Michigan State University Athletics
Neil’s Notebook: No. 4 Cornell Gets Past Spartans
11/3/2019 9:25:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
By Neil Koepke
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
EAST LANSING – For the first time this season, Michigan State failed to salvage a split in a non-conference series.
The Spartans on Saturday played an OK first period – not great but not bad – but their quest for a victory over Cornell was doomed in the second period.
Mistakes were made and the No. 4/5-ranked Big Red feasted, scoring three goals, building a 4-0 lead and cruising to a 6-2 victory and series sweep of the Spartans in front of 5,752 fans at Munn Arena.
"Cornell came in and executed their game play pretty well – a lot better than we did,'' Spartans senior forward and co-captain Sam Saliba said. "I liked our first period. We were battling to what we wanted to get done, whereas we were loose in those areas on Friday – in terms of puck management.
"In the second period, we lacked puck support. They outnumbered us all over the ice. In the second half (of the game), we needed to outnumber them and we didn't.''
The Spartans (2-4) held Cornell (2-0) in check for most of the first period, limiting the visitors to two shots on goal through the first 15 minutes. But the Big Red took advantage of a power play, starting at 14:15, and scored on their third shot of the period – by Tristan Mullin – to take a 1-0 lead and change the momentum of the game.
"I thought we did a good job in the first period. We played hard and with a couple of adjustments we made, we were doing all right,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "But we couldn't get anything from it and then we find ourselves down 1-0.
"In the second period, we made a few mistakes and all of a sudden, it's 4-0. Good teams can do that you.''
Michigan State had few quality scoring chances in the middle period and watched Cornell capitalize with goals at 7:31 (Liam Motley), 16:09 (Michael Regush) and 17:54 (Morgan Barron) to build a 4-0 lead.
"I think we did some decent things but that's a good team and they'll make you pay and they did tonight,'' Cole said. "In the third period, we got a couple (of goals) which was good. We talked about just keep playing our game and keep building and learning.
"You never know. Last year we had a couple times when we were down and came back. It was nice to see that. Our guys didn't quit on it and we won't on Monday. We'll rest up and get back to work and figure out some things from here."
After giving up a power-play goal early in the third period, MSU took advantage of back-to-back Cornell penalties to scored two goals – both by freshmen - and trim its deficit to 5-2.
Josh Nodler scored his first collegiate goal when his one-timer from just outside the left circle beat Cornell goalie Matthew Galajda at 6:47. Less than three minutes later, Nico Muller deflected defenseman Tommy Miller's shot from the point past Galajda at 9:06. Miller also set up Nodler's goal with a perfect pass.
But MSU's bid for a major comeback was derailed when Spartans took three consecutive penalties at 9:17, 11:43 and 13:43. And Cornell scored its third power-play goal by defenseman Sam Malinski at 13:10 for a 6-2 lead.
Untimely penalties hurt the Spartans on Friday in their 3-2 loss to the Big Red and they also impacted Saturday's game.
"It's up to us to figure out how to get better and keep that game closer, like we did on Friday night and give ourselves a chance,'' Cole said. "But staying out of the box is something we have to do.
"We're still learning. We have to play better than well to win. We need winning goaltending, defense and forwards play and special teams. Things have to be right on.
"It's a hard game and it teaches you some cruel lessons and tonight it did.''
Cornell was 3-for-6 on the power play while Michigan State converted two of five opportunities.
Galajda made only 19 saves while MSU goalie Drew DeRidder made 13 saves and gave up four goals in 37 minutes and 54 seconds of action before being replaced late in the second period by John Lethemon, who made 11 saves and allowed two goals in 22:06 of play.
Cornell is the favorite to capture the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) regular-season title and is considered a lock to earn its fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. MSU players and fans found why this weekend.
"They're deep, they're strong and their goaltending was outstanding,'' Cole said. "They're a complete team. I don't know what's missing over there.
"Their defense moves the puck well and their forwards go about their business. They don't get away from their game and don't make it easy on you – right from the first drop of the puck.''
UP NEXT: The Spartans begin Big Ten play with a series at Penn State – Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m. The teams split two series last season – MSU losing 4-2 and winning 6-4 at PSU in January and winning 5-3 and losing 5-3 in mid-February at Munn Arena.
The Nittany Lions (6-1, 2-0) are coming off a 6-1 and 4-2 sweep of No. 7/8 Wisconsin.
