Spartans Swept By Miami
11/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 15, 2008
Post-Game Audio:Rick
East Lansing, Mich - Michigan State's scoring woes continued on Saturday evening, as it fell to Miami, 3-1, at Munn Ice Arena. Corey Tropp had MSU's lone goal, as the Spartans fell to 4-6-0, 2-4-2-2 in CCHA play. Miami improves its first-place standing with a 6-3-3 record, 6-2-2-1 in conference games.
Tonight's contest was much different than the previous evening's penalty-filled affair; it featured end-to-end skating, a combined 20 minutes in penalties (compared to 94 the previous night), and good scoring chances at both ends.
Tim Crowder broke up a three-on-one break by Miami just past the ten minute mark of the second period.
The scoreless deadlock was broken at 15:09 of the middle period, when Justin Mercier's shot from the top of the left hash marks was saved by Lerg with his stick, but the puck ricocheted off of the blade and bounced into the back of the net.
Miami's lead was pushed to 2-0 at 9:40 in the final frame, when junior Brandon Smith shot the puck from the half-wall on the right side; Andy Meile was crashing the net and served as a screen for the defenseman in front as Smith's shot got through.
The Spartans refused to roll over, and kept pressuring aggressively. The work paid off at 11:49, when Corey Tropp's shot from the bottom of the left circle beat goalie Conner Knapp stick-side. It was Tropp's first goal of the season, and an assist went to Tim Crowder.
Michigan State pressed in the final minute, with Jeff Lerg on the bench in an effort to gain the equalizer; Carter Camper's empty-net goal. Lerg stopped 20 of the 22 shots he faced, while counterpart Knapp made 24 saves for the Red Hawks.
The Spartans will look to halt the streak next week when it travels to Nebraska-Omaha for a two-game set. It is the first two of five consecutive road games for the MSU icers, who will next play at home on Dec. 6 against archrival Michigan.
NOTES: Michigan State has scored just three goals in its last four games ... Michigan State has lost four consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 19-Feb. 1, 1991 when MSU dropped a game to Lake Superior, a series to Western Michigan, and a single game at Ferris State. This current streak features sweeps at the hands of clustermates Ohio State and Miami ... Two of Michigan State's losses in this stretch have been 3-1 affairs, with empty-net goals ... Miami has won four straight at Munn Ice Arena and in the series ... Tim Crowder's 99th career point came as an assist on Corey Tropp's third-period goal ... The tally was Tropp's first of the season, as he missed five early-season games ... Michigan State's power play continued to struggle, going 0-for-6 on Saturday and 0-for-14 on the weekend ...
