Monday, January 23, 2012

Spartans, Lakers split series in East Lansing

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Michigan State and Lake Superior State played two tight games over the weekend at Munn Ice Arena and each team came away with a victory.

Friday night, Kevin Walrod scored to break a 2-2 tie with 1:10 left in regulation and captain Torey Krug added an empty-net score to lead Michigan State to a 4-2 win.

Fred Cassiani staked the Lakers to a 1-0 lead only 28 seconds into the game, but Mike Merrifield tied the score midway through the period. The Spartans took a 2-1 lead only two minutes later on a goal by Brett Perlini and MSU held that lead through the second period and for most of the third before Kellan Lain evened the score with just under three minutes remaining in the game.

That set the stage for Walrod’s heroics.

Will Yanakeff made 45 saves in the win, while Kevin Kapalka stopped 23 shots for the Lakers.

Saturday night, Dan Radke assisted on the game-tying goal and scored the winning goal in the shootout, helping the Lakers to a 2-2 tie/shootout win over Michigan State.

Lake Superior opened the scoring with Chris Ciotti finding the back of the net.

The Spartans answered with two tallies from Dean Chelios and Greg Wolfe. With under five minutes to go, Cassiani tied the game for Lake Superior.

The game would remain deadlocked through overtime and the Lakers would go on to win the shootout, 2-1.

Yanakeff stopped 32 shots and Kapalka had 37 saves for LSSU.

Lake Superior (13-11-4 overall, 8-9-3-3 CCHA) has claimed at least two points during every road series in 2011-12 except one - the Dec. 2-3 series at Ohio State. The Lakers have a chance to make up for its showing during a Jan. 27-28 rematch against the league-leading Buckeyes, which will be played at Taffy Abel Arena.

MSU (13-9-4 overall, 8-7-3-2) will be back in action next weekend in Big Rapids to play Ferris State.

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