Michigan State University
7-18-2, 3-8-0-0B1G
Michigan
16-4-4, 7-2-2-1B1G
Spartans Top Michigan in OT at the Joe, 3-2
2/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
DETROIT - Matt DeBlouw's goal 3:29 into overtime gave the Michigan State hockey team a 3-2 win over No. 5 Michigan on Friday night at a sold-out Joe Louis Arena. Joe Cox scored twice for the Spartans while Jake Hildebrand made 40 saves as the Spartans captured the newly created "Iron D" Trophy, which goes to the winner of the annual game in Detroit between MSU and U-M.
"I thought it was a heck of a game. From start to finish it really had everything," said MSU head coach Tom Anastos. "I thought our seniors stepped up and guys are elevating their games. Obviously, they are a really good team, so it was good to see the puck go in the net."
Michigan's Joseph Cecconi was called for slashing 2:28 into overtime, giving the Spartans their sixth power-play of the night and setting up the ensuing game-winning goal. The Spartans were able to eventually settle down in the U-M zone on the man-advantage where Travis Walsh and Villiam Haag set up DeBlouw for the winner.
Walsh dropped the puck for Haag just inside the U-M blue line on the left side. Haag made a nice move as he cut to the center and dished a perfect pass to DeBlouw, who was positioned near the right circle. DeBlouw hammered the puck past U-M goaltender Steve Racine to give the Spartans a 3-2 win.
With the game 1-1, the Spartans nearly took the lead two minutes into the third period on a shot by Michael Ferrantino that got past an out of position Racine and trickled toward the goal line. The entire puck nearly crossed the line before it was swept away by a U-M defenseman.
The officials reviewed the play after a stoppage and after a lengthy look, determined the entire puck did not cross the goal line.
"We didn't let that bother us. We just stuck to our game plan and kept playing hard and I think it paid off for us," said Cox.
Michigan took its first lead of the game with 10:57 to play in the third when Tyler Motte scored his second of the night. JT Compher got the puck to Motte who was alone in front and wristed the puck past Hildebrand.
The Spartans responded less than five minutes later knot the game as Cox got his second of the night.
John Draeger kept the puck in the U-M zone with a nice play along the right wall, getting it to Mackenzie MacEachern behind the net. MacEachern then found Cox in front who snapped the puck past Racine for his second of the game.
After a scoreless first period with quality, even-strength and power-play chances on both sides, the Spartans finally got the game's first goal -- on a penalty shot while shorthanded.
Thomas Ebbing started the play from the Spartan blue line when he banked a pass off the boards that Cox got to and then raced into the U-M zone where he was hooked by Wolverine defenseman Zach Werenski.
The officials immediately awarded Cox a penalty shot where he deked and then slipped the puck through Racine's legs for a 1-0 Spartan lead.
Special teams factored into the Wolverines' tying goal as Motte scored on a breakaway immediately after coming out of the penalty box to knot the game with 3:07 to play in the second period. The play started when the Wolverines cleared the puck around the boards and out of the zone where it slid directly to Motte as he exited the penalty box.
The Spartans outshot the Wolverines 5-0 in the overtime session, while U-M finished with a 42-41 edge for the game.
MSU finished with 24 blocked shots.
The Spartans and Wolverines will meet again on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena.
