Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Knock Off UM, 3-2
11/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 13, 2009
Ann Arbor, Mich. - Michigan State extended its unbeaten streak to six games with a 3-2 victory over Michigan in Ann Arbor on Friday evening. The Spartans limited their hosts to just 19 shots on net, the game-winner from sophomore Daultan Leveille, and a pair of primary assists from blueliner Matt Crandell, who earned the game's first star. The victory snapped a six-game losing streak for MSU at the hands of its archrival.
Post-Game Audio: Head Coach Rick | Drew | Matt
"I'm proud of our effort tonight," noted head coach Rick Comley. "I'm proud of the way that we handled the emotion and the atmosphere, and stuck to our system and game plan. We're finding that we can play with any team in the country. We're still going to fight every night to gain back respect after a tough year last year, but there's no doubt whatsoever that we're happy with the efforts, and results."
Both teams brought a tremendous amount of energy into the opening minutes - both teams had a penalty on the board in the opening four minutes. The teams began to settle in after the five minute mark. With the Spartans pressing deep in the offensive zone, Michigan goalie Bryan Hogan went behind the net to play the puck and Dustin Gazley forced him to turn it over. An opportunistic Andrew Rowe corralled the loose puck and put it in off a defenseman, who was scrambling to cover an empty net.
Michigan's penalty kill was both aggressive and effective - it kept the Spartans off the board with a man advantage in their first three tries, including a 1:08 five-on-three in the opening period. Things settled down for both teams after the early part of the second, and fans were treated to an exciting hockey game that featured good chances at both ends.
The Wolverines got a tying goal at 12:54, when Lee Moffie took a fee from Matt Rust and wristed a puck through a screen and beat Palmisano blocker-side. The deadlock was short-lived, as just over three minutes later, Matt Crandell fed Corey Tropp in the neutral zone. Trop, carried the puck into the right circle and surprised Kampfer with a nice toe-drag move - he then threw a laser netward that froze the defender and beat Hogan over his right shoulder into the top right corner. That send the teams into the locker rooms for the second intermission with the visitors leading by a goal.
At the 1:05 mark of the final period, Michigan State extended its lead to 3-1 with a Daultan Leveille tally, his second of the season. Crandell fed Leveille in the neutral zone, and Leveille went in alone with a defenseman trailing. The centerman took the puck to the net, and was hauled down with a hook by the trailing defender. Leveille got the shot off, and the puck crossed the line through Hogan's five-hole right before Leveille crashed into the net. After a long review, the goal stood - and the Spartans had a two-goal lead.
Carl Hagelin pulled the home team within a goal at 12:07. Tristin Llewellyn fed Chris Brown the puck, and Brown got tied up with an MSU defender. Hagelin swooped in and poked the puck free, and then wristed a shot that beat Palmisano five-hole.
Michigan appeared to catch a break in the final minute, when Jeff Petry was whistled for a hook at 19:13 when he attempted to break up an odd-man rush. The Spartans did a good job of being disruptive down low, and blueliner Torey Krug came up with a big blocked shot - one of MSU's 18 on the night - in the waning seconds to break up a chance with Hogan pulled for a 6-on-4 advantage.
The teams were a combined 0-for-11 on the power play - MSU was denied in six chances, but extinguished all five Michigan extra-man chances. Both teams also killed off five-on-three opportunities.
The archrivals will face off again on Saturday night, this time in East Lansing. The puck drops at 7:05 pm.
NOTES: MSU extended the nation's second-longest unbeaten streak (5-0-1) ... Michigan State had last defeated Michigan on Feb. 22, 2008 at home (5-2) ... The last time MSU scored three goals in a game at Yost was Oct. 22, 2005, a 3-3 tie ...
Corey Tropp extended his national lead with his ninth goal of the season in the second period ... Blueliner Matt Crandell had the primary assist on MSU's second and third goals, his first multiple-point effort in his career ...
