Photo by: Andrew Knapik/MiHockey
Neil’s Notebook: Spartans Ready for Rematch on Saturday at LCA
2/9/2019 9:40:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
By Neil Koepke
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
ANN ARBOR – Michigan State has played some very good games at Yost Arena in the last few seasons.
Friday night's showdown with Michigan was not one of them.
The Spartans gave up three goals in the second period, falling behind, 4-1, and never recovered as the Wolverines held on for a 5-3 victory in a Big Ten series opener in front of a sellout crowd of 5,800.
MSU battled hard in the third period, outscoring U-M, 2-1, but it was too little, too late.
"Michigan played well. They skated better than us for the first 40 minutes,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "I don't think the energy and emotion was on our side, and it's hard to play hockey that way. Give them credit. We have to find more of that tomorrow.''
The Spartans (10-14-5 overall, 6-9-4-2 Big Ten) will try to earn a split in the series with the Wolverines (11-11-6, 7-7-4-2) when the meet in the "Duel in the D" at 7 p.m. Saturday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
In four meetings this season, MSU is 1-1-2 overall, and 1-1-1 in Big Ten play.
After each team scored one goal in the opening period – U-M's Jack Becker at 3:32 and Michigan State's Sam Saliba at 17:48 – the Wolverines took the lead for good on sophomore left wing Michael Pastujov's goal at 2:52 of the second period. U-M went up 4-1 on goals 3 minutes and 15 seconds part by Becker at 14:36 and Will Lockwood at 17:51.
All three goals were scored near the edge of the crease or a few feet in front of MSU goalie Drew DeRidder (31 saves).
The loss drops the Spartans from a tie for fourth place with Michigan into fifth place, one point behind Notre Dame and three in back of the second-place Wolverines and Minnesota.
"They made plays and on the defensive side of it, we want our guys to be better and we have to straighten a few things out,'' Cole said. "I thought we got caught staring at the puck a few times and not covering, and not helping on the backside. We have to be better at that and can't leave Drew (DeRidder) alone.''
The Spartans didn't seem to be in sync in the first period but still came away tied, 1-1, thanks to a 3-on-2 rush with Taro Hirose, defenseman Dennis Cesana and Sam Saliba.
The trio started from inside the MSU blue line with Hirose leading the charge. He slid the puck to Cesana on the right wing and Cesana carried it into the right circle before sending a cross-ice pass to Saliba in the left circle. He skated into the slot and fired the puck past U-M goalie Hayden Lavigne (20 saves).
The goal, with 2:12 left in the period, came five seconds after a penalty to MSU's Austin Kamer expired.
"The first period was OK. It was get-off-the-bus period for us and coming in (at the intermission) was fine,'' Cole said. "But I didn't like our response in the second period. We worked a little harder and thought a lot less in the third period.
Kamer scored off a faceoff win by Logan Lambdin in the left circle at 4:10 of the final period to cut the Spartans' deficit to 4-2. It was Kamer's first goal of the season and second of his career.
But Michigan regained its three-goal lead eight minute later on Pastujov's second goal. At first, the goal was waived off because of an apparent goaltender interference call, but after the referees went to video review, they ruled it a good goal – that the U-M player didn't interfere with DeRidder before the puck was shot into the net by Pastujov.
Michigan State closed out the scoring when freshman Wojciech Stachowiak jammed the puck past Lavigne from close in at 15:19. The goal came on a power-play set-up but technically wasn't a power-play goal because the penalty to U-M's Backer expired at the same time the puck went into the net, even though Becker was just on his way out of the penalty box.
The Spartans did have a few positives on a disappointing night at Yost Arena, where they had gone 2-1-1 in the last four games.
MSU skated off five Michigan power plays, with DeRidder making nine saves winning. The Spartans won the faceoff battles, 38-28, with sophomore Tommy Apap winning 16 of 24 draws. Down 4-1, Michigan State showed some resiliency in the third period but the deficit was too much to overcome
"We worked harder, skated harder and made some better decisions coming through the neutral zone,'' Cole said. "But a lot of the things we have to do to be successful, we didn't do early on. Give Michigan credit for that.''
The Wolverines did a good job of containing MSU's high-scoring KHL Line, limiting it to one assist by Hirose and only five shots on goal. Patrick Khodorenko and Mitchell Lewandowski each had two shots on net, while Hirose had one.
Saliba's goal was his fourth of the season.
In the end, a tough second period put the Spartans into hole that they couldn't dig their way out.
"I just thought they were going downhill on us too much,'' Saliba said. "We weren't good at getting pucks behind them and taking the game to them. It was vice-versa – they were taking it to us. We got on our heels a little there.
"They were skating well and throwing everything at the net. They were hard to defend and angle off the rush, and they were getting a lot of offense off that.''
While Michigan has lost its last three Saturday games after winning on Friday, Michigan State is 2-0-2 in its last four Saturday contests.
Saliba and his teammates are looking to keep that unbeaten streak alive on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena.
"I liked our third period tonight. Being down three goals in the third period on the road is never a good spot to be in, but I thought the guys battled hard we're going to build off that tomorrow in Detroit,'' Saliba said.
"It's a huge game. But every game is huge in terms of gathering points for Big Ten playoff seeding, and we have to go into tomorrow and get a win.''
STREAK EXTENDED: Taro Hirose has now picked up a point in a career-best nine straight games after earning an assist on MSU's first goal by Saliba late in the first period. He's had 16 points – 6 goals, 10 assists – during his hot streak.
Meanwhile, Hirose is still the nation's leading scorer with 15 goals and 32 assists for 47 points in 29 games. His 32 assists is tops in the country.
The last time the junior left wing was held pointless was in the 6-0 loss to Ohio State on Jan. 5.
THE WOLVERINES' VIEW: Michigan coach Mel Pearson said "I thought we were OK tonight but I didn't think we played our best game.''
"We got some bounces and breaks and the puck went in for us tonight, and we finally got some separation and we haven't played with the lead very often lately,'' Pearson said.
"But we get away from our game. We get up a little bit and think we change some things, or we take a bad penalty. We've got to clean some things up. We have to be better tomorrow.''
The Wolverines have been involved in three straight Big Ten series splits against Ohio State, Penn State and Minnesota. In each series, U-M won the first game and lost the second. Last week, Michigan topped the Gophers 4-1 in the series opener but lost 4-3 in the second game.
IN THE BIG TEN: Penn State scored three unanswered goals in the first period and added two more in the second and went on to a 7-2 victory over Minnesota on Friday night in University Park, Pa. It was the Nittany Lions' fifth-straight home victory over the Gophers in less than a year.
Wisconsin carried a 1-0 lead over first-place Ohio State into the third period but the Buckeyes tied it on a goal by John Wiitala at 8:48 and then won it, 2-1, on defenseman Matt Miller's goal with 9.5 seconds left in overtime. OSU has defeated the Badgers in the last five meetings, including going 3-0 this season, and in eight of the last nine games.
Minnesota and Penn State and Ohio State and Wisconsin complete their two-game series on Saturday night.
The first-place Buckeyes, with 38 points, increased their lead over Minnesota to 11 points, while Michigan, with its victory over MSU, moved into a second-place tie with the Gophers, each with 27 points.
Notre Dame, which is idle this weekend, is now in fourth place with 25 points, one more than Michigan State (24). Penn State's victory lifted the Nittany Lions over Wisconsin and into sixth place with 23 points, one point ahead of the Badgers.
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
ANN ARBOR – Michigan State has played some very good games at Yost Arena in the last few seasons.
Friday night's showdown with Michigan was not one of them.
The Spartans gave up three goals in the second period, falling behind, 4-1, and never recovered as the Wolverines held on for a 5-3 victory in a Big Ten series opener in front of a sellout crowd of 5,800.
MSU battled hard in the third period, outscoring U-M, 2-1, but it was too little, too late.
"Michigan played well. They skated better than us for the first 40 minutes,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "I don't think the energy and emotion was on our side, and it's hard to play hockey that way. Give them credit. We have to find more of that tomorrow.''
The Spartans (10-14-5 overall, 6-9-4-2 Big Ten) will try to earn a split in the series with the Wolverines (11-11-6, 7-7-4-2) when the meet in the "Duel in the D" at 7 p.m. Saturday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
In four meetings this season, MSU is 1-1-2 overall, and 1-1-1 in Big Ten play.
After each team scored one goal in the opening period – U-M's Jack Becker at 3:32 and Michigan State's Sam Saliba at 17:48 – the Wolverines took the lead for good on sophomore left wing Michael Pastujov's goal at 2:52 of the second period. U-M went up 4-1 on goals 3 minutes and 15 seconds part by Becker at 14:36 and Will Lockwood at 17:51.
All three goals were scored near the edge of the crease or a few feet in front of MSU goalie Drew DeRidder (31 saves).
The loss drops the Spartans from a tie for fourth place with Michigan into fifth place, one point behind Notre Dame and three in back of the second-place Wolverines and Minnesota.
"They made plays and on the defensive side of it, we want our guys to be better and we have to straighten a few things out,'' Cole said. "I thought we got caught staring at the puck a few times and not covering, and not helping on the backside. We have to be better at that and can't leave Drew (DeRidder) alone.''
The Spartans didn't seem to be in sync in the first period but still came away tied, 1-1, thanks to a 3-on-2 rush with Taro Hirose, defenseman Dennis Cesana and Sam Saliba.
The trio started from inside the MSU blue line with Hirose leading the charge. He slid the puck to Cesana on the right wing and Cesana carried it into the right circle before sending a cross-ice pass to Saliba in the left circle. He skated into the slot and fired the puck past U-M goalie Hayden Lavigne (20 saves).
The goal, with 2:12 left in the period, came five seconds after a penalty to MSU's Austin Kamer expired.
"The first period was OK. It was get-off-the-bus period for us and coming in (at the intermission) was fine,'' Cole said. "But I didn't like our response in the second period. We worked a little harder and thought a lot less in the third period.
Kamer scored off a faceoff win by Logan Lambdin in the left circle at 4:10 of the final period to cut the Spartans' deficit to 4-2. It was Kamer's first goal of the season and second of his career.
But Michigan regained its three-goal lead eight minute later on Pastujov's second goal. At first, the goal was waived off because of an apparent goaltender interference call, but after the referees went to video review, they ruled it a good goal – that the U-M player didn't interfere with DeRidder before the puck was shot into the net by Pastujov.
Michigan State closed out the scoring when freshman Wojciech Stachowiak jammed the puck past Lavigne from close in at 15:19. The goal came on a power-play set-up but technically wasn't a power-play goal because the penalty to U-M's Backer expired at the same time the puck went into the net, even though Becker was just on his way out of the penalty box.
The Spartans did have a few positives on a disappointing night at Yost Arena, where they had gone 2-1-1 in the last four games.
MSU skated off five Michigan power plays, with DeRidder making nine saves winning. The Spartans won the faceoff battles, 38-28, with sophomore Tommy Apap winning 16 of 24 draws. Down 4-1, Michigan State showed some resiliency in the third period but the deficit was too much to overcome
"We worked harder, skated harder and made some better decisions coming through the neutral zone,'' Cole said. "But a lot of the things we have to do to be successful, we didn't do early on. Give Michigan credit for that.''
The Wolverines did a good job of containing MSU's high-scoring KHL Line, limiting it to one assist by Hirose and only five shots on goal. Patrick Khodorenko and Mitchell Lewandowski each had two shots on net, while Hirose had one.
Saliba's goal was his fourth of the season.
In the end, a tough second period put the Spartans into hole that they couldn't dig their way out.
"I just thought they were going downhill on us too much,'' Saliba said. "We weren't good at getting pucks behind them and taking the game to them. It was vice-versa – they were taking it to us. We got on our heels a little there.
"They were skating well and throwing everything at the net. They were hard to defend and angle off the rush, and they were getting a lot of offense off that.''
While Michigan has lost its last three Saturday games after winning on Friday, Michigan State is 2-0-2 in its last four Saturday contests.
Saliba and his teammates are looking to keep that unbeaten streak alive on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena.
"I liked our third period tonight. Being down three goals in the third period on the road is never a good spot to be in, but I thought the guys battled hard we're going to build off that tomorrow in Detroit,'' Saliba said.
"It's a huge game. But every game is huge in terms of gathering points for Big Ten playoff seeding, and we have to go into tomorrow and get a win.''
STREAK EXTENDED: Taro Hirose has now picked up a point in a career-best nine straight games after earning an assist on MSU's first goal by Saliba late in the first period. He's had 16 points – 6 goals, 10 assists – during his hot streak.
Meanwhile, Hirose is still the nation's leading scorer with 15 goals and 32 assists for 47 points in 29 games. His 32 assists is tops in the country.
The last time the junior left wing was held pointless was in the 6-0 loss to Ohio State on Jan. 5.
THE WOLVERINES' VIEW: Michigan coach Mel Pearson said "I thought we were OK tonight but I didn't think we played our best game.''
"We got some bounces and breaks and the puck went in for us tonight, and we finally got some separation and we haven't played with the lead very often lately,'' Pearson said.
"But we get away from our game. We get up a little bit and think we change some things, or we take a bad penalty. We've got to clean some things up. We have to be better tomorrow.''
The Wolverines have been involved in three straight Big Ten series splits against Ohio State, Penn State and Minnesota. In each series, U-M won the first game and lost the second. Last week, Michigan topped the Gophers 4-1 in the series opener but lost 4-3 in the second game.
IN THE BIG TEN: Penn State scored three unanswered goals in the first period and added two more in the second and went on to a 7-2 victory over Minnesota on Friday night in University Park, Pa. It was the Nittany Lions' fifth-straight home victory over the Gophers in less than a year.
Wisconsin carried a 1-0 lead over first-place Ohio State into the third period but the Buckeyes tied it on a goal by John Wiitala at 8:48 and then won it, 2-1, on defenseman Matt Miller's goal with 9.5 seconds left in overtime. OSU has defeated the Badgers in the last five meetings, including going 3-0 this season, and in eight of the last nine games.
Minnesota and Penn State and Ohio State and Wisconsin complete their two-game series on Saturday night.
The first-place Buckeyes, with 38 points, increased their lead over Minnesota to 11 points, while Michigan, with its victory over MSU, moved into a second-place tie with the Gophers, each with 27 points.
Notre Dame, which is idle this weekend, is now in fourth place with 25 points, one more than Michigan State (24). Penn State's victory lifted the Nittany Lions over Wisconsin and into sixth place with 23 points, one point ahead of the Badgers.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
D
/ Men's Ice Hockey
G
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice HockeyAdam Nightingale Postgame Comments | Michigan | December 6, 2025
Saturday, December 06
Adam Nightingale Postgame Comments | Michigan | December 5, 2025
Friday, December 05
Adam Nightingale Postgame Comments | Colgate | November 26, 2025
Wednesday, November 26
Adam Nightingale Postgame Comments | Wisconsin | November 22, 2025
Saturday, November 22