Photo by: Adam Ruff
Neil’s Notebook: Spartans Can’t Solve Buckeyes in Loss on Sunday
12/2/2019 9:28:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
By Neil Koepke
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – For two periods Sunday afternoon, Michigan State struggled to create quality scoring chances.
The Spartans had only 11 shots on goal and nine others blocked by Ohio State's defensemen and forwards through 40 frustrating minutes of play.
But trailing only 1-0 and playing solid defense and getting stellar goaltending from John Lethemon, there was still hope for a MSU comeback.
In the third period, the Spartans came alive. They found a high level of energy, moved their feet, won puck battles and put pressure on the Buckeyes.
They had 12 shots on goal, several excellent chances and OSU back in its heels.
Unfortunately, the puck still didn't go in.
And in the end, No. 20 Michigan State suffered its second straight loss to the No. 11/11 Buckeyes, this time 2-0, in front of 4,222 fans at Value City Arena. On Saturday, OSU (9-4-1 overall, 5-3-0 Big Ten) edged the Spartans, 3-1.
In both games of Ohio State's Big Ten series sweep, MSU (6-7-1, 4-3-1-0) gave up a late empty-net goal. So, the Spartans allowed only three goals in two games, were in each game until the final minutes and had nothing to show for it.
"It was two tough games. A 2-1 game and a 1-0 game. And when you only need a couple, it's tough,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "We've gotta keep grinding and moving forward.
"We found some life in the third period. It was only 1-0 and didn't think we had played very well. We worked hard but not really smart and we just couldn't find our legs as a collective group and energy.
"In the third period, the guys did find it. I give them credit. They battled and Johnny (Lethemon) and the guys kept it 1-0 and gave ourselves a chance. And we had lots of good chances in the third period.''
Ohio State standout junior goalie Tommy Nappier, who missed Saturday's game with an injury, made a game-saving save on a quick break-in by MSU senior left wing Logan Lambdin with nine minutes left in the game.
"I got the pass on the right side of center ice and I heard one of the Krygiers yell that he was with me (on the rush),'' Lambdin said. "I opened up and looked across and their defenseman stepped up and I saw that I could drive him wide and I did.
"All credit to Nappier. When I drove to the far (left) post, he got his leg up and made a great save.''
As Lambdin tried to lift the puck into the left corner, Nappier stopped it low in his right pad.
It was the best save of the day, although Nappier was tested with quality shots by Lambdin and Cole Krygier in the final minutes to preserve the victory.
The Buckeyes put an end to MSU's comeback bid with 36 seconds left when defenseman Gordi Meyer fired the puck into an empty net from about 185 feet – from halfway between the boards and goal line.
OSU's first goal was scored by senior Tanner Laczynski at 13:14 of the first period and had several layers of being bizarre.
After a close-in shot by Quinn Preston was stopped by Lethemon, the Spartans attempted to clear the puck around the boards on the right.
But Lethemon was knocked down due to a four-player pile-up in the crease, and while he was scrambling to get back into position, Laczynski caught up to the puck along the boards outside the right circle. He got possession with his back to the net, turned quickly and just fired the puck toward the goal. It just slid past Lethemon's outstretched left pad and into the net.
Despite the quirky goal, Lethemon had an outstanding game with 36 saves, including 18 in the second period but only five in the third when MSU controlled most of the play.
"Johnny was really good. He did a great job for us,'' Cole said.
The Spartans' penalty killers were solid for the second straight game, skating off four OSU power plays and surviving six shots. But MSU's power play also went 0-for-4 with five shots on goal.
Early in the third period, the Spartans had some good looks on their last power play and set the tone for more offensive zone time the rest of the period.
"It seemed like offensively and defensively, the one guy with the puck on offense was working really hard and the guy who was defending was working hard and everybody else was waiting to see what happened,'' Cole said. "That's not a great way to play. That's not when we're good.
"We got more determined in the third period, and all of a sudden, we had three or four chance with a guy alone in front.''
