Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
2-2-0
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Western Michigan
3-3-1
Spartans Fall at Western Michigan, 3-1
10/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
KALAMAZOO - The Michigan State hockey team's bid for a weekend sweep of Western Michigan came up short as the Broncos topped the Spartans, 3-1, on Saturday night at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo. MSU goaltender John Lethemon tied a career high with 35 saves, helping the Spartans stay within reach all night.
"I liked the way our guys battled and the way they held together," said MSU head coach Danton Cole. "Our goaltending was really good and we had some chances."
Western Michigan got the only goal of the first period at the 11:51 mark courtesy of a rising shot from the left circle by Hugh McGing.
The Spartans nearly tied the game in the latter stages of the first period off a 3-on-1, but the puck jumped off the stick of a wide open Cody Milan.
The Spartans kept it a one-goal game in the second period courtesy of strong penalty killing and the goaltending of Lethemon. The sophomore goaltender turned away all 16 shots in the stanza while the Spartans extinguished a pair of WMU power plays.
Michigan State got its first chance on the power play since the opening period early in the third and took advantage. Taro Hirose got the puck to Carson Gatt at the left point, who found and open Patrick Khodorenko in the right slot. Khodorenko one-timed Gatt's pass past WMU goaltender Ben Blacker to knot the game, 1-1.
Unfortunately the game stayed tied for just 1:52 as WMU's Josh Passolt snuck a backhand past Lethemon from the left side.
The Spartans had a prime opportunity to tie the game again with 1:13 of a 5-on-3 power play at the midway point of the third, but the Broncos stymied every MSU chance to hang on their slim lead.
An empty-net goal with 36 seconds to go put the game away for WMU.
WMU finished with a 38-16 advantage in shots on goal.
"John was great. He made saves and battled like the rest of our team tonight," said Cole.
The Spartans will be at home for a pair of games next weekend as they host Lake Superior State on Friday and Saturday at Munn.