After the Penn State series, the Spartans play a home-and-home series against Michigan – at U-M on Nov. 14 and at MSU Nov. 16 – and then host Notre Dame, Nov. 22-23.
Meanwhile, Cornell plays its first two home games next weekend against ECAC rivals – Friday against Brown and Saturday vs. Yale.
FIRST FOR NODLER: Freshman center Josh Nodler, playing in his sixth game, scored his first collegiate goal when he converted on a power play at 6:47 of the third period on Saturday. After taking a perfect feed from defenseman Tommy Miller at the top of the left circle near the boards, Nodler's one-timer found the back of the net for MSU's first goal.
Nodler, a 5-foot-11, 191-pounder from Oak Park, has been centering MSU's second line, first with senior Sam Saliba and freshman Jagger Joshua and in most of the last three games with Mitchell Lewandowski and Joshua. He's also getting playing time of the Spartans' second power-play unit.
"It was a great keep-in by Tommy Miller on the power play. We kind of worked it around and moved it back and forth and (Miller) gave me a good pass in my wheelhouse,'' Nodler said. "I just tried to get in on net so it's a weight off my shoulder and it was nice to do it in front of the home crowd.
"Obviously, we wanted a different result. We'll take what we learned from this weekend and we'll move forward."
Nodler, who spent last season with the Fargo Force of the U.S Hockey League, said he appreciates the opportunities he's been given thus far this season.
"It's something I was looking forward to coming in. I'm super excited about it and definitely going to take every opportunity I've been given and not take it for granted,'' he said. "I have been learning from the guys and use it every day.''
Nodler got his first career point in the first period of MSU's first game at Northern Michigan when he and Joshua assisted on defenseman Cole Krygier's goal at 5:31 – the Spartans' first of the season.
Freshman forward Nico Muller scored Michigan State second goal on Saturday, also on a power play. It was his second of the season, the first coming last Saturday in the Spartans' 5-1 victory at Colorado College. Muller's second period goal gave his team a 4-1 lead.
GOALIE OUT, GOALIE IN: Most coaches don't like to replace goaltenders at any stage of the game, but sometimes it's necessary when a goalie is having a tough night.
After Drew DeRidder allowed Cornell's fourth goal with 2:06 left in the second period, Coach Danton Cole replaced DeRidder with John Lethemon.
"It's always hard. Those guys, Drew and John, are great young men and they work incredibly hard and they're incredibly proud. But sometimes it's just not you're your night,'' Cole said. "I know Drew wanted to come in and backstop us to a win after coming close on Friday. And sometimes it doesn't go your way.
"I just thought at that point, for him and the team, it was the right time. But he's a warrior and he'll be back on Monday like the rest of us.''
IN THE BIG TEN: No. 13/13 Ohio State completed a sweep of Michigan with a 2-1 victory on Saturday in Columbus. The Buckeyes (6-1-1 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) led 1-0 from midway through the second period but the Wolverines (3-4-1, 0-2) tied the game on defenseman Cam York's goal with 3:58 left in the third period.
But OSU came right back and Tate Singleton's goal with 1:31 to go take a 2-1 lead, and the Buckeyes held on for the victory. Ohio State topped U-M, 3-2, in the series opener on Friday.
No. 5/4 Notre Dame overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 and rallied to edge Minnesota, 4-3, to earn four of six points in their series at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis.
Sophomore defenseman Charlie Raith broke a 3-3 tie at 1:25 of the third period and freshman forward Trevor Janicke scored into an empty net with 11 seconds left to seal the victory.
Notre Dame sophomore defenseman Nick Leivermann scored two goals. Leivermann, who's from the Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie, has three career goals and they've all come against the Gophers.
Minnesota and Notre Dame tied 2-2 in the series opener on Friday, with the Gophers capturing the extra point with a victory in the 3-on-3 overtime.
Meanwhile, in a Thursday-Friday series, No. 12/12 Penn State swept No. 7/8 Wisconsin, 6-1 and 4-2, in University Park, Pa. Sam Sternschein and Nate Sucese each had two goals in the series for the Nittany Lions (6-1, 2-0). Cole Caufield scored his nation-leading 8th goal on Friday for the Badgers (4-4, 0-2).
In addition to the MSU at Penn State series next weekend, Minnesota is at Michigan, Ohio State visits Notre Dame and Wisconsin plays a non-conference series at Omaha.
