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Spartan Recap: Michigan State Split Series With Arizona State Sun Devils

Spartan Recap: Michigan State Split Series With Arizona State Sun Devils
SEF College Hockey

Following a 14-day break since Michigan State was swept by the Wisconsin Badgers, the Spartans took on the Arizona State Sun Devils in a two-game series at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. The Sun Devils took game one in an interesting fashion, 3-2, while Michigan State took the second game, 2-1.

Game 1:

There were four line changes prior to game one as everyone was starting to get healthy after the Spartans’ two-week layoff. All of Cole Krygier, Charlie Combs, Nico Muller, and Jagger Joshua drew into the lineup for Cal Dybicz, Jake Smith, Austin Kamer, and Mitchell Mattson. Drew DeRidder got the nod for the Spartans, while Cole Brady was in goal for the Sun Devils.

Just 13 seconds into the game, Arizona State pulled ahead, as Dominic Garcia controlled the rebound, swatting a floating puck behind DeRidder to make it 1-0. Just over a minute after that goal, Christian Krygier fell down as he was getting back on defense, and Chris Grando rag a shot off the post on a breakaway. With 8:49 remaining in the first period, DeRidder went down awkwardly, but he stayed in the game. With 4:38 left, the Spartans went to the power play for the first time in the game after Jagger Joshua got into a skirmish and draws a penalty on Benji Eckerle for holding the stick. The Spartans had six shots on their power play but were not able to convert. With just over two minutes left in the period, Tommy Apap was called for a boarding minor, and just as the Spartans came off of it, the Sun Devils headed to the power play. The Spartans killed it off, and that’s how the first period ended. Arizona State maintained their 1-0 lead that was earned 13 seconds into the game while Michigan State had the shot advantage, 15-13.

Michigan State started up the second period exactly how they wanted to. Just over 30 seconds into the period, Dennis Cesana shot the puck from the point and Tommy Apap directed the shot home to make it 1-1. The period had been somewhat slow, but with 7:47 left, Johnny Walker deflected a shot by DeRidder, but it was called for high-sticking. The play was reviewed and the call on the ice of no goal stood. With 5:18 left, Tommy Apap headed to the box for a second time, this time for roughing. 38 seconds into the power play, Matthew Kopperud was called for a tripping minor, and the Spartans and Sun Devils headed to four-on-four hockey. The four-on-four expired, and Michigan State could not convert on the man advantage. With just under two minutes left, Christian Krygier hit Kopperud high up late, and the referees went to review the play. The play was called a five-minute major and game misconduct on Krygier for elbowing. The Spartans were able to kill off the start of the power-play, keeping it a 1-1 game with Michigan State having the shot advantage, 27-21 after two.

Arizona State still had 3:04 remaining on the extended power-play to begin the third period. They were, however, unable to get on the board as the Spartans successfully killed off the entire five-minute power-play. With 9:22 left, the referees went to look at a potential head-butting by Chris Grando on Nash Neinhuis, but nothing was called after review. With 5:26 left in the third period, Drew DeRidder slightly left the goal, Johnny Walker found Chris Grando for a tip in front to make it 2-1 Sun Devils. Drew DeRidder left the game with about 1:45 left, and just after that, Tanner Hickey went to the box for a delay of game penalty. DeRidder left the net towards the start of the power-play to end the game, and initially, everyone believed that the Spartans were unable to put the puck in the net, but after the horn sounded, the referees reviewed a Mitchell Lewandowski shot that went in unnoticed to tie the game with 1:06 to go in the game. The Sun Devils came back down with 40.4 seconds remaining in the game as Jacob Semik scored to give them a 3-2 lead over the Spartans. That ended up being the final score, as Arizona State came out victorious, 3-2 while Michigan State had a 38-30 shot advantage.

Head Coach Danton Cole, along with forwards Charlie Combs and Mitchell Lewandowski spoke following the game.

Cole started with an opening statement. “Odd ending to a game. That’s college hockey, you do some things well, we scored a timely goal on the power play, minute to go in the third feeling like we have a chance to win a hockey game and that slipped away from us. Even after that, we had a couple chances when we pulled our goalie. I thought the guys did a lot of things pretty well and knocked some rust off, did some decent things, and probably should have scored more than two goals, that’s the bottom line, but it wasn’t without a lack of chances. We did some things well tonight and we will have do those things well tomorrow and pick up on some other areas… Those things happen and you’ve got to bounce back and get back into it the next night.”

Cole said that Assistant Coach Joe Exter called up to Director of Hockey Operations Dan Sturges to check the footage of the goal since he believed it went in, and surely it did, getting the referees’ attention to review.

The Spartans, despite going down early, showed resilience in Sunday’s contest. “I liked it, there was good energy in the locker room, good energy on the bench, players know when you’re playing pretty well and they know when you’re getting chances and right away when they scored the guys on the bench said we’ve got time and let’s get the next one and they kept pushing. You like to see that attitude and composure and it paid off for a little bit and it was an unfortunate goal at the end of the game, and that’s just hockey. There are some weird bounces sometimes and you’ve got to live with them, but you can learn from them and get a little better and that’s what we’ve got to do tomorrow.”

