Spartans Fall In Final Minutes at Ferris, 2-1

Feb. 13, 2007

Big Rapids, Mich. - Michigan State's nations-best nine-game unbeaten streak came to an end on Tuesday night, falling at Ferris State, 2-1, on a goal with 87 seconds remaining by Adam Miller. The Spartans, playing their third game in five days, got 28 saves from Jeff Lerg in the loss, falling to 18-9-3. Ferris improves to 10-19-3.

Ferris State got the game-winner with 1:27 remaining in regulation, after an extended shift for the Tim Crowder-Justin Abdelkader-Tim Kennedy line that saw the trio generate good chances, but junior goalie Derek Macintyre was up to the challenge. On the rush the other way, Adam Miller got a nice cross-slot feed from linemate Zac Pearson on the right half-wall, and beat Jeff Lerg stick-side for the go-ahead tally.

The host Bulldogs jumped on the board just under eight minutes into the game, convering on a three-on-one chance. Winger Blair Riley found Aaron Lewicki on the left side, and his wrister beat fellow Livonia native Jeff Lerg low, short-side for the centerman's sixth goal of the season.

The Spartans had back-to-back power play chances right after the halfway point of the middle period, and cashed in at the 12:37 mark to knot the score at one. Skating with an all-forward unit on the man advantage, Abdelkader found Crowder in the left circle, who beat Macintyre for his 11th goal of the season.

The Spartans pushed late, but were consistently frustrated by the Bulldogs. MSU killed two penalties in the final 10 minutes of the period, keeping its key players on the ice for extended shifts to kill the penalties.

MSU will be in action again this weekend, engaging in a home-and-home with Western Michigan. Friday's game in Kalamazoo, which will be aired on Comcast, begins at 7:35.

NOTES: Justin Abdelkader has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in the ten games since returning from the World Junior Championships ... The Spartans are 6-0-1 when Tim Crowder scores a goal. He found the back of the net for the first time since the Jan. 13 game against Alaska ... Bryan Lerg's six-game goal scoring streak came to an end ... The penalty kill has extinguished 47 of its last 50 chances against ... The power play converted on one of four chances ... The Spartans netted six power play goals in the four games against Ferris this season ... Jeff Lerg has held opponents to two or fewer goals in 11 of his last 15 games.