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
EAST LANSING – For the first time this season, Michigan State failed to salvage a split in a non-conference series.
The Spartans on Saturday played an OK first period – not great but not bad – but their quest for a victory over Cornell was doomed in the second period.
Mistakes were made and the No. 4/5-ranked Big Red feasted, scoring three goals, building a 4-0 lead and cruising to a 6-2 victory and series sweep of the Spartans in front of 5,752 fans at Munn Arena.
"Cornell came in and executed their game play pretty well – a lot better than we did,'' Spartans senior forward and co-captain Sam Saliba said. "I liked our first period. We were battling to what we wanted to get done, whereas we were loose in those areas on Friday – in terms of puck management.
"In the second period, we lacked puck support. They outnumbered us all over the ice. In the second half (of the game), we needed to outnumber them and we didn't.''
The Spartans (2-4) held Cornell (2-0) in check for most of the first period, limiting the visitors to two shots on goal through the first 15 minutes. But the Big Red took advantage of a power play, starting at 14:15, and scored on their third shot of the period – by Tristan Mullin – to take a 1-0 lead and change the momentum of the game.
"I thought we did a good job in the first period. We played hard and with a couple of adjustments we made, we were doing all right,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "But we couldn't get anything from it and then we find ourselves down 1-0.
"In the second period, we made a few mistakes and all of a sudden, it's 4-0. Good teams can do that you.''
Michigan State had few quality scoring chances in the middle period and watched Cornell capitalize with goals at 7:31 (Liam Motley), 16:09 (Michael Regush) and 17:54 (Morgan Barron) to build a 4-0 lead.
"I think we did some decent things but that's a good team and they'll make you pay and they did tonight,'' Cole said. "In the third period, we got a couple (of goals) which was good. We talked about just keep playing our game and keep building and learning.
"You never know. Last year we had a couple times when we were down and came back. It was nice to see that. Our guys didn't quit on it and we won't on Monday. We'll rest up and get back to work and figure out some things from here."
After giving up a power-play goal early in the third period, MSU took advantage of back-to-back Cornell penalties to scored two goals – both by freshmen - and trim its deficit to 5-2.
Josh Nodler scored his first collegiate goal when his one-timer from just outside the left circle beat Cornell goalie Matthew Galajda at 6:47. Less than three minutes later, Nico Muller deflected defenseman Tommy Miller's shot from the point past Galajda at 9:06. Miller also set up Nodler's goal with a perfect pass.
But MSU's bid for a major comeback was derailed when Spartans took three consecutive penalties at 9:17, 11:43 and 13:43. And Cornell scored its third power-play goal by defenseman Sam Malinski at 13:10 for a 6-2 lead.
Untimely penalties hurt the Spartans on Friday in their 3-2 loss to the Big Red and they also impacted Saturday's game.
"It's up to us to figure out how to get better and keep that game closer, like we did on Friday night and give ourselves a chance,'' Cole said. "But staying out of the box is something we have to do.
"We're still learning. We have to play better than well to win. We need winning goaltending, defense and forwards play and special teams. Things have to be right on.
"It's a hard game and it teaches you some cruel lessons and tonight it did.''
Cornell was 3-for-6 on the power play while Michigan State converted two of five opportunities.
Galajda made only 19 saves while MSU goalie Drew DeRidder made 13 saves and gave up four goals in 37 minutes and 54 seconds of action before being replaced late in the second period by John Lethemon, who made 11 saves and allowed two goals in 22:06 of play.
Cornell is the favorite to capture the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) regular-season title and is considered a lock to earn its fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. MSU players and fans found why this weekend.
"They're deep, they're strong and their goaltending was outstanding,'' Cole said. "They're a complete team. I don't know what's missing over there.
"Their defense moves the puck well and their forwards go about their business. They don't get away from their game and don't make it easy on you – right from the first drop of the puck.''
UP NEXT: The Spartans begin Big Ten play with a series at Penn State – Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m. The teams split two series last season – MSU losing 4-2 and winning 6-4 at PSU in January and winning 5-3 and losing 5-3 in mid-February at Munn Arena.
The Nittany Lions (6-1, 2-0) are coming off a 6-1 and 4-2 sweep of No. 7/8 Wisconsin.
