Michigan State beats Ferris in overtime

Special Recap to MiCHO by Lyle Nagle

Friday night at Munn Ice Arena, Michigan State forward Bryan Lerg scored his eighth game-winning goal of the season at the 1:26 mark of the overtime period to give the Spartans a 2-1 victory over Ferris State.

Lerg received the centering pass on the game winner from Chris Lawrence and fired it past Ferris goalie Mitch O'Keefe.

The win pushed the Spartans' (18-8-3, 14-6-3 CCHA) unbeaten streak to eight games.

Justin Abdelkader scored MSU's first goal at the 13:24 mark of the second period.

Abdelkader, playing the right point on the power play, received a pass from Jeff Dunne and buried a slap shot high over the glove of O'Keefe, who was screened on the play.

Ferris State's Matt Verdone scored the first goal of the game at the 10:11 mark of the second period.

Shorthanded, Joe Van Culin shot the puck up the board clearing the Ferris zone and Verdone won the race for the puck and continued across the front of the MSU net scoring on the far side of Jeff Lerg.

Lerg was forced to make many quality saves on his way to a 33-save performance.

O'Keefe made key saves for the Bulldogs (9-19-3, 6-15-2 CCHA) in each period on his way to 20 saves on 22 shots.

Michigan State went 1-for-8 on the power play. Ferris was 0-for-7 with the man-advantage.

MSU will hit the ice at the Joe Louis Arena tomorrow night against the Michigan Wolverines.

FSU is off until Tuesday when the host the Spartans in Big Rapids in the finale of their home-and-home set.

Hockey Day in Michigan set to faceoff

The second annual "Hockey Day in Michigan" on Feb. 10, presented by the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, FSN and the Detroit Red Wings, is already upon us.

While rinks throughout the state will be hosting numerous events this Saturday, FSN Detroit will be airing a college hockey double-header with Alaska versus Western Michigan at 4:35 p.m. and Michigan playing Michigan State at Joe Louis Arena at 7:30 p.m.

“Hockey Day in Michigan” is a statewide celebration of the passion, fun and friendships that make hockey such an important part of our sports landscape. Hockey Day is an opportunity for you to connect with the sport in your own unique way whether it be watching, playing, skating or helping out at an event.

Here are youth hockey memories fondly remembered by current CCHA players that grew up in Michigan.

Jeff Lerg (pictured)
Michigan State (Livonia)
“My fondest memory growing up in Livonia was just playing hockey with my friends. As I got older, it was easier to get good pick-up games with high-talented players such as Bryan Marshall (Nebraska-Omaha), my cousin Bryan (teammate at Michigan State), Erik Condra (Notre Dame), Brandon Naurato (Michigan) and many other players from nearby cities.”

Todd McIlrath
Bowling Green (Northville)
“My fondest memory of growing up and playing in Michigan is playing street hockey as a kid. I grew up playing with the Plymouth Stingrays. During that time, I made a lot of friends that I am still very close to today.”

Justin Gutwald
Lake Superior (Grosse Pointe)
“The fondest memory I have was when the Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1997. It was cool to see how the whole city came together. The best part for me playing was competing at the International Silver Sticks all through my years of hockey and also being able to travel all over Michigan to compete.”

Bill Loupee
Miami (Bloomfield)
“My fondest memory of growing up playing hockey in my hometown is going out onto the second sheet at Royal Oak (John Lindell Ice Arena). The rink wasn’t enclosed yet, so we would all go out and practice and have a great time. Then everyone would cry when they came back inside to get undressed because all their toes were thawing out.”

Matt Hunwick
Michigan (Sterling Heights)
“The best part of growing up in Michigan, especially in the metro-Detroit area, is having the Red Wings and living close enough to Canada to get CBC and being able to watch Hockey Night in Canada every Saturday night. I used to love watching HNIC and I still do. Don Cherry in the Coaches Corner was a highlight of my Saturday night when I was younger. After home games at Yost, I still put on CBC in the players lounge after Saturday night games.”

Bryan Marshall
Nebraska-Omaha (Livonia)
“We had some pretty good teams in Livonia growing up. We won the state championship in Pee Wee A (1995) and Pee Wee AA (1996) as well as the national championship in ’96. Winning the national championship would have to be my fondest memory from playing hockey growing up. We just ripped through everyone in the national tournament. It was a blast!”