Lambdin, Mitchell Lewandowski and Patrick Khodorenko led MSU with three shots on goal apiece. Lambdin and his linemate, center Tommy Apap, each had a team-leading four blocked shots.
"Ohio State did a good of staying in the D-lanes and making it tough on us,'' Lambdin said. "We were getting chances, especially in the third period when we really picked it up a notch, found an extra gear and found a little life.
"But give credit to Nappier. He made a couple of big saves. It's really frustrating having a hard time getting it behind him, and finding some solid offensive-zone time.''
Over the last five games, the Spartans have given up six goals, not including empty-netters: 0, 1, 2, 2, 1. So defensively, MSU is on the right track, especially with Lethemon providing consistent goaltending.
"We've played some solid defense and now we need to find a little more offensive zone time and take advantage of our chances,'' Lambdin said. "And it's sticking to our game below the goal line (to create chances).
UP NEXT: The Spartans are back home for the next two weekends, leading into the Christmas break. They host Wisconsin this Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and then play two non-conference games against Arizona State, Dec. 14-15 – a Saturday and Sunday series.
Ohio State plays its last series before the holidays this weekend at home against Minnesota.
LINE ADJUSTMENTS: Coach Danton Cole continues to make changes to the forward line combinations in an effort to find the right mix to help produce more offense.
On Sunday, Nicolas Müller moved up to the Patrick Khodorenko line with Mitchell Lewandowski, while Brody Stevens was teamed with Tommy Apap and Jagger Joshua.
Things didn't click for most of the first two periods but all four lines contributed to MSU's push in the final period.
"We tried to find some life, and then in the third period, we moved things around and put Josh Nodler with Lewie and Khodo and that seemed to go pretty well,'' Cole said. "Everybody kind of had some chances. We had energy. We did everything a little better.''
DEFENSE RULES FOR NOW: Michigan State and Ohio State aren't known for playing tight-checking, low-scoring series. The last time the teams combined for fewer than six goals was exactly seven years ago – Nov. 30-Dec. 1 – when they totaled five goals. The Buckeyes swept the Spartans 1-0 and 3-1 at Munn Arena.
Last season, the teams combined for 20 goals in a bizarre series in early January in East Lansing. MSU rallied from a 7-4 deficit with five minutes left and scored three goals in 3 minutes and 48 seconds – at 15:25, 16:31 and 19:13 - to tie the Buckeyes 7-7.
After a scoreless overtime, the Spartans earned the extra Big Ten point as Logan Lambdin scored in the 3-on-3 overtime. In the second game of the series, OSU dominated, 6-0.
And in the final regular-season series in early March in Columbus, there were 11 goals scored. Ohio State won the first game, 5-1, and Michigan State got a split with a 3-2 victory in second game.
The Spartans and Buckeyes meet again this season on Feb. 21-22, 2020, in MSU's final two home games of the regular season.
IN THE BIG TEN: Michigan won its first conference game this season with a 3-1 victory at Wisconsin on Sunday to earn a split of their series. The Wolverines (5-9-2 overall, 1-6-1-0 Big Ten) lost the series opener, 3-2, to the No. 19 Badgers (7-8-1, 2-5-1) on Saturday.
In non-conference play, No. 5/4 Notre Dame (8-4-2, 4-2-2-1) got swept by No. 16/15 Bowling Green, 5-2, 5-2, while No. 7/7Penn State (11-4-0, 6-2-0), on the road, rolled past Merrimack, 7-0, in Friday but lost at No. 15 +UMass-Lowell, 3-2 in overtime on Saturday.
In a Thursday-Friday non-conference series, No. 3/3 North Dakota swept Minnesota, 9-3 and 3-2, in Minneapolis.
In addition to this weekend's MSU-Wisconsin and Ohio State-Minnesota series, Michigan is home against Penn State. Notre Dame is involved into another non-conference home-and-home series, this time with No. 14-12 Boston College. The teams play in Boston on Friday and at Notre Dame on Sunday.
