Michigan State Hockey Ends Regular Season With A Tie Against Notre Dame
The Michigan State Spartan hockey team saw their regular season come to a disappointing end tonight with a tie against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Michigan State hockey super SID Jeff Barnes has the update for us:
NOTRE DAME, Indiana – The Michigan State hockey team played Notre Dame to a 2-2 tie on Saturday in South Bend in the final game of the regular season. Notre Dame picked up the extra point in the standings, winning the shootout in one round.
In finishing the regular season with 35 points, the sixth-place Spartans (15-17-2, 11-11-2-0) will take on third-seeded Michigan next weekend in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. The best-of-three series will take place in Ann Arbor and begin on Friday.
Logan Lambdin had his second straight two-point night, scoring a goal and then assisting on Josh Nodler's third-period goal.
The Spartans led 2-0 late in the third, but two Notre Dame goals in 1:45 span tied the game.
"We played hard, our guys didn't cheat us at all. To come in here this time of year to get a win and a tie against a really good Notre Dame team – they're fighting for the same things we are," MSU head coach Danton Cole said. "It was a good battle and I'm proud of our guys."
MSU goaltender John Lethemon, who made 35 saves in the game, turned away all 15 Irish shots in the opening period, several of which came right on the doorstep.
The Spartans broke the stalemate 5:41 into the second period on Lambdin's second goal of the weekend. Dennis Cesana started the play when he pinched down from the right point to intercept pass, picking it off in stride from off the boards near the top of the circle. Cesana made his way to the net and rang a shot off the crossbar from low in the right circle. The loose puck shot right out to Lambdin on the left side, who banged it into a nearly empty net.
MSU carried a majority of the play in the second period, outshooting Notre Dame 11-4.
The Spartans extended their momentum into the third period and were rewarded at the 2:28 mark when Josh Nodler made it 2-0 off a perfect feed from Lambdin. Jagger Joshua chipped the puck out of the zone where Nodler picked it up and raced into the Notre Dame end. Nodler crisscrossed with Lambdin in the high slot, leaving a drop pass for the senior. Lambdin took the puck, drawing both Notre Dame defenders, then slid right to Nodler, who snapped it into the net.
Notre Dame (14-13-7, 9-9-6-4) kept the pressure on the Spartans as the third period went on and eventually a ricochet off a shot by Alex Steeves went int to make it 2-1 with 4:48 to go. Steeves' shot bounced off a player in front, then off the post and into the net.
Cam Morrison tied it up 1:45 later when he deflected a pass by Cal Burke past Lethemon.
Lethemon stopped every shot the rest of the way and then two more in overtime.
"Leth was outstanding he gave us every chance tonight," Cole said.
Staggered penalties in the 3-on-3 overtime gave each team a short power play, but neither were able to convert.
The Spartans killed both Notre Dame power plays – one in the first and then one late in the third period. MSU was 0-for-1 on the power play.
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