Josh Sciba
Notre Dame (Westland)
“My best memory playing hockey for Plymouth was scoring my first-ever goal at Joe Louis Arena in front of my entire family. I remember my grandfather shedding some tears of joy. I thought it was the coolest thing ever to play hockey at Joe Louis Arena. Playing hockey with my best friends growing up was also great.”

Sean Collins
Ohio State (Madison Heights/Troy)
“My fondest memories about playing hockey in my hometown definitely came from just being at the rinks with my brother and all the friends I made through hockey. We had almost as much fun running around the arenas before and after games as we did during games. After games on weekends, we would always go to the Gathering Place in Troy with my family and friends”

Jason DeSantis
Ohio State (Warren)
“My best thing about growing up and playing hockey in Michigan is how fun and competitive the hockey is. Michigan is a great state to grow up and play hockey. My best memories are playing in the championship games and winning state or winning all the different tournaments we played in.”

Corey Elkins
Ohio State (West Bloomfield)
“My best memory from playing back in my hometown is skating on the lake. Being out there without any pressure just skating and scoring for the pure fun of the game is the best feeling in the world.”

Brett John
Western Michigan (Plymouth)
“My fondest hockey memory growing up playing in Michigan was probably my senior year at Detroit Catholic Central. I decided not to go play for St. Louis of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) that year because I wanted to play my senior year and graduate from Detroit Catholic Central. That was really important to me. We then went undefeated that year and won our third state championship in a row. It was an amazing year and one that I will never forget.”

Jeff Pierce
Western Michigan (Troy)
“My fondest memory of playing hockey growing up in Michigan would have to be the countless battles of playing against Compuware when I played for Little Caesars. Those were always intense, but fun, games to play and especially when we won.

“I also remember when I was still living in Royal Oak, every winter my dad would make an ice rink for me and my sister to skate on and play hockey. I loved having my own rink right in my backyard.”

Article courtesy of the CCHA.

MiCHO Power Poll 2.7.2007

For the fifth week in a row, the Michigan State Spartans are on top of our MiCHO Power Poll. The sixth-ranked team in the country took three of four points at Nebraska-Omaha and are unbeaten in their last seven games. The ninth-ranked Michigan Wolverines have won six in a row and are right behind the Spartans after sweeping Western Michigan in a home-and-home series.

1) Michigan State, 17-8-2 (won, tied at UNO)
2) Michigan, 21-9-0 (swept WMU)
3) Lake Superior State, 15-12-3 (split with NMU)
4) Michigan Tech, 12-14-4 (tied, lost at Minnesota State)
5) Western Michigan, 12-15-1 (swept by UM)
6) Northern Michigan, 12-18-2 (split with LSSU)
7) Wayne State, 7-19-0 (won exhibition vs. NTDP)
8) Ferris State, 9-18-3 (swept OSU)

Each week, MichiganCollegeHockey.com editors Matt Mackinder and Tom Balog will compile the MiCHO Power Poll. The poll will comprise the eight Division I teams in the state of Michigan.

Finlandia men split, Lions' women swept

Combined, the Finlandia men's and women's teams earned just one win in four games last weekend.

The FU men lost 4-3 in overtime Friday at Lawrence, but rebounded for a 7-1 shellacking Saturday night.

Brandon VanAcker had a goal and an assist in Friday's loss and Blake Miller and Travis Hanson scoring the other two goals. Lukas Alberer made 17 saves in defeat.

Saturday, Josh Paquette and Joe Beaudry scored twice and Joe Juntilla made 25 saves in the rebound win.

Ross Rouleau chipped in with two assists and Jason Aldrich, Ryan Sullivan and VanAcker tallied the other goals.

The Lions (14-7-0, 12-4-0) host Minnesota-Crookston this weekend.

Meanwhile, the FU women suffered two losses at Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Lake Forest.

On Friday, Stevens Point took a 5-3 win.

Jana Riutta, Emily Conrad and Adele Horrigan scored for the Lions with Katie Markovich turning in a 30-save outing.

Saturday, Lake Forest beat the Lions, 5-1.

Sara Sleik scored Finlandia's only goal and Annika Danielson made 30 saves in goal.

Finlandia ventures to Wisconsin-Eau Claire this weekend to try and end their winless (0-10-1) NCHA streak. Overall, FU is 4-15-2.

