Michigan State University Athletics
Neil’s Notebook: Spartans Fall After Wild Finish at Munn on Sunday
2/15/2021 9:18:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
By Neil Koepke
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
EAST LANSING – For Michigan State, this crazy, pandemic impacted 2020-21 hockey season got a little more bizarre on Sunday afternoon at Munn Arena.
The Spartans have won and lost games in lots of different ways this season but Sunday's wild finish against Arizona State ranks right at the top.
One minute, MSU thought it lost a tough one, 2-1, while the Sun Devils celebrated and started to line up on the blue line for this year's usual game-ending salute.
But wait. The Spartans asked for a review of a last-minute MSU shot that might have gone in the net or might have just hit the crossbar. A quick review showed MSU's Mitchell Lewandowski rocket-like shot from the right circle indeed did go into the net and came back out.
So the game wasn't over. It was tied 2-2 with 1:04 left to play and 3-on-3 overtime looming.
Nope.
Arizona State ruined the Spartans' hopes of pulling out a come-from-behind win when it responded with a fluky goal with 40 seconds left.
MSU pushed back and freshman defenseman Nash Niehaus hit the right post with a shot from the left point with 10 seconds left. The Sun Devils then survived a defensive zone faceoff with 2.6 seconds left to claim a stunning 3-2 non-conference victory.
In a game the Spartans played well enough to win, they still fell short, despite 38 shots on goal, strong penalty killing, an improved power play and standout goaltending by Drew DeRidder, who made 28 saves.
"This was a game we should have won. We played well enough to win,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "We tied it up and should have extended the game. Just an unfortunate goal to give up. They whacked at it and it kind of dribbled in somehow.
"It's was unfortunate. It's a tough one. I thought we played really well but couldn't get anything to go in. We had a lot of shots, a lot of chances.''
After the officials ruled that Lewandowski's shot was a goal, they put back 1:04 on the clock. From the ensuing faceoff, MSU's Brody Stevens came down the right wing and let go with a shot that ASU goalie Cole Brady saved and covered.
After the faceoff, ASU carried the puck into the Spartans' zone and Johnny Walker's shot from the top of the left circle was blocked by MSU defenseman Tommy Miller.
But the puck deflected into the middle between the faceoff circles and ASU defenseman Jacob Semik raced in, knocked the puck down and followed it toward the net.
Semik fanned on his first shot but as he was losing his balance, he chipped the puck over the right pad of DeRidder and it squirted into the net for a 3-2 ASU lead with 40 seconds left.
"It definitely stings. It sucks, there's no better way to put it,'' Spartan grad transfer forward Charlie Combs said. "It hurts. We have to forget it and use it as energy for tomorrow.
"It's disgusting here for a bit but we have to wake up tomorrow and know it's a new day and come prepared, play our game, our style and give us a chance to win.''
The Spartans (6-11-2 overall, 5-10-1-2-1-0 Big Ten) and Sun Devils (6-13-2) wrap up the series at 5 p.m. Monday at Munn Arena.
Cole said he's certainly been involved in games in which his team has scored late to tie a game, only to give up a late goal to lose it. But not what happened with a goal awarded after time ran out.
"For reviewing a goal, awarding a goal and adding time back on the clock and then the other team getting one, that's a first for me,'' he said.
If was a first for Combs and his teammates, too.
"I don't think we've ever been part of something like that,'' said Combs, who was back in the lineup Sunday after missing four games with an injury. "We tied the game and had some time back to give us a fighting chance. It was crazy.''
The game was deadlocked at 1-1 entering the third period with each team scoring in the first minute of the previous periods. Both goals were generated by shots from the point.
ASU took a 1-0 lead just 13 seconds into the game as Semik's shot from the left point went off players in front and Dominic Garcia found the loose puck and tapped it past DeRidder.
MSU tied it on Tommy Apap's deflection of Dennis Cesana's shot from the point 36 seconds into the second period.
