Michigan State University
6-18-3, 2-9-2-0B1G
Ohio State
15-8-6, 6-6-1-1B1G
Buckeyes Slip Past Spartans, 3-2
2/17/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
EAST LANSING - John Wiitala's goal 1:44 into the third period broke a 2-2 tie and gave 14th-ranked Ohio State a 3-2 win over the Michigan State hockey team on Friday night at Munn Ice Arena. Brennan Sanford had a goal and assist for the Spartans, who outshot the Buckeyes 35-26, but could not find the back of the net after the opening period.
"Overall, I was pretty happy with our play," MSU head coach Tom Anastos said. "I didn't like the way the game finished; I didn't like that we couldn't generate any real danger. It was a pretty even game throughout but they made more plays than we did."
The Spartans (6-18-3, 2-9-2) peppered Ohio State early, outshooting OSU, 8-1, in the opening five minutes and creating several chances around the net.
Despite the Spartans having a majority of the early offensive opportunities, it was the Buckeyes that scored first, just past the midway point of the opening period, on what originally was not ruled a goal on the ice. Dakota Joshua put a shot on net off a faceoff from the left circle that MSU goaltender John Lethemon turned away, but Joshua got to the rebound from behind the net and was able to jam it in just over the goal line.
Ruled no goal on the ice, the play was overturned upon official review.
The Spartans tied it up less than two minutes later at the 12:06 mark as Sanford got his second goal in the last four games.
With the puck in the right corner, Joe Cox fought off an OSU defenseman to get the puck and one-handed it to Thomas Ebbing. Ebbing flung the puck on net where goaltender Christian Frey deflected it to his right, allowing Sanford to pounce on the rebound and deposit it in the nearly open net.
OSU (15-8-6, 6-6-1-1) capitalized on a neutral zone turnover to reclaim the lead with 4:33 to play in the first. Tanner Laczynski was the beneficiary as he beat Lethemon with a shot from near the right circle.
MSU kept the Buckeyes from taking the lead into the locker room as Villiam Haag struck on the power play with 20 seconds to play in the period.
Following a pass to Jerad Rosburg at the left point, Haag got the puck right back and let a snap shot go from the top of the circle that beat Frey up high, hitting the crossbar and then bouncing into the net.
The Spartans' 16 shots in the first period tied for their most in an opening stanza this season.
"The only thing I didn't like about the first period was that we game up too many odd-man rushes and they ended up getting their second goal on a 2-on-1," Anastos said.
After combing for four goals in the first period, the two teams had fewer quality chances in the second. The Spartans outshot the Buckeyes, 13-7, but neither team had anything to show, sending the game to the third period all tied.
The Buckeyes had 1:40 of carryover power-play time to start the third and it looked like the Spartans would escape the nation's top-ranked power play unscathed. Unfortunately, for MSU, three seconds after the teams got back to even strength, a shot by Laczynski from the left circle took a bounce off Wiitala in front and skipped past Lethemon to put OSU in front, 3-2.
Michigan State had a pair of power play chances following the Buckeye go-ahead goal and appeared to tie the game with 4:47 to play in the third and when Sam Saliba tipped Mason Appleton's shot through the legs of Frey. The would-be-goal was immediately waved off due to a high stick and confirmed after a lengthy video review.
MSU had one more chance to tie the game as an OSU penalty with 1:46 to play gave the Spartans another power play. Despite Lethemon on the bench for the extra attacker, OSU was able to keep the Spartans from getting any quality chances.
The Spartans finished the game 1-for-5 on the man advantage and killed all three OSU power plays.
The Spartans and Buckeyes will meet again on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Munn.