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – For two periods Sunday afternoon, Michigan State struggled to create quality scoring chances.
The Spartans had only 11 shots on goal and nine others blocked by Ohio State's defensemen and forwards through 40 frustrating minutes of play.
But trailing only 1-0 and playing solid defense and getting stellar goaltending from John Lethemon, there was still hope for a MSU comeback.
In the third period, the Spartans came alive. They found a high level of energy, moved their feet, won puck battles and put pressure on the Buckeyes.
They had 12 shots on goal, several excellent chances and OSU back in its heels.
Unfortunately, the puck still didn't go in.
And in the end, No. 20 Michigan State suffered its second straight loss to the No. 11/11 Buckeyes, this time 2-0, in front of 4,222 fans at Value City Arena. On Saturday, OSU (9-4-1 overall, 5-3-0 Big Ten) edged the Spartans, 3-1.
In both games of Ohio State's Big Ten series sweep, MSU (6-7-1, 4-3-1-0) gave up a late empty-net goal. So, the Spartans allowed only three goals in two games, were in each game until the final minutes and had nothing to show for it.
"It was two tough games. A 2-1 game and a 1-0 game. And when you only need a couple, it's tough,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "We've gotta keep grinding and moving forward.
"We found some life in the third period. It was only 1-0 and didn't think we had played very well. We worked hard but not really smart and we just couldn't find our legs as a collective group and energy.
"In the third period, the guys did find it. I give them credit. They battled and Johnny (Lethemon) and the guys kept it 1-0 and gave ourselves a chance. And we had lots of good chances in the third period.''
Ohio State standout junior goalie Tommy Nappier, who missed Saturday's game with an injury, made a game-saving save on a quick break-in by MSU senior left wing Logan Lambdin with nine minutes left in the game.
"I got the pass on the right side of center ice and I heard one of the Krygiers yell that he was with me (on the rush),'' Lambdin said. "I opened up and looked across and their defenseman stepped up and I saw that I could drive him wide and I did.
"All credit to Nappier. When I drove to the far (left) post, he got his leg up and made a great save.''
As Lambdin tried to lift the puck into the left corner, Nappier stopped it low in his right pad.
It was the best save of the day, although Nappier was tested with quality shots by Lambdin and Cole Krygier in the final minutes to preserve the victory.
The Buckeyes put an end to MSU's comeback bid with 36 seconds left when defenseman Gordi Meyer fired the puck into an empty net from about 185 feet – from halfway between the boards and goal line.
OSU's first goal was scored by senior Tanner Laczynski at 13:14 of the first period and had several layers of being bizarre.
After a close-in shot by Quinn Preston was stopped by Lethemon, the Spartans attempted to clear the puck around the boards on the right.
But Lethemon was knocked down due to a four-player pile-up in the crease, and while he was scrambling to get back into position, Laczynski caught up to the puck along the boards outside the right circle. He got possession with his back to the net, turned quickly and just fired the puck toward the goal. It just slid past Lethemon's outstretched left pad and into the net.
Despite the quirky goal, Lethemon had an outstanding game with 36 saves, including 18 in the second period but only five in the third when MSU controlled most of the play.
"Johnny was really good. He did a great job for us,'' Cole said.
The Spartans' penalty killers were solid for the second straight game, skating off four OSU power plays and surviving six shots. But MSU's power play also went 0-for-4 with five shots on goal.
Early in the third period, the Spartans had some good looks on their last power play and set the tone for more offensive zone time the rest of the period.
"It seemed like offensively and defensively, the one guy with the puck on offense was working really hard and the guy who was defending was working hard and everybody else was waiting to see what happened,'' Cole said. "That's not a great way to play. That's not when we're good.
"We got more determined in the third period, and all of a sudden, we had three or four chance with a guy alone in front.''