The Spartans had to kill off a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct on defenseman Christian Krygier for elbowing for two minutes to end the second period and three minutes to start the third. The Sun Devils were held to two shots on goal.
Arizona State broke the 1-1 tie when Chris Grando redirected Walker's centering pass from the right boards past DeRidder with 5:26 left in the third period.
That set the stage for the chaotic final two minutes.
The Spartans went on a power play at 18:22 when ASU defenseman Tanner Hickey took a cross checking penalty.
Lewandowski, set up in the right circle, took a pass from Nienhaus and his one-timer seemed to hit the crossbar and deflect away from the net, as the referee behind the goal signaled no-goal.
A few seconds later, as play continued, DeRidder was lifted for a sixth attacker giving MSU a 6-on-4 edge but the Spartans couldn't solve Brady and time ran out.
But Spartans director of operation and video coach Dan Sturges, from reviewing MSU's video, was certain Lewandowski's shot went in the net. He called down to assistant coach Joe Exter on the bench to report back what he saw on the video. The Spartans finally the officials' attention for a review.
It didn't take long to determine that it was a goal.
Lewandowski wasn't sure if the puck went in or not.
"I had no idea, even when I went back to the bench after the game (first) ended, but I wanted a review just like everyone else,'' he said. "I thought it hit the post. Obviously, it went in but my first reaction was that I wasn't sure.''
As it turned out, the goal was awarded – MSU's first power-play goal in the last nine games and Lewandowski's team-leading sixth goal of the second and second in as many games.
"With having the extra guy out there, Nash (Nienhaus) threw it over to me and threw it over kind of softer so I could get a little more on it,'' Lewandowski said. "I want to say it might have hit their defenseman.
"I haven't seen a replay on it. I tried to get a glimpse of it (on the scoreboard) but I couldn't see too much.''
Overall, Lewandowski liked the way his team played and felt they deserved a better fate.
"We did more than enough to win that game,'' he said. "So, stay on it (tomorrow), don't change much from what we did. Obviously, we have to be better in the (defensive) zone and try to stay out of the box a little more.
"We were right there. It was an emotional, roller coaster type game. We just have to come back tomorrow and be ready to play.''
SERIES TIED: Michigan State and Arizona State are now 1-1-1 in the three non-conference games they've played this season. Monday's series finale will decide the series winner – unless the teams play to another deadlock. In non-conference play, teams play a 3-on-3 overtime if tied after 60 minutes, but not a shootout.
The Spartans opened their season against the Sun Devils on Nov. 19 and teams played to a 1-1 tie. The next night, MSU won 2-0.
"It was a good hockey game. Arizona State is a good team, they work hard and they come at you,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "We've had some good games with Arizona State. They tend to be like this – tight battles. Both teams skated well.
"We knocked the rust off (from being off for two weeks) early and I thought we were pretty good after that. I thought we did a lot of things well and we can do some things even better.''
OFFENSE, PP IMPROVED: Michigan State used its speed, energy and aggressive forechecking to create several quality scoring chances on Sunday. The Spartans had 38 shots on goal and made ASU goalie Cole Brady work hard to keep his team in the game.
"We came out of our zone really well. We used our backside (defenseman) and got him more involved with the rush,'' Coach Danton Cole said. "We got pucks behind their D, and got the forechecking going.
"We did some things off the rush and I thought our guys were harder on pucks down low. We were able to maintain possession in the offensive zone. We spent time in their zone with some puck control.''
Dennis Cesana and A.J. Hodges led MSU with six shots on goal apiece. Mitchell Lewandowski and Charlie Combs each had four.
MSU held a 39-23 edge in faceoffs, with standout faceoff man Tommy Apap leading the way, winning 12 of 13.
"Our defense did a good job. If they couldn't get the puck on net, they got it below the goal line,'' Cole said. "And they used the end boards in creating some havoc.''
Six Spartan defensemen accounted for 13 shots on goal – not counting Nash Nienhaus' shot that hit the right post with 10 seconds left.
MSU was 1-for-3 on the power play with six shots on goal, including five on its first power play late in the first period.
