Monday, October 15, 2007

Spartans blanked in North Dakota

by Matt Mackinder / Michigan State Beat Writer

Michigan State opened its season on Saturday night at North Dakota in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game and fell to the top-ranked Fighting Sioux, 6-0, in front of 11,738 fans at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

The No. 3 Spartans outshot their hosts 23-22, but could not solve senior netminder Jean-Phillipe Lamoureaux, who finished with a 22-save shutout.

Jeff Lerg stopped 16 shots for MSU (0-1-0).

"It's kind of the worst nightmare," said MSU coach Rick Comley to USCHO. "It's what you fear after six months of people patting you on the back and then you come in here and play a team of that caliber."
MSU lost its first season opener in three seasons and falls to 38-26-3 in all-time openers.

Michigan State was shutout in its season opener for the first time since Oct. 11, 2002, when the Spartans fell to Denver, 5-0, in the first round of the Maverick Stampede in Comley's first game as head coach.

The Spartans will look to rebound this weekend in their home opener, hosting Colgate in a two-game set Friday and Saturday at Munn Ice Arena. MSU will raise its national championship banner in a pre-game ceremony on Friday night.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That was a total butt whipping.

Anonymous said...

Wow ticklethepickle! That was insight on your part. Well done.