Spartans, Hildebrand Shut Out No. 19 Penn State, 3-0
Spartans, Hildebrand Shut Out No. 19 Penn State, 3-0
EAST LANSING - A 28-save shutout performance by goaltender Jake Hildebrand helped the Michigan State hockey team down No. 19 Penn State, 3-0, on Friday at Munn Ice Arena. Mackenzie MacEachern, JT Stenglein and Matt DeBlouw all scored for the Spartans as they improved to 11-12-2 overall and 5-4-2-2 in the Big Ten.
“I thought overall it was a pretty solid effort across the board. Three pucks went in and I thought we created some really nice scoring opportunities tonight,†MSU head coach Tom Anastos said. “I thought we defended well and when we had breakdowns, Hildy (Jake Hildebrand) came up with a few big stops.
“It was a good start to the weekend.â€
The shutout was the third of the season and seventh of Hildebrand’s career, tying him with Bob Essensa for fifth most in MSU history.
After a scoreless first period, MacEachern netted what proved to be the game-winning goal just past the midway point of the second.
The play started when Ron Boyd entered the zone with the puck before sliding it to Berry along the left boards. Berry made a move to slot and fired a shot that bounced off Penn State goaltender PJ Musico. MacEachern charged the crease and was able to get his stick, and enough of his body, around the PSU defenseman to swipe the puck home for his seventh goal of the season.
The Spartans made it 2-0 2:48 later on a goal by Stenglein.
Villiam Haag and Thomas Ebbing forced a turnover just inside the Penn State blue line and the puck found its way to Stenglein on the right side. With Stenglein and Haag bearing down on Musico, Stenglein snapped the puck past the goaltender from the right circle.
After making just four saves in the second period, Hildebrand was called on early in the third when Eric Scheid took the puck from Carson Gatt at the Spartan blue line and raced in alone. Hildebrand waited out Scheid and eventually kicked out out the puck with his right pad to keep the score 2-0.
Hildebrand’s stop kept the Nittany Lions (15-8-4, 7-3-1) from making it a one-goal game and less than three minutes later the Spartans extended their lead courtesy of DeBlouw.
MacEachern and Berry set up DeBlouw with a perfect feed in the high slot and DeBlouw hammered a one-timer past Musico at the 4:16 mark.
The goal was his seventh of the season and third in as many games.
“When Matt got the puck down low, I knew he was going to come back out high with it, so I just tried to find that soft area in the high slot. It was a great pass and Mac screened the goalie in front.â€
The Spartans held Penn State to 28 shots - 13 below their season average - while putting 34 on net.
Both teams went 0-for-3 on the man-advantage.
The Spartans and Nittany Lions will meet again on Saturday night at Munn Ice Arena at 6 p.m.
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