Michigan sweeps aside Western Michigan

Michigan seniors (top) Morgan Ward, David Rohlfs, Tim Cook, Mike Mayhew and (kneeling) Jason Dest, Matt Hunwick and T.J. Hensick after last Saturday's home finale at Yost Ice Arena.

(Photo by Eric Bronson, Wolverine Photo)

Michigan wrapped up the home portion of their schedule last Saturday on Senior Night with a 3-1 win over Western Michigan to complete a home-and-home set with the Broncos.

Jack Johnson, David Rohlfs and Chris Summers (first NCAA goal) tallied for the Wolverines and goalie Billy Sauer stopped 19 shots for the win in net.

Mark Letestu scored WMU's lone goal and Riley Gill stopped 42 shots in the loss.

"It is fitting that David Rohlfs, a senior, would score the winning goal," U-M head coach Red Berenson said. "We have gone through games now where we have scored five, six, seven, or nine goals in games, and then we are in a game like tonight where it was a one-goal game. It was a good game. Western Michigan played well, and we played well. They scored a big shorthanded goal, and we scored a big short-handed goal."

The previous night, U-M took a 7-4 win at Lawson Ice Arena.

Brandon Naurato scored a power-play goal at 11:22 of the second period, jumpstarting a key run for the Wolverines. With the game tied 2-2 after the first period, Michigan took charge with three unanswered goals, as Naurato's score was followed by tallies from T.J. Hensick and Johnson. Hensick added a second goal in the third period and U-M hung on for the win.

Andrew Cogliano, Travis Turnbull and Jason Dest scored Michigan's other goals and Sauer finished with 20 saves.

For the Broncos, Paul Szczechura scored twice and Jason Moul and Letestu added the other pair. Daniel Bellissimo turned aside 29 shots for WMU.

Michigan (21-9-0, 16-6-0 CCHA) travels to Bowling Green on Friday and will then face Michigan State at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on Saturday. Western Michigan (12-15-1, 9-12-1 CCHA) hosts Alaska Friday and Saturday.

Spartans get three points in Omaha

Michigan State took three CCHA points on the road last weekend in beating and tying Nebraska-Omaha.

Friday, Bryan Lerg (pictured) had a pair of goals and an assist, Jim McKenzie had three assists and Jeff Lerg made 23 saves to help propel the Spartans to a 5-1 win.

Lerg potted his 16th and 17th goals of the season, with his first of the night standing as the game-winner, and has notched the last three game-winning tallies for the Spartans. He owns the national lead in that category with seven.

Captain Chris Lawrence, Daniel Vukovic and Justin Abdelkader also scored for MSU.

Saturday, Michigan State three times battled back from one-goal deficits to forge a 3-3 tie.

The Spartans got goals from Lerg, Tim Kennedy and the equalizer from Tyler Howells (15:55 of the third period) in the deadlock, which extended MSU's unbeaten streak to seven games (6-0-1).

Michigan State is now 17-8-2 on the year, 13-6-2 in the CCHA.

MSU hosts Ferris State on Friday evening at Munn Ice Arena, then will tangle with Michigan at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday.

Warriors topple Team USA in overtime

Matt Krug scored the tying goal and then the game-winner in overtime as Wayne State beat the U.S. Under-18 Team, 6-5, last Friday in an exhibition game played before numerous NHL scouts at the below-normal frigid confines of the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum.

WSU got on the board on the first shift of the game when Nate Higgins scored the first of his three goals 54 seconds into the game.

Team USA rallied to take a 3-1 lead before Higgins scored two more and Mark Nebus gave the Warriors the lead at 7:35 of the second period on a WSU power play.

After two late third-period goals by the U.S., Krug (pictured) knotted the game with a blast from the point at 18:54 on a five-minute power play and then won it on the same man-advantage, with the same shot, 2:14 into the extra session.

"Wayne State's power play was unbelieveble," USA head coach Ron Rolston said in noting WSU scored five of their goals with the man-advantage. "I'm surprised they are where they are in the standings."

Will Hooper made 20 saves for Wayne State and Josh Unice stopped 20 for Team USA.

Jason Baclig and Jon Grabarek each had three assists for WSU.

Jimmy Hayes scored twice for the U.S. and Ian Cole, James van Riemsdyk and Ryan Hayes added singles.

The Warriors host Alabama-Huntsville this weekend for two CHA contests.

