Michigan State University
Lake Superior State
Three-Goal Second Period Sinks Spartans
10/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
EAST LANSING - The Michigan State hockey team dropped its home opener on Thursday night, falling to Lake Superior State, 4-2, at Munn Ice Arena. The Lakers (2-3) used three second-period goals to erase a 1-0 MSU lead and added an empty-net goal in the final minute. Mackenzie MacEachern's goal 2:18 into the third period made it a 3-2 game, but the Spartans (1-3-1) weren't able to get the equalizer.
"I thought Lake Superior played a good game, executed their game plan and we didn't," said MSU head coach Tom Anastos. "I'm very disappointed in our performance."
With MSU leading 1-0 entering the second period, Lake Superior scored three goals in just over eight minutes to claim a lead it would not relinquish.
J.T. Henke, who finished with two points, got the first Laker goal 4:40 into the second period, scoring off a turnover deep in the MSU end.
After killing their first penalty of the night, the Spartans had a chance to retake the lead when Eric Drapluk slashed Joe Cox on a breakaway attempt, prompting the referees to award a penalty shot. Cox took the penalty shot but was stopped by LSSU's Gordon Defiel, keeping it 1-1.
The Lakers then grabbed a 2-1 lead with a short-handed goal by Bryce Schmitt off an odd-man rush just before the midway point of the second period.
C.J. Hayes and Henke teamed up to make it 3-1 less than three minutes later, again it was a turnover in the neutral zone that led to the LSSU goal. The goal came off a centering pass by Hayes from the left side as the puck bounced in off a pair of Spartans in front.
The Spartans came back to make it a one-goal game 2:18 into the third when MacEachern tucked in a redirect pass from Michael Ferrantino. Ferrantino directed it to MacEachern near the right side of the crease where he touched the puck past an outstretched Defiel.
The Spartans outshot the Lakers, 10-6, in the final period and pulled Hildebrand in the closing minutes for an extra attacker, but couldn't find the back of the net to tie the game.
LSSU's Gage Torrel made it 4-2 with an empty-net goal with 56 seconds to play.
MSU finished with a 31-23 edge in shots on goal.
John Draeger gave MSU a 1-0 lead with 2:09 to play in the opening period.
MacEachern took the puck from Mason Appleton and curled back toward the middle from the right circle and fed Draeger with a perfect pass in the high slot. The senior defenseman wasted no time and wristed the puck over the glove hand of Defiel.
Mason Appleton finished the game with two assists, giving him a team-high five on the season.
The two teams will meet again on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena.
"Tomorrow we have to go and learn from our experience tonight and come ready to play," said Anastos.