The second power play, late in the second period, lasted only 38 seconds, and the Spartans' late third-period PP went 33 seconds before Lewandowski scored his now-famous delayed tying goal.
IN THE BIG TEN: Minnesota moved back into first place with a sweep of Notre Dame on Friday and Saturday in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Gophers won both games 3-0. Goalie Jack LaFontaine recorded his fourth and fifth shutouts of the season.
Notre Dame, which swept Minnesota in Minneapolis last month, is 3-10-1 on home ice and 7-1 on the road.
The Gophers, with 37 points, hold a two-point lead over Wisconsin, with six games remaining for each team. They do not play each other.
Wisconsin rebounded from Friday's 5-1 loss at Michigan and edged the Wolverines 3-2 on Sunday to earn a split of the series. The Badgers broke a 1-1 tie on Roman Ahcan's power-play goal late in the second period and went up 3-1 when Dominick Mersch scored 28 seconds into the third period.
Michigan's Brendan Brisson scored with 2:25 left to cut Wisconsin's lead to one goal, but the Badgers held on for the victory.
The Wolverines held Wisconsin's Cole Caufield, the nation leading scorer (17-16-33), without a point in the series. The Badgers' Dylan Holloway had a goal and an assist on Sunday.
The Ohio State at Penn State series scheduled for Friday and Saturday was postponed because of COVID-19 issues with the Nittany Lions program. PSU had a two-game series at Michigan Feb. 3-4 postponed when U-M shut down its entire athletic program on Jan. 23.
After first-place Minnesota and second-place Wisconsin, Notre Dame remains in third place with 27 points, one ahead of Michigan, which has two games in hand on the Irish.
Penn State (20 points) is fifth, Ohio State (16) in sixth and Michigan State is a point behind the Buckeyes and in seventh place.
Next week, Michigan State plays at Minnesota, Wisconsin plays host to Notre Dame and Michigan visits Ohio State. Penn State is idle after canceling its home series with Arizona State.
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
EAST LANSING – For Michigan State, this crazy, pandemic impacted 2020-21 hockey season got a little more bizarre on Sunday afternoon at Munn Arena.
The Spartans have won and lost games in lots of different ways this season but Sunday's wild finish against Arizona State ranks right at the top.
One minute, MSU thought it lost a tough one, 2-1, while the Sun Devils celebrated and started to line up on the blue line for this year's usual game-ending salute.
But wait. The Spartans asked for a review of a last-minute MSU shot that might have gone in the net or might have just hit the crossbar. A quick review showed MSU's Mitchell Lewandowski rocket-like shot from the right circle indeed did go into the net and came back out.
So the game wasn't over. It was tied 2-2 with 1:04 left to play and 3-on-3 overtime looming.
Nope.
Arizona State ruined the Spartans' hopes of pulling out a come-from-behind win when it responded with a fluky goal with 40 seconds left.
MSU pushed back and freshman defenseman Nash Niehaus hit the right post with a shot from the left point with 10 seconds left. The Sun Devils then survived a defensive zone faceoff with 2.6 seconds left to claim a stunning 3-2 non-conference victory.
In a game the Spartans played well enough to win, they still fell short, despite 38 shots on goal, strong penalty killing, an improved power play and standout goaltending by Drew DeRidder, who made 28 saves.
"This was a game we should have won. We played well enough to win,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "We tied it up and should have extended the game. Just an unfortunate goal to give up. They whacked at it and it kind of dribbled in somehow.
"It's was unfortunate. It's a tough one. I thought we played really well but couldn't get anything to go in. We had a lot of shots, a lot of chances.''
After the officials ruled that Lewandowski's shot was a goal, they put back 1:04 on the clock. From the ensuing faceoff, MSU's Brody Stevens came down the right wing and let go with a shot that ASU goalie Cole Brady saved and covered.
After the faceoff, ASU carried the puck into the Spartans' zone and Johnny Walker's shot from the top of the left circle was blocked by MSU defenseman Tommy Miller.
