Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
4-12-1, 0-3-0-0B1G
Wisconsin
9-7-1, 2-1-0-0B1G
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
Wisconsin Tops Spartans in Weekend Opener
1/7/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
MADISON, Wisconsin - A pair of first-period goals gave the Wisconsin Badgers some early momentum and it proved to be enough in a 5-1 win over the Michigan State hockey team on Friday night at the Kohl Center in Madison.
Villiam Haag scored the lone goal for the Spartans (4-12-1, 0-3).
The first of Wisconsin's two goals in a four-minute span came 2:21 into the game. After MSU goaltender Ed Minney made the initial stop on a shot from the left side, Jason Ford drove to the net and pushed home the rebound at the top of the crease.
Cameron Hughes bumped the Badger lead to 2-0 exactly four minutes later when he snapped a shot past Minney off the rush from the right circle.
"I didn't think we came with any jump right from the beginning," MSU head coach Tom Anastos said. "They got those early goals and built their momentum."
Haag responded for the Spartans at the 7:21 mark, taking a feed from Patrick Khodorenko in the high slot and snapping the puck over UW goaltender Jack Berry's shoulder to make it 2-1.
Logan Lambdin also picked up an assist on the goal.
The momentum nearly swung in the Spartans' favor in the second period, but instead of cutting the deficit to a goal, the Badgers scored shorthanded to make it a 4-1 game.
Seconds after Joe Cox came within an inch of making the score 3-2 with a wrist shot that rang off the far post while on the power play, Wisconsin turned the play around and rushed up ice into the Spartan end. An odd-man rush left a loose puck in the crease and Jake Linhart charged in and knocked the rebound past Minney with 12:57 to play in the second.
The Spartans generated more scoring chances in the third period, but each time came away empty. Mason Appleton had one of the best chances of the period -- a wrist shot off the crossbar near the seven-minute mark of the third, marking the fourth time on the night the Spartans drew iron.
"There were opportunities and we didn't take advantage of any of them - they all went the other way," Anastos said. "They earned that, we didn't."
Max Zimmer capped the scoring at the 10:52 mark of the third.
Michigan State finished the game 0-for-4 on the man-advantage, while Wisconsin converted on 1-of-4 chances.
UW finished with a 36-26 advantage in shots on goal.
The Spartans and Badgers will meet again on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.
