Michigan State University
Alaska-Fairbanks
Kennedy's Overtime Tally Propels Spartans, 3-2
1/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 12, 2007
East Lansing - Michigan State sophomores Justin Abdelkader and Tim Kennedy came up with timely goals in the final 12 minutes of the game to propel the Spartans to their second come-from-behind victory in as many games, a 3-2 overtime win over visiting Alaska at Munn Ice Arena. Abdelkader's goal tied the game midway through the third period, while Kennedy's tally came at the 2:04 mark of the extra frame and sparked a post-game scuffle which will find four players in street clothes for Saturday's rematch. MSU has six of its last seven games to improve to 13-8-1 and 9-6-1 in the CCHA, while Alaska drops its sixth consecutive contest and falls to 7-10-4, 5-7-3 CCHA.
A scrum in front of the Alaska net led to a skirmish that left the Spartans down a man for the final 13 seconds of regulation and for the start of the overtime period. As that penalty expired, the Spartans moved into the offensive zone to set up a play; Bryan Lerg got the puck to Jim McKenzie on the half-wall on the right side. With two defenders collapsing on the winger, Kennedy swooped into the scrum and emerged with the puck. Moving into the high slot and looking for white jerseys, Kennedy lifted a wrister that caromed off goaltender Wylie Rogers and into the back of the net for the overtime victory.
"Emotionally, it's a big win," admitted head coach Rick Comley. "I thought it was a struggle all night. I thought our top guys didn't have top games, and Alaska had a lot to do with that because they're so big and strong.
"As for Kennedy's game-winner, He's our best player and we need him to come through at a time like that."
A massive scuffle involving at least half of both rosters emerged during the post-game handshake, which eventually led to the assessment of game disqualifications for four players: Michigan State's Brandon Gentile and Chris Lawrence and Alaska's TJ Campbell and Ryan Muspratt. All four will miss Saturday's tilt.
Chris Mueller opened the scoring for Michigan State at 3:45. The centerman had missed off the crossbar on an attempt less than a minute prior, and broke into the zone with winger Tyler Howells with the Alaska defenders in hot pursuit. Mueller buried this attempt off a feed from Howells over the glove hand of Alaska netminder Wylie Rogers. It was his third point in two games.
Alaska gained the equalizer at the 13:22 mark. Winger Aaron Lee carried the puck up the right wall to the top of the circle, and fired a pass across the high slot to Tyler Eckford. Eckford's offering was stopped on a kick-save by Jeff Lerg, but the puck caromed backwards into the lower left corner of the net for the blueliner's fifth of the season.
The second period featured lengthy stretches of play without a stoppage and quality end-to-end action, but not an overabundance of scoring chances - Alaska held a 4-1 advantage in shots on goal with five minutes remaining in the period, and finished with a 6-3 advantage at the end of the scoreless frame.
The visiting Nanooks took a lead at the 3:47 mark of the final period. Curtis Fraser was credited with the tally when he redirected a rebound over a sprawling Jeff Lerg. Nathan Fornataro and Kyle Greentree were credited with the assists. Alaska had a chance to extend the lead on a four-on-one break minutes later, but Jeff Lerg made the big right-pad save on Lucas Burnett to keep the deficit at 2-1.
Abdelkader celebrated his return to the Spartan lineup with a goal at 10:44 which knotted the game at two. With MSU on the power play, Kennedy picked up the puck behind the net off a feed from Ethan Graham. He threw the puck in front to Abdelkader, who backhanded the puck over the glove hand of Rogers for his sixth of the season.
Jeff Lerg made 26 saves in the victory, while Rogers made 22 at the other end.
The teams face off tomorrow in a game that will be aired on Comcast. The puck drops at 7:05 pm.
Notes: Head coach Rick Comley was recognized for his 700th career victory - achieved in the Spartans' come-from-behind victory over Miami last Friday - in a pregame ceremony ... MSU had its second consecutive come-from-behind victory. The Spartans trailed 1-0 entering the third frame last Saturday ... MSU is 7-1-1 at home and has won four of its last five CCHA contests ... The Spartans played just their second overtime game of the season. Last year, Michigan State had played seven extra periods by mid-January en route to a school-record 12 ... Alaska's goal by Curtis Fraser in the final frame is the first goal that MSU has allowed in the last six third periods, other than an empty netter last Friday at Miami ... Bryan Lerg extended his career-best point streak to nine games (6-7-13) with his assist on the game-winner. He is tied for second in the country with four game-winning goals, and he has assisted on four others ... Tim Kennedy now has six points in the last six games (1-5-6), the only hiccup was being held scoreless in last Friday's loss to the RedHawks. His game-winner was his first goal in seven games ... Michigan State is now 7-0-0 when Chris Mueller scores a goal.
