2008 Woodie Awards
Ninth-Ranked MSU Beats Men's Hockey
Max Yadin
Issue date: 10/25/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 2 next >
The Colgate Raiders played a double header last week in East Lansing, Michigan against the defending Division I champion, the Michigan State (MSU) Spartans. MSU manhandled Colgate, 6-3 in last Friday's game. Determined to put up a better showing before heading back home, Colgate returned to the ice the next day and lost a tough defensive battle, 2-1.
"They really came after us hard," Head Coach Don Vaughan said. "But our guys never gave up or threw in the towel."
The Raiders were behind for reasons they could not control heading into Friday's game. Not only was this the Spartans' home opener, but Michigan State had just lost 6-0 to #1 North Dakota in its last game and was looking to rebound in a big way. Also, MSU raised its championship banner that night and wanted to impress the roaring crowd at Munn Ice Arena.
"They raised the banners, and we got caught up in it," Vaughan said.
In the middle of the first period, MSU scored on its second power play of the night when junior Matt Schepke swept the puck past senior goaltender Mark Dekanich. With 5:02 left in the frame, MSU won a face-off by the Raider's net. First-year Dustin Gazley got the puck and sent it whizzing by Dekanich's right shoulder. MSU was now up, 2-0. The Spartans put another goal on the board when Gazley intercepted Dekanich's attempt to clear the puck and put the disk into the open net. The Spartans would end the period with a 3-0 lead.
Early in the second period, it became obvious that the Spartans had no plans of letting up. Less than two minutes in, Dekanich made a quick save on a Spartan shot. Unfortunately, MSU senior Bryan Lerg cleaned up and poked the puck beyond the goal line. Dekanich was then pulled from the game.
"We weren't giving him enough support," Vaughan said. "It was our fault."
Senior Justin Kowalkoski played goalie for the rest of the night.
"I was hoping that by putting him [Kowalkoski] in, the guