Spartans Rally For Dramatic Win at Ferris State, 4-3

GAME CAPSULE

Michigan State staged a dramatic comeback on the road on Saturday night, rallying from a 3-0 deficit to post a 4-3 victory over Ferris State. MSU scored three times in the third period and all four goals in the final 22 minutes of the game.

The Spartans (6-5-1) swept their former conference mate, earning a 2-0 victory in East Lansing on Thursday before tonight's rematch in Big Rapids. Ferris State falls to 4-8 overall.

Erik Middendorf earned the late-game heroics, pouncing on the puck off a pass from Mitchell Lewandowski and putting it past FSU goaltender Logan Stein. It completed the third period rally for MSU.

The Spartans fell behind 3-0 on special teams tallies. MSU surrendered a pair of power play markers by Drew Cooper (skating five-on-three in the first period) and then a power play goal and a shorthanded marker by Justin Michaelian at 7:36 to blow open the game.

MSU stuck to its game plan and was both patient and assertive in the offensive zone, which led to their first goal of the game with 1: 32 left in the second period. Josh Nodler scored his fourth of the season to make it 3-1. In the third, MSU scored twice in a three-minute span with under seven minutes remaining to come all the way back and tie it at 3-3. The first marker came from Cole Krygier off of a nifty pass from Jesse Tucker at 13:42, and Dennis Cesana delivered the equalizer 17:08.

Drew Cooper had a goal and an assist for Ferris State, and Stein made 30 saves.

The Spartans return to Big Ten play next weekend when they host Wisconsin at Munn Ice Arena on Friday (7 pm) and Saturday (8 pm).

STATISTICS OF NOTE

Josh Nodler and Dennis Cesana each had a goal and an assist
Drew DeRidder made 30 saves and earned both wins on the weekend
Mitchell Lewandowski had two assists in the game, including on the game-winner.
Cole Krygier had his second goal of the season, and twin Christian had an assist.

NOTABLES

MSU is now 5-2-1 in non-conference games this season. Just two non-conference games remain, in the Great Lakes Invitational (Dec. 29-30).
MSU scored the game-winner against the Bulldogs with just over six minutes remaining in Thursday's victory.
The Spartan PK was 4-for-6 on the night, and went 1-5 with a man advantage.

GAME SYNOPSIS

FIRST PERIOD: The teams skated four a side due to matching minors early in the first, and then MSU took penalties just over 90 seconds apart to put the Bulldogs on a 5x3 power play. Drew Cooper took advantage and scored his first goal of the season and the first of the series for FSU at 6:08. MSU spent extended stretches in their offensive zone in the final five minutes, but could not find an equalizer before the buzzer. MSU had a 12-10 edge in shots in the period.

SECOND PERIOD: The Bulldogs got a pair of special teams goals – one on the power play, one shorthanded – less than a minute apart to blow open the game with a 3-0 lead. The first gal came at 6:47, when Bradley Marek scored on the power play off an assist from Cooper. The Bulldogs took a slashing penalty at 7:25, and just 12 seconds later, Justin Michaelian went in on a shorthanded breakaway and scored his second goal of the season. MSU stayed assertive in its offensive zone and it finally paid off at 18:42 on the power play when Lewandowski got the puck deep to Nodler, and he flipped it over the leg pad of Stein for his fourth marker of the season. Dennis Cesana also had an assist on the goal.

THIRD PERIOD: MSU's defensive corps did their part to generate offense, and tied up the game in the third period. The first even-strength goal of the night brought MSU within one at the 13:41 mark of the third. Jesse Tucker got the puck on the rush in the high slot, put a nifty spin=move pass onto the stick of Cole Krygier, and the bluelilner sent it home for MSU's second goal. At 17:08, MSU got the equalizer from captain Dennis Cesana off assists from Nicolas Muller and Christian Krygier. The comeback was completed in the final minute, when Lewandowski put a shot on net, and Middendorf pounced on a loose puck in front and beat Stein with the game-winner with just over 20 seconds remaining in regulation.

Next Event

Team Stats

Josh Nodler

Dennis Cesana

Mitchell Lewandowski

Cole Krygier

Players Mentioned

Dennis Cesana

Drew DeRidder

Christian Krygier

Cole Krygier

Mitchell Lewandowski

Erik Middendorf

Josh Nodler

Jesse Tucker

Players Mentioned

Dennis Cesana

Drew DeRidder

Christian Krygier

Cole Krygier

Mitchell Lewandowski

Erik Middendorf

Josh Nodler

Jesse Tucker