#18 Michigan State Hockey Continues To Win Downing #16 Arizona State
Danton Cole has the #18 Michigan State hockey program back in the top 20 and they hosted #16 Arizona State this weekend. The weekend series was played in the friendly confines of Munn Ice Arena.
Sunday night was a big win for the Spartans and MSU Hockey SID Jeff Barnes has the complete report on the game:
No. 18 Spartans Top No. 16 Arizona State in OT, 1-0
EAST LANSING – Mitchell Lewandowski’s goal 3:17 into overtime broke a 0-0 tie and lifted the No. 18 Michigan State Spartans past No. 16 Arizona State, 1-0, on Sunday at Munn Ice Arena. MSU goaltender John Lethemon stopped all 36 ASU shots for his fourth shutout of the season as the Spartans improved to 9-8-1.
“It was a really good hockey game. I’ll tell you what, if the guys want to know what an NCAA playoff game feels like, that’s how it was - both teams battling for every inch of the ice,” MSU head coach Danton Cole said.
With nothing on the scoreboard but zeroes through 60 minutes, the two teams went to five-minute sudden-death overtime. With the Spartans pressuring the Sun Devils, Dennis Cesana was able to get the puck to Patrick Khodorenko down low. Khodorenko worked from behind the net to get the puck out to Mitchell Lewandowski, who was coming from the left circle. Lewandowski took the pass and while cutting toward the top of the crease, backhanded the puck past goaltender Evan DeBrouwer to give the Spartans their second overtime win in the last three games.
“It was a good battle, two good goaltenders,” Cole said. “It was just hard fighting for ice out there, but I thought our guys battled and keep going, stuck with it, and kept their confidence. These are good games to go through, I think you learn something last night, learn something tonight. It’s more fun learning tonight when you win, but it’s been a good first half, and I’m proud of where they’re at.”
ASU (9-5-2) outshot the Spartans 26-21 through the first two periods, while the Spartans held a 12-9 advantage in the third and then a 3-1 edge in OT. Both teams finished with 36 shots on goal.
Both teams went 0-for-3 on the power play.
Michigan State will return to action at the 55th annual Great Lakes Invitational, Dec. 30-31, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The Spartans will meet Michigan Tech in the opening game on Monday, Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. and then take on either Michigan or Ferris State the following day.
Want the latest breaking MSU news delivered straight to your email for FREE? Sign up for the DAILY Spartan Nation newsletter when you CLICK THE MAGAZINE ICON at the top left of the page or the FOLLOW button back on the main page. Don’t miss any of the latest up to the second updates on Michigan State Sports when you follow on Twitter @HondoCarpenter