Spartans get Jackson native Shean

The Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the North American Hockey League have announced that forward Joe Shean has committed to Michigan State University for the 2007-08 season.

"Joe is an extremely gifted hockey player," Ice Dogs coach-GM Rob Proffitt said. "He told us when he arrived that he wanted to play for the Spartans. I'm just glad we could help him get there."

Now in his second season with the Ice Dogs, Shean, from Jackson, is tied for fourth in league scoring with 17 goals and 58 points after 41 games. He leads the entire NAHL in even-strength points.

"This is a dream come true for me," said Shean, 19. "I grew up less than 30 minutes away and I have always wanted to be a Spartan."

LSSU takes Cappo Cup, splits with NMU

The Northern Michigan Wildcats and Lake Superior State Lakers split a home-and-home series over the weekend, with each team winning on their home ice.

On Friday in Marquette, NMU blanked LSSU, 1-0. The lone goal was scored by forward Mike Santorelli, whose 26 goals are good for second in the country behind Niagara's Ted Cook. The game-winner came at a time when Northern (12-18-2 overall, 9-14-1 CCHA) had a 5-on-3 advantage. A Nick Sirota shot from point rattled around in front of the net until Santorelli's stick sent it floating over goaltender Jeff Jakaitis' head and into the goal.

“We were just kind of peppering the goalie,” Santorelli said. “I think a puck came through and I just shot it because you never know what will happen when you shoot the puck. Just so happened, it went in the net.”

NMU goaltender Bill Zaniboni picked up the sixth shutout of his career, stopping 26 LSSU shots along the way. At the other end of the ice, Jakaitis allowed only one goal on 20 shots.

“We lost a tough one tonight," LSSU head coach Jim Roque said.

Roque also credited the defensive play, only allowing 20 NMU shots. "If we have the same type of game tomorrow night, I’m more than happy with that,” he said.

Roque got his wish and on the following night Jakaitis faced only 24 shots and stopped 23 en route to a 2-1 Laker victory.

LSSU (15-12-3, 9-10-3) opened the scoring early on in the first period on a 5-on-3 advantage. Derek A. Smith scored 2:22 into the game to put the Lakers up by one, but NMU's Andrew Sarauer tied the game midway through the second frame. Nathan Perkovich put LSSU up for good at the 2:49 mark of the final period with his 11th marker of the season.

Zaniboni allowed two goals on 28 shots in the loss. In the season series, the Lakers beat the 'Cats three games to one and out-scored them by a margin of 9-4. Thus, the Father Cappo Cup returns to LSSU for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.

LSSU now takes to the road where they will face the Miami RedHawks in a Thursday-Friday series.

NMU is also traveling this weekend, this time to Columbus to face-off against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Bulldogs crush the Buckeyes

The Ferris State Bulldogs rebounded from a three game losing skid by taking apart the Ohio State Buckeyes in a twin bill in Big Rapids over the weekend.

The Bulldogs (9-18-3, 6-14-2 CCHA) popped in three goals in the second period on Friday as they recorded a 4-3 victory in front of over 1,700 fans at the Ewigleben Arena.

Adam Miller opened the scoring ay 6:44 and Matt Case scored a pair less than two minutes apart to put FSU up 3-1 after forty minutes.

Brendan Connolly added a third-period power-play marker to seal the win.

Mitch O’Keefe stopped 35 of 37 shots in net for Ferris.

Joe Palmer turned away 26 of 30 shots for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State spotted Ferris five goals in the series finale and that was more than enough as the Bulldogs cruised to a 6-2 win.

Evan Case, Matt Verdone, Mark Bomersback, Connolly, and Miller all scored by 9:41 of the second period to put the home team up by an insurmountable 5-0 score.

The Buckeyes knocked in a pair of power-play markers before the second period was done, but Verdone added his second of the game early in the third to cap the night’s scoring.

Derek MacIntrye steered away 38 of 40 shots in the FSU net for the win.

Palmer started in net for OSU, but got the gate after allowing 4 goals on 9 shots. Nick Filion mopped up and stopped 23 of 25 shots.

The two-game rout of the Buckeyes was just the second series sweep for the Bulldogs this season. FSU took two straight from Mercyhurst at Ewigleben on October 13-14.

The Bulldogs win try to keep the momentum going as they battle sixth-ranked Michigan State in a home-and-home series beginning in East Lansing on Friday night.