But the puck deflected into the middle between the faceoff circles and ASU defenseman Jacob Semik raced in, knocked the puck down and followed it toward the net.
Semik fanned on his first shot but as he was losing his balance, he chipped the puck over the right pad of DeRidder and it squirted into the net for a 3-2 ASU lead with 40 seconds left.
"It definitely stings. It sucks, there's no better way to put it,'' Spartan grad transfer forward Charlie Combs said. "It hurts. We have to forget it and use it as energy for tomorrow.
"It's disgusting here for a bit but we have to wake up tomorrow and know it's a new day and come prepared, play our game, our style and give us a chance to win.''
The Spartans (6-11-2 overall, 5-10-1-2-1-0 Big Ten) and Sun Devils (6-13-2) wrap up the series at 5 p.m. Monday at Munn Arena.
Cole said he's certainly been involved in games in which his team has scored late to tie a game, only to give up a late goal to lose it. But not what happened with a goal awarded after time ran out.
"For reviewing a goal, awarding a goal and adding time back on the clock and then the other team getting one, that's a first for me,'' he said.
If was a first for Combs and his teammates, too.
"I don't think we've ever been part of something like that,'' said Combs, who was back in the lineup Sunday after missing four games with an injury. "We tied the game and had some time back to give us a fighting chance. It was crazy.''
The game was deadlocked at 1-1 entering the third period with each team scoring in the first minute of the previous periods. Both goals were generated by shots from the point.
ASU took a 1-0 lead just 13 seconds into the game as Semik's shot from the left point went off players in front and Dominic Garcia found the loose puck and tapped it past DeRidder.
MSU tied it on Tommy Apap's deflection of Dennis Cesana's shot from the point 36 seconds into the second period.
The Spartans had to kill off a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct on defenseman Christian Krygier for elbowing for two minutes to end the second period and three minutes to start the third. The Sun Devils were held to two shots on goal.
Arizona State broke the 1-1 tie when Chris Grando redirected Walker's centering pass from the right boards past DeRidder with 5:26 left in the third period.
That set the stage for the chaotic final two minutes.
The Spartans went on a power play at 18:22 when ASU defenseman Tanner Hickey took a cross checking penalty.
Lewandowski, set up in the right circle, took a pass from Nienhaus and his one-timer seemed to hit the crossbar and deflect away from the net, as the referee behind the goal signaled no-goal.
A few seconds later, as play continued, DeRidder was lifted for a sixth attacker giving MSU a 6-on-4 edge but the Spartans couldn't solve Brady and time ran out.
But Spartans director of operation and video coach Dan Sturges, from reviewing MSU's video, was certain Lewandowski's shot went in the net. He called down to assistant coach Joe Exter on the bench to report back what he saw on the video. The Spartans finally the officials' attention for a review.
It didn't take long to determine that it was a goal.
Lewandowski wasn't sure if the puck went in or not.
"I had no idea, even when I went back to the bench after the game (first) ended, but I wanted a review just like everyone else,'' he said. "I thought it hit the post. Obviously, it went in but my first reaction was that I wasn't sure.''
As it turned out, the goal was awarded – MSU's first power-play goal in the last nine games and Lewandowski's team-leading sixth goal of the second and second in as many games.
"With having the extra guy out there, Nash (Nienhaus) threw it over to me and threw it over kind of softer so I could get a little more on it,'' Lewandowski said. "I want to say it might have hit their defenseman.
"I haven't seen a replay on it. I tried to get a glimpse of it (on the scoreboard) but I couldn't see too much.''
Overall, Lewandowski liked the way his team played and felt they deserved a better fate.
"We did more than enough to win that game,'' he said. "So, stay on it (tomorrow), don't change much from what we did. Obviously, we have to be better in the (defensive) zone and try to stay out of the box a little more.
"We were right there. It was an emotional, roller coaster type game. We just have to come back tomorrow and be ready to play.''
