Neil’s Notebook: Apap, Spartans Edge NMU in Season Opener

Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communi

Neil’s Notebook: Apap, Spartans Edge NMU in Season Opener

10/12/2019 8:53:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey

By Neil Koepke
MSUSpartans.com staff writer

MARQUETTE – For a large portion of the game, Michigan State held a two-goal lead and had things going its way in the season opener against Northern Michigan.

For a stretch of 28 minutes and 38 seconds from 0:52 of the second period to 9:30 of the third, the Spartans nursed a 3-1 lead.

Then things got a little tense for MSU and the final 10 minutes turned out to be the most exciting part of the hockey game.

But the Spartans (1-0) answered the challenge presented by the Wildcats (0-1), including skating off a late power play, and held on for a 5-3 victory in the first game of a non-conference series at Berry Events Center.

Senior goalie John Lethemon had a stellar game with 28 saves and junior center Tommy Apap, known more for his defensive prowess, scored two goals to spark Michigan State's positive debut.

"That was fun for us. It's fun to get a team win like that. Everybody was going,'' said Apap, who scored two goals as a freshman and three last season. "Leth was unbelievable between the pipes, especially in the first period. He made some amazing saves throughout the game.''

What about his two-goal contribution, including his unassisted game-winner that gave MSU a 4-2 lead with 8:49 left in the game?

"It feels good to score once in a while. I don't do it a whole lot so it feels really good,'' Apap said. "Brody Stevens made a good play on the first one. He took it to the net and had a great shot. It was kind of right place at the right time for me tonight.''

On his second goal, NMU goalie Nolan Kent left the puck behind the net for a defenseman but Apap swooped in, headed out front and got some good puck-luck.

"I was trying to pass it to Gino (Gianluca Esteves) who was wide open in front and I got a lucky bounce. I think it hit (the goalie's) stick and went in,'' Apap said. "I think the goalie just left the puck and didn't know his defenseman wasn't there. I got it and tried to move it quick.''

Apap, a 6-foot-2, 208-pounder from Bloomfield Hills, wasn't done making an impact.

After NMU cut MSU's lead to 4-3 just 28 seconds after Apap's goal, the Wildcats had a great opportunity to tie it as MSU's Logan Lambdin was called for kneeing at 15:41.

Apap and Stevens headed out with defensemen Tommy Miller and Butrus Ghafari to kill the penalty. The Wildcats kept the puck in the zone for 1 minute and 48 seconds, moving the puck around and retrieving blocked and missed shots, but the Spartans got in the shooting lanes, scrambled and kept NMU from getting clear shots.

Finally, with Kent pulled for a sixth attacker, Mitchell Lewandowski cleared the puck out of the MSU zone and Stevens raced down the left wing to gain possession along the boards, drove to the empty net and scored with 35.3 seconds left make it 5-3 and seal a successful night.

"Sometimes you can't just clear the puck, and on the big ice (surface) you don't want to get out of position because if you do, they'll just thread the needle,'' Apap said. "We were trying to stay calm and get in the shooting lanes. (Ghafari) had a huge block and we battled hard right in front.''

The Spartans will to sweep the series when they meet the Wildcats at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Berry Events Center.

"Tommy's been good – key goals, key faceoffs and blocked shots on the penalty kill. That's a big-time effort,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "We're going to need that. I liked his confidence with the puck and taking it to the net. A lot of our guys have done a lot of work (in the off season and in training camp) and it showed up in this game.''

MSU also got goals from a pair of sophomore defensemen on first-period power plays – by Cole Krygier at 5:31 and Dennis Cesana at 19:05. Freshman forwards Josh Nodler and Jagger Joshua earned their first collegiate points when they assisted on Krygier's goal, while Lambdin, with a nifty pass from behind the net and into the slot, and Patrick Khodorenko assisted on Cesana's goal.

MSU's top line of Khodorenko, Lewandowski and freshman Nicolas Müller was held to two assists and five shots on goal, but played well and were a threat.

"They had plenty of chances. Their timing will get there, and sometimes certain parts of your game are just behind,'' Cole said of the KLM line. "Their line was fine.''

Khodorenko and Muller were on the ice with Lambdin and set up Cesana's power-play goal in the last minute of the first period. Lewandowski was banged up and missed that shift.

Defenseman Hank Sorenson (power play), forward Vincent de Mey (power play) and Grand Loven scored for Northern Michigan. Kent, a sophomore making his first career start, made 16 saves.

Lethemon stopped 27 shots, including 13 in the hectic third period.

"He looked good. He was like we were a team overall. It wasn't perfect but he battled and hung in there when the game was on the line','' Cole said of Lethemon. "He kept us in there. We had a nice (3-1) lead after two periods because made a big save on their big guy (senior defenseman Philip) Beaulieu.''

All in all, Cole like what he saw from the Spartans in a physical, tough outing in front of a standing-room crowd of 4,043.

