Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
5-16-2, 1-7-1-0B1G
Wisconsin
14-8-1, 7-2-0-0B1G
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Michigan State | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Wisconsin Uses Quick Start to Get Past Spartans
2/3/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
EAST LANSING - A three-goal first period helped 18th-ranked Wisconsin defeat the Michigan State hockey team, 6-3, on Friday night at Munn Ice Arena. Patrick Khodorenko scored twice for the Spartans, who outshot the Badgers by an 18-8 margin over the final two periods and rallied with two goals in the third, but could not fight all the way back.
"Turnovers were the cause of the result of the game," MSU head coach Tom Anastos said. "We gave goals up way too easily because we gave them pointblank, grade-A chances as a result of turnovers."
Trent Frederic got the scoring started, taking a feed from Jake Linhart in the neutral zone and racing down the center of the ice where he let a wrist shot go from the top of the slot that went in just inside the left post.
Just over three minutes later, Luke Kunin picked up a loose puck, entered the MSU zone down the left side and slipped the puck past Ed Minney.
A 5-minute major penalty to Taro Hirose aided the Badgers (14-8-1, 7-2) in extending their lead to 3-0 as Will Johnson's shot from the left circle skidded in under Minney's pads with 4:55 left in the opening period.
The Badgers' Aiden Cavallini pushed the UW lead to 4-0 just over six minutes into the second period.
Despite stringing together several good scoring chances, the Spartans (5-16-2, 1-7-1) were never able to gain momentum in the game. They eventually broke through at the 7:01 mark of the second when Khodorenko scored unassisted.
Khodorenko took the puck from a UW defenseman at the Badger blue line and headed up ice on a 2-on-1 with Logan Lambdin. Khodorenko let a shot go from the right circle that beat goaltender Jack Berry up high.
Ryan Wagner made it 5-1 midway through the second before the Spartan rally in the third period.
A takeaway by Villiam Haag in the UW zone helped get Khodorenko his second of the night, making it 5-2 midway through the third period. Khodorenko took the puck on the left side and sent a shot from the bottom of the circle that bounced off Berry. The rebound came back to Khodorenko, who then banked the puck in from below the goal line.
Sam Saliba made it 5-3 less than three minutes later, scoring his third goal of the season with a snap shot from the high slot.
Brennan Sanford and Carson Gatt both picked up assists on the goal, which extended Saliba's point streak to four games.
The Spartans were unable to pull any closer and Frederic put the game away with an empty-netter with 12 seconds to play.
John Lethemon took over for Minney to start the second period, getting his first action since Dec. 30.
"I made the goaltending change not because I was so unhappy with Ed, but just to try and create change," Anastos said. "As a team, we didn't help either one of our goalies tonight."
MSU went 0-for-2 on the power play, while Wisconsin went 1-for-4. MSU finished with 23-18 edge in shots on goal.
The Spartans and Badgers will meet again on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Munn.
