Michigan State University
5-16-2, 1-6-0-0B1G
Minnesota
10-10-0, 5-2-0-0B1G
Spartans Toppled at Minnesota
1/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota - The Michigan State hockey team fell to Minnesota, 5-2, on Friday night in the first of two games between the teams this weekend at Mariucci Arena. Connor Wood scored his first-career goal for the Spartans, while Hudson Fasching scored twice to lead the Gophers.
The Gophers (10-10, 5-2) opened the scoring 21 seconds into the first period as Justin Kloos got open in the low slot and snapped a shot past Spartan netminder Jake Hildebrand.
Hildebrand kept the deficit at just a goal with a spectacular save later in the period, stoning Fasching's one-on-one deke at the top of the crease.
The Spartans (5-16-2, 1-6) nearly pulled even while shorthanded less than a minute into the second period when Matt DeBlouw and Travis Walsh teamed up to get John Draeger the puck all alone on Minnesota goaltender Eric Schierhorn. Draeger faked left and went to his right, but Schierhorn waited him out and was able to get his glove on the puck near the right post.
Rather than a tie game, the Gophers were able to up their lead to 3-0 with two goals in a 3:42 span.
Fashcing made it 2-0 at the 2:16 mark when he collected the puck to Hildebrand's right, curled in front and slid it along the ice past the goaltender.
Jake Bischoff made it 3-0 3:42 later when his shot from the top of the left circle got through and into the net.
In addition to Draeger's attempt, the Spartans had several other quality scoring chances in the second period. Twice the Spartans hit the post on shots by Mackenzie MacEachern and Zach Osburn, respectively. Later, DeBlouw had a clean breakaway on Schierhorn, but fired the puck high.
Fasching poked in a loose puck at the 11:36 mark of the third for his second of the game to give the Gophers a 4-0 lead.
The Spartans got on the board 53 seconds after the Fasching goal when Wood's wrister from the high slot beat Schierhorn low on the glove side.
Walsh and Carson Gatt both picked up assists on the goal.
"It was nice to finally get a bounce, but we need to play better and have a better effort tomorrow," Wood said.
While Wood may have finally gotten a bounce on the offensive end, luck didn't stay on MSU's side for long as 44 seconds after making it 4-1, the Gophers got their fifth goal of the night with a ricochet off Villiam Haag's leg. Ryan Norman was credited with the goal as he was the last Gopher to touch the puck before it bounced off Haag's pants and into the net.
Haag was able to get the goal back for MSU, however, as he scored to make it 5-2 with 2:31 to play. Haag snapped the puck past Schierhorn from the slot for his second goal in as many games.
MSU finished the game 0-for-5 on the power play, while Minnesota went 0-for-2.
The Spartans and Gophers will meet again on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