Lambdin, Mitchell Lewandowski and Patrick Khodorenko led MSU with three shots on goal apiece. Lambdin and his linemate, center Tommy Apap, each had a team-leading four blocked shots.
"Ohio State did a good of staying in the D-lanes and making it tough on us,'' Lambdin said. "We were getting chances, especially in the third period when we really picked it up a notch, found an extra gear and found a little life.
"But give credit to Nappier. He made a couple of big saves. It's really frustrating having a hard time getting it behind him, and finding some solid offensive-zone time.''
Over the last five games, the Spartans have given up six goals, not including empty-netters: 0, 1, 2, 2, 1. So defensively, MSU is on the right track, especially with Lethemon providing consistent goaltending.
"We've played some solid defense and now we need to find a little more offensive zone time and take advantage of our chances,'' Lambdin said. "And it's sticking to our game below the goal line (to create chances).
UP NEXT: The Spartans are back home for the next two weekends, leading into the Christmas break. They host Wisconsin this Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and then play two non-conference games against Arizona State, Dec. 14-15 – a Saturday and Sunday series.
Ohio State plays its last series before the holidays this weekend at home against Minnesota.
LINE ADJUSTMENTS: Coach Danton Cole continues to make changes to the forward line combinations in an effort to find the right mix to help produce more offense.
On Sunday, Nicolas Müller moved up to the Patrick Khodorenko line with Mitchell Lewandowski, while Brody Stevens was teamed with Tommy Apap and Jagger Joshua.
Things didn't click for most of the first two periods but all four lines contributed to MSU's push in the final period.
"We tried to find some life, and then in the third period, we moved things around and put Josh Nodler with Lewie and Khodo and that seemed to go pretty well,'' Cole said. "Everybody kind of had some chances. We had energy. We did everything a little better.''
DEFENSE RULES FOR NOW: Michigan State and Ohio State aren't known for playing tight-checking, low-scoring series. The last time the teams combined for fewer than six goals was exactly seven years ago – Nov. 30-Dec. 1 – when they totaled five goals. The Buckeyes swept the Spartans 1-0 and 3-1 at Munn Arena.
Last season, the teams combined for 20 goals in a bizarre series in early January in East Lansing. MSU rallied from a 7-4 deficit with five minutes left and scored three goals in 3 minutes and 48 seconds – at 15:25, 16:31 and 19:13 - to tie the Buckeyes 7-7.
After a scoreless overtime, the Spartans earned the extra Big Ten point as Logan Lambdin scored in the 3-on-3 overtime. In the second game of the series, OSU dominated, 6-0.
And in the final regular-season series in early March in Columbus, there were 11 goals scored. Ohio State won the first game, 5-1, and Michigan State got a split with a 3-2 victory in second game.
The Spartans and Buckeyes meet again this season on Feb. 21-22, 2020, in MSU's final two home games of the regular season.
IN THE BIG TEN: Michigan won its first conference game this season with a 3-1 victory at Wisconsin on Sunday to earn a split of their series. The Wolverines (5-9-2 overall, 1-6-1-0 Big Ten) lost the series opener, 3-2, to the No. 19 Badgers (7-8-1, 2-5-1) on Saturday.
In non-conference play, No. 5/4 Notre Dame (8-4-2, 4-2-2-1) got swept by No. 16/15 Bowling Green, 5-2, 5-2, while No. 7/7Penn State (11-4-0, 6-2-0), on the road, rolled past Merrimack, 7-0, in Friday but lost at No. 15 +UMass-Lowell, 3-2 in overtime on Saturday.
In a Thursday-Friday non-conference series, No. 3/3 North Dakota swept Minnesota, 9-3 and 3-2, in Minneapolis.
In addition to this weekend's MSU-Wisconsin and Ohio State-Minnesota series, Michigan is home against Penn State. Notre Dame is involved into another non-conference home-and-home series, this time with No. 14-12 Boston College. The teams play in Boston on Friday and at Notre Dame on Sunday.
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