Michigan State University
5-15-2, 1-5-0-0B1G
Michigan
13-3-3, 4-1-1-1B1G
Spartans Fall at Michigan
1/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
EAST LANSING - The Michigan State hockey team dropped its second game of a home-and-home series with No. 8 Michigan on Saturday night, falling 6-3 to the Wolverines at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor.
Michigan (13-3-3, 4-1-1-1) used five consecutive goals, including four in the second period, to erase an early deficit and take command of the game.
Dylan Pavelek scored his first-career goal for MSU (5-15-2, 1-4), while defensemen Carson Gatt and John Draeger both recorded a pair of assists.
"Obviously, we're disappointed with the results," said MSU head coach Tom Anastos. "But where we are with our game, we have to build. There are some positives to take away...I liked our compete-level; I liked our one-on-one intensity throughout the game, all over the rink; I liked to see a couple guys step into the lineup and show some game."
Pavelek gave MSU what turned out to be its only lead of the night 4:27 into the first period. The sophomore took a feed from Matt DeBlouw while crossing through the neutral zone allowing him to elude the U-M defensemen and go in free on goaltender Steve Racine. Pavelek took advantage and snapped the puck high over Racine's glove.
Michigan knotted it up with 1:23 to play in the first when Dexter Dancs put home a pass from Max Shuart in front of the net.
The Spartans started the second period shorthanded but were able to produce one of their best scoring chances of the night when Thomas Ebbing forced a turnover and skated in alone on Racine. Ebbing's shot got a piece of the goaltender and bounced off the post and was cleared away before he could find the rebound.
The tide turned in U-M's favor just over a minute later when the Wolverines scored on the power play and then added another 46 seconds later to take a 3-1 lead.
Cooper Marody punched home a rebound from the left side for the first of the two goals and then Michael Downing's shot from the point got through a sea of bodies in front and past Jake Hildebrand.
Zach Werenski pushed Michigan's lead to 4-1 with another power-play goal at 8:09 of the second and Tyler Motte made it 5-1 just over three minutes later with a forehand chip shot while driving to the net.
The Spartans fought back with two consecutive goals to end the period to make it 5-3 game.
Villiam Haag got the first of two straight for the Spartans when he took a pass from Gatt and spun out of the left corner, firing the puck past Racine.
MSU pulled within two when Michael Ferrantino snapped the puck upstairs from the left corner on during a 5-on-3 man-advantage with 39 seconds to play in the middle period.
The Spartans' offensive pushback continued early in the third with a pair of good chances on an early power play, but neither were able to find the back of the net.
With Hildebrand on the bench for an extra attacker, U-M's Kyle Connor sealed the game with an empty-net goal with 2:22 to play.
MSU finished the game 1-for-5 on the power play, while Michigan went 2-for-3.
"I wasn't happy with some of the penalties we took tonight because I thought that gave them momentum," said Anastos.
Hildebrand finished the game with 35 saves.
"Overall, we're very disappointed we didn't get out of here with a win," said Anastos. "Yet, where we are, we have to build some game and I thought we took some steps tonight to do that."
The Spartans travel to Minnesota for a pair of games next weekend.