SERIES TIED: Michigan State and Arizona State are now 1-1-1 in the three non-conference games they've played this season. Monday's series finale will decide the series winner – unless the teams play to another deadlock. In non-conference play, teams play a 3-on-3 overtime if tied after 60 minutes, but not a shootout.
The Spartans opened their season against the Sun Devils on Nov. 19 and teams played to a 1-1 tie. The next night, MSU won 2-0.
"It was a good hockey game. Arizona State is a good team, they work hard and they come at you,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "We've had some good games with Arizona State. They tend to be like this – tight battles. Both teams skated well.
"We knocked the rust off (from being off for two weeks) early and I thought we were pretty good after that. I thought we did a lot of things well and we can do some things even better.''
OFFENSE, PP IMPROVED: Michigan State used its speed, energy and aggressive forechecking to create several quality scoring chances on Sunday. The Spartans had 38 shots on goal and made ASU goalie Cole Brady work hard to keep his team in the game.
"We came out of our zone really well. We used our backside (defenseman) and got him more involved with the rush,'' Coach Danton Cole said. "We got pucks behind their D, and got the forechecking going.
"We did some things off the rush and I thought our guys were harder on pucks down low. We were able to maintain possession in the offensive zone. We spent time in their zone with some puck control.''
Dennis Cesana and A.J. Hodges led MSU with six shots on goal apiece. Mitchell Lewandowski and Charlie Combs each had four.
MSU held a 39-23 edge in faceoffs, with standout faceoff man Tommy Apap leading the way, winning 12 of 13.
"Our defense did a good job. If they couldn't get the puck on net, they got it below the goal line,'' Cole said. "And they used the end boards in creating some havoc.''
Six Spartan defensemen accounted for 13 shots on goal – not counting Nash Nienhaus' shot that hit the right post with 10 seconds left.
MSU was 1-for-3 on the power play with six shots on goal, including five on its first power play late in the first period.
The second power play, late in the second period, lasted only 38 seconds, and the Spartans' late third-period PP went 33 seconds before Lewandowski scored his now-famous delayed tying goal.
IN THE BIG TEN: Minnesota moved back into first place with a sweep of Notre Dame on Friday and Saturday in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Gophers won both games 3-0. Goalie Jack LaFontaine recorded his fourth and fifth shutouts of the season.
Notre Dame, which swept Minnesota in Minneapolis last month, is 3-10-1 on home ice and 7-1 on the road.
The Gophers, with 37 points, hold a two-point lead over Wisconsin, with six games remaining for each team. They do not play each other.
Wisconsin rebounded from Friday's 5-1 loss at Michigan and edged the Wolverines 3-2 on Sunday to earn a split of the series. The Badgers broke a 1-1 tie on Roman Ahcan's power-play goal late in the second period and went up 3-1 when Dominick Mersch scored 28 seconds into the third period.
Michigan's Brendan Brisson scored with 2:25 left to cut Wisconsin's lead to one goal, but the Badgers held on for the victory.
The Wolverines held Wisconsin's Cole Caufield, the nation leading scorer (17-16-33), without a point in the series. The Badgers' Dylan Holloway had a goal and an assist on Sunday.
The Ohio State at Penn State series scheduled for Friday and Saturday was postponed because of COVID-19 issues with the Nittany Lions program. PSU had a two-game series at Michigan Feb. 3-4 postponed when U-M shut down its entire athletic program on Jan. 23.
After first-place Minnesota and second-place Wisconsin, Notre Dame remains in third place with 27 points, one ahead of Michigan, which has two games in hand on the Irish.
Penn State (20 points) is fifth, Ohio State (16) in sixth and Michigan State is a point behind the Buckeyes and in seventh place.
Next week, Michigan State plays at Minnesota, Wisconsin plays host to Notre Dame and Michigan visits Ohio State. Penn State is idle after canceling its home series with Arizona State.
Players Mentioned
D
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
D
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice HockeyWednesday, October 07
Friday, October 02
Wednesday, September 23
Thursday, March 26