"I just thought we battled hard. It's early and there was some rust and timing things, but hopefully we'll be better tomorrow,'' he said. "We were in a hostile environment on the road and it would have been easy to lose our cool.

"That's the game of hockey. There are going to be times where you going have to battle, when it's ugly and pucks are bouncing. Northern is going to play really hard tomorrow and we have to be ready to battle.

"A job half-done is not done. They'll be better, we'll be better – a great building, a great crowd and a lot of fun.''

LETHEMON IN SYNC: Goalie John Lethemon looked cool, calm, collected and extremely sharp in a 27-save performance that played a major role in the Spartans' season-opening victory.

"I felt really good. I'm proud of the guys and the way we stuck with it and found a way to win,'' said Lethemon, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior from Northville. "There were some mistakes and miscommunications but that happens. But it shows how resilient this group is. We didn't get frazzled or rattled.

"I've felt phenomenal all preseason. I was just excited to get out there. Northern made some good plays in the third period. I left a rebound for them and I'd like that back for sure. But that didn't faze me and didn't faze our team.''

Lethemon made a brilliant save on what looked like a sure goal by NMU standout defenseman Philip Beaulieu late in the second period with the Wildcats on a power play. Beaulieu, a senior and a NCAA West All-America candidate, beat two Spartan defenders and broke in alone only to be robbed by Lethemon, who moved to his left to make a clutch glove save.

Instead of the Wildcats making it 3-2, the Spartans closed out the second period with a 3-1 lead.

Four of the first five goals in the game came on power plays. Each team went 2-for-5 with a man advantage. Both of NMU's power-plays goals came on shots from the top of the left circle. When it counted, the Spartans' penalty killers delivered.

"I thought our penalty killing was very good. They did a good job of keeping it to the outside and they were sacrificing their bodies to block shots,'' Lethemon said. "I liked our compete (level) and we did a good job of staying out their (aggressive) stuff. We did a good job of not buying into it.''

SCORING TOUCH: Defenseman Cole Krygier matched his goal total from his freshman year just 5:31 into the first period when his shot from the top of the right circle beat NMU goalie Nolan Kent on a power play.

Krygier had one goal and four assists in 26 games last season. On Monday, Krygier scored in the third period of MSU's 6-1 exhibition over Western Ontario.

"I haven't scored much in the last couple years and getting that one was a good start, deflating their crowd right away,'' said Krygier, a 6-3, 188-pound sophomore from Novi. "They had some good chances and we battled back and forth.

"As a team, I think we're older and more experienced. Every guy is doing a lot better. Last year, we were working on a new system, and this year its different. I think I've gotten stronger – not so much putting on weight but physical and flexibility wise.''

Krygier is paired with his twin brother, Christian, and they're getting time on the second power play. All in all, there's more responsibility this year.

"Coach has given us a lot of confidence to go do our thing,'' Cole said. "The biggest thing is moving the puck more and being more comfortable with the pace.''

FRESHMEN MAKE AN IMPACT: It didn't take long for rookie forwards Josh Nodler, Jagger Joshua and Nicolas Müller to make their presence felt.

Nodler and Joshua assisted on Cole Krygier's power-play goal at 5:31 of the first period for their first points as Spartans. Muller was on the ice for Dennis Cesana's power-play goal at 19:05 and was originally credited with an assist but it was later changed to Patrick Khodorenko.

"That's a great way to get off the mark with those guys, and they'll just keep learning and getting better,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said.

The freshmen combined for four shots on goal. Nodler centers a line with Joshua on left wing and senior co-captain Sam Saliba on the right side. Muller is on right wing with center Patrick Khodorenko and left wing Mitchell Lewandowski.

IN THE BIG TEN: Notre Dame and Penn State joined Michigan State in opening the season with victories. Michigan and Ohio State tied and Wisconsin and Minnesota lost.

The No. 8/9 Fighting Irish edged Air Force, 4-3 and the No. 13/10 Nittany Lions rolled past Sacred Heart, 8-2. Junior defenseman Cole Hults scored three goals for Penn State.

No. 12/14 Ohio State and No. 14/12 Western Michigan played to a 2-2 tie in the first game of the Ice Breaker Tournament in Toledo. The Buckeyes won the shootout 2-0 to advance to Saturday's title game against RIT, which defeated Bowling Green 3-2 in overtime.

Michigan and No. 11/11 Clarkson played to a 1-1 tie in Ann Arbor.

Meanwhile, No. 16/15 Wisconsin lost at No. 10/6 Boston College, 5-3. Freshman Cole Caufield had two goals for the Badgers.

Minnesota held a 1-0 lead after two periods at Colorado College but the Tigers rallied in the third period, outscoring the Gophers 3-1 to earn a 3-2 victory. Colorado College tied the game 2-2 at 11:13 and went up 3-2 at 15:14.

In other Saturday games, Air Force is at Notre Dame, Penn State plays host to Sacred Heart, Michigan is home against Clarkson, Minnesota is at Colorado College and Wisconsin stays in the Boston area to play Merrimack.