detroit for the conference playoffs for the 25th time in 26 years.
"I'm very proud of this team - the way they responded after that early goal, and the way they have persevered all season," noted head coach Rick Comley after the game. "We were disappointed on Friday, but the guys really responded with two strong efforts."
After playing tight and defensive first periods in the first two contests, the teams combined for three goals in the game's opening three minutes. UAF struck first, grabbing a 1-0 lead nine seconds after Corey Potter took a cross-checking penalty. The Nanooks continued a series trend, winning a faceoff deep in the Spartan zone. With control of the puck in the corner, Steve Vanoosten snapped a quick backdoor feed to Kyle Greentree, who tallied his second goal of the series at 1:10 of the first period.
Chris Mueller responded for the Spartans less than a minute later, burying a loose puck in the slot for his second goal in as many nights. Bryan Lerg battled two UAF defensemen behind the net, and finally chipped the puck into the slot. Mueller skated in unscathed and ripped a low wristshot past Wylie Rogers' blocker, knotting the game at 1-1 at the 1:41 mark of the period. Colton Fretter also picked up an assist on the goal.
Michigan State grabbed momentum and its first lead of the game 1:09 later on a shorthanded tally by Drew Miller. Alaska-Fairbanks sent the puck to the point looking to set up its power play, but the defenseman fell down and the puck escaped into the neutral zone. Mueller raced up the boards and grabbed the puck at center ice, skating with Miller on a 2-on-1 rush. The UAF defenseman failed to deny the cross-ice pass, allowing Mueller to feather a beautiful saucer pass to Miller in the right slot. Miller's one-timer sailed past the netminder's glove, giving MSU a 2-1 lead at the 2:50 mark.
Alaska-Fairbanks kept Michigan State off the scoreboard for the remainder of the period, but surrendered several great scoring opportunities. UAF netminder Wylie Rogers kept the Nanooks in the game, making 14 saves in the period. His highlight save came on a Spartan power play when he robbed Tim Kennedy on the doorstep. A UAF defensemen kicked a backdoor pass off line, saving a potential goal, but the puck deflected onto Kennedy's waiting stick. Kennedy shot the puck towards the empty net, but Rogers' quick glove kept the Spartan lead at 2-1 after the first period.
The teams scored in bunches again in the second period, tallying three goals in a span of 57 seconds. MSU's Ethan Graham extended the Spartan lead to two goals at 4:30 of the period, picking up a loose puck in the slot and burying a slap shot for his third goal of the season. Tim Crowder led the Spartans on a 3-on-2 rush and dropped a pass off to Kennedy in the slot. Without a clear shooting lane, Kennedy circled the net and slid a centering pass that missed everyone. Streaking in from the point, Graham found the puck and blasted a slapshot that beat Rogers high blocker side, giving MSU a 3-1 lead.
UAF responded 31 seconds later, cutting the lead to one goal on Aaron Lee's ninth goal of the season. Curtis Frasier was tied up in the left faceoff circle, but dropped a pass to Lee cutting to the net. Lee fired a low shot from the slot, beating Jeff Lerg glove side, making the score 3-2 at the 5:01 mark.
The Spartans reclaimed a two-goal lead 22 seconds later on a fantastic individual effort by David Booth. Facing a Nanook defenseman one-on-one in the UAF zone, Booth faked the defensemen to his knees, brought the puck from his skate to his stick, and roofed a wrist shot from inside the right faceoff circle. Booth's 12th goal of the season extended the MSU lead to 4-2 at 5:23 of the period.
Miller started and ended MSU's fifth goal, giving the Spartans a three-goal cushion at 15:44 of the period. The captain stole the puck from UAF at the MSU blueline and broke the play out with a backhand pass to Jim McKenzie. Booth raced up center ice, took a feed from McKenzie and put point-blank shot on net. Rogers made the initial save, but Miller followed up the play and buried the rebound stick-side for his second goal of the night. The Spartans dominated the second period, outshooting the Nanooks 21-8, and took a 5-2 lead into the second intermission.
UAF cut the MSU lead to two goals 23 seconds into the third period on Aaron Lee's second goal of the night. Spartan netminder Jeff Lerg made a kick save on Tyler Eckford's wristshot from the left faceoff circle, but Lee deflected the rebound past Lerg, making the score 5-3.
The Spartans regained their three-goal lead four minutes later on Potter's fourth goal of the season. Potter pinched in from the point and took a diagonal pass from Kennedy near in the right faceoff circle. With a defender breaking towards the play, Potter faked a shot and waited for the defenseman to clear before finding a hole high glove side. Potter buried the wristshot to make the score 6-3 at the 4:43 mark of the period.
In need of a comeback, Alaska-Fairbanks started to work its way back into the game midway through the period on a Braden Wells goal. After a fierce battle in the corner for the puck, Wells escaped the corner and fired a quick slapshot on net. Lerg got a piece of the shot with his right shoulder, but the puck popped in the air and across the goal line, cutting the Spartan lead to 6-4 at 9:58 of the period.
Alaska-Fairbanks pulled its goalie with 2:44 remaining in the game, desperately looking to cut into the two-goal deficit. The Nanooks could not get any closer, as Miller completed his hat trick at 18:03, making the score 7-4 and securing MSU's spot in the CCHA Semifinals next weekend at Joe Louis Arena.
With the win, Michigan State advances to face Michigan on Friday night in the CCHA Semifinals at Joe Louis Arena. Face-off is set for 8 p.m.