Combs said he felt good coming off of an injury that kept him out of the lineup for a few series. “It’s been a bit but I tried to grind it out and get the lungs back into it as quick as I could. I felt a little slow out there, got some more in the tank, and leave it all out there tomorrow.”

The offense had many more chances in the first game compared to the two series that Combs sat out, and he believed that had to do with their play all over the ice rather than just the offensive zone. “I think we really played a 200-foot game, just getting in and out, getting behind their defense and really forcing them, making plays from there. I think we did a good job playing hard and fast.”

Lewandowski said that even he, the goal scorer, was uncertain if the puck went in. “I had no idea, even when I went back to the bench. When the game ended, I obviously wanted it reviewed like everyone else just to give us a chance. I just thought it just hit the post, to be honest, I’m just happy it went in.”

Game 2:

There was one line change heading into the second game of the series as Jake Smith drew into the lineup for Christian Krygier, who was suspended one game after taking a five-minute major and a game misconduct for elbowing Matthew Kopperud in the first game of the series. Chris Grando was also suspended one game for his headbutt on Nash Neinhuis that was reviewed in Sunday’s game, and he was charged with a penalty at the time of the review. Drew DeRidder got the nod for the Spartans, while Cole Brady was in goal for the Sun Devils.

The first period was somewhat quiet, to begin with as neither team had a shot through about the first five minutes. Just under seven minutes in, Michigan State headed to the power-play when Jack Judson was called for holding the stick of Adam Goodsir. They had a few chances and were in the zone for the majority of the power play, but there were no goals. The Spartans headed to the power play once again with 6:13 left, as Demetrios Koumontzis put the Sun Devils on the penalty kill due to goaltender interference. They were unable to score on the power-play, but just a second after, Jagger Joshua buried the puck to give Michigan State the lead. At the end of the first, the Spartans had the advantage on the score sheet, 1-0, and in the shot department, 10-2.

The second period started with some Sun Devils pressure including a James Sanchez shot off the post, and a Sean Dhoogie chance that was stopped by DeRidder. With 13:31 remaining, Mitchell Lewandowski was sent to the box for holding, and the Spartans’ penalty-kill went to work for the first time in the second game of the series. Arizona State was unable to convert on the power-play as Michigan State killed off the penalty. With 8:40 left, Arizona State went back to the power play as Nico Muller was sent to the box on a questionable interference call against PJ Marrocco, but the Spartans killed off another penalty. With just over six minutes to go, DeRidder absolutely robbed Benji Eckerle with a sprawling glove save on a rebound attempt that could have easily tied the game at one. With 1:44 left in the period, Nico Muller was called for tripping in the offensive zone, and the Sun Devils finally took advantage of the Spartans’ penalty woes as Demetrios Koumontzis scored 18 seconds into the power-play to tie the game at one. That was the score at the end of two, with Arizona State leading in the shots on goal department, 17-15.

The third period started off less than ideal for Michigan State as Jagger Joshua was called for interference less than two minutes in, but the Spartans killed off the Sun Devils’ fourth power-play of the game. After that, the period consistently stopped due to saves and pucks going out of play, but nothing impacted the score sheet until 3:57 remaining in the period when Jagger Joshua drove to the net and Nico Muller jammed it in while the puck was in the crease. The referees took a long look at the goal, and it ended up being called a good goal as Jacob Semik pushed Muller from behind which negated any call. Mitchell Lewandowski registered the secondary assist on the goal, which is the 99th point in his Spartan career. Cole Brady left the Sun Devils’ net with 2:08 left, but they were unable to score with the six-on-five man advantage. Michigan State came out of the game victorious, 2-1, while Arizona State had the shot advantage, 33-24.

Head Coach Danton Cole, Joshua, and Muller addressed the media following the game.

Cole started with an opening statement. “Another tight battle with Arizona State… seems like every game is tight… Nice to see the guys come out on top… Usually, in a game like this, it would be an ugly goal and that was an ugly one. We enjoyed it, we enjoyed the win, we’ll get a little bit of rest and ret ready for Minnesota.”

Coach Cole believed that the Spartans played better in their own zone in front of DeRidder as after last night’s issues leading to two of Arizona State’s three goals, they needed to work on their play in their own zone. He doesn’t believe in the momentum coming off of this win after a three-game losing streak, he does believe, however, in the feeling of a win resulting in energy.

Joshua believes that the power-play is starting to get going after Lewandowski’s tally and his tally one second after the power-play ended today. “Special teams are such a big part of hockey and our team, and we struggle scoring goals sometimes so our power-play needs to be at all cylinders. Definitely feels good and it’s a little bit of confidence going into the next series.”

Muller said that he feels like his game is opening up a lot more following his transition from the wing to center with Lewandowski and Joshua. “I love the line, Lewy and Jagger have so much skill and power. As a winger, I always felt a little that I couldn’t get the whole game in, and now as a center, I feel like I have a little bit more control. I feel more comfortable as a center, and now with (the wingers I have), I feel good about our line.”

The Michigan State Spartans are scheduled to face the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Friday at 8 P.M. EST and Saturday at 6 P.M. EST in Minneapolis.

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