After the Penn State series, the Spartans play a home-and-home series against Michigan – at U-M on Nov. 14 and at MSU Nov. 16 – and then host Notre Dame, Nov. 22-23.
Meanwhile, Cornell plays its first two home games next weekend against ECAC rivals – Friday against Brown and Saturday vs. Yale.
FIRST FOR NODLER: Freshman center Josh Nodler, playing in his sixth game, scored his first collegiate goal when he converted on a power play at 6:47 of the third period on Saturday. After taking a perfect feed from defenseman Tommy Miller at the top of the left circle near the boards, Nodler's one-timer found the back of the net for MSU's first goal.
Nodler, a 5-foot-11, 191-pounder from Oak Park, has been centering MSU's second line, first with senior Sam Saliba and freshman Jagger Joshua and in most of the last three games with Mitchell Lewandowski and Joshua. He's also getting playing time of the Spartans' second power-play unit.
"It was a great keep-in by Tommy Miller on the power play. We kind of worked it around and moved it back and forth and (Miller) gave me a good pass in my wheelhouse,'' Nodler said. "I just tried to get in on net so it's a weight off my shoulder and it was nice to do it in front of the home crowd.
"Obviously, we wanted a different result. We'll take what we learned from this weekend and we'll move forward."
Nodler, who spent last season with the Fargo Force of the U.S Hockey League, said he appreciates the opportunities he's been given thus far this season.
"It's something I was looking forward to coming in. I'm super excited about it and definitely going to take every opportunity I've been given and not take it for granted,'' he said. "I have been learning from the guys and use it every day.''
Nodler got his first career point in the first period of MSU's first game at Northern Michigan when he and Joshua assisted on defenseman Cole Krygier's goal at 5:31 – the Spartans' first of the season.
Freshman forward Nico Muller scored Michigan State second goal on Saturday, also on a power play. It was his second of the season, the first coming last Saturday in the Spartans' 5-1 victory at Colorado College. Muller's second period goal gave his team a 4-1 lead.
GOALIE OUT, GOALIE IN: Most coaches don't like to replace goaltenders at any stage of the game, but sometimes it's necessary when a goalie is having a tough night.
After Drew DeRidder allowed Cornell's fourth goal with 2:06 left in the second period, Coach Danton Cole replaced DeRidder with John Lethemon.
"It's always hard. Those guys, Drew and John, are great young men and they work incredibly hard and they're incredibly proud. But sometimes it's just not you're your night,'' Cole said. "I know Drew wanted to come in and backstop us to a win after coming close on Friday. And sometimes it doesn't go your way.
"I just thought at that point, for him and the team, it was the right time. But he's a warrior and he'll be back on Monday like the rest of us.''
IN THE BIG TEN: No. 13/13 Ohio State completed a sweep of Michigan with a 2-1 victory on Saturday in Columbus. The Buckeyes (6-1-1 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) led 1-0 from midway through the second period but the Wolverines (3-4-1, 0-2) tied the game on defenseman Cam York's goal with 3:58 left in the third period.
But OSU came right back and Tate Singleton's goal with 1:31 to go take a 2-1 lead, and the Buckeyes held on for the victory. Ohio State topped U-M, 3-2, in the series opener on Friday.
No. 5/4 Notre Dame overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 and rallied to edge Minnesota, 4-3, to earn four of six points in their series at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis.
Sophomore defenseman Charlie Raith broke a 3-3 tie at 1:25 of the third period and freshman forward Trevor Janicke scored into an empty net with 11 seconds left to seal the victory.
Notre Dame sophomore defenseman Nick Leivermann scored two goals. Leivermann, who's from the Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie, has three career goals and they've all come against the Gophers.
Minnesota and Notre Dame tied 2-2 in the series opener on Friday, with the Gophers capturing the extra point with a victory in the 3-on-3 overtime.
Meanwhile, in a Thursday-Friday series, No. 12/12 Penn State swept No. 7/8 Wisconsin, 6-1 and 4-2, in University Park, Pa. Sam Sternschein and Nate Sucese each had two goals in the series for the Nittany Lions (6-1, 2-0). Cole Caufield scored his nation-leading 8th goal on Friday for the Badgers (4-4, 0-2).
In addition to the MSU at Penn State series next weekend, Minnesota is at Michigan, Ohio State visits Notre Dame and Wisconsin plays a non-conference series at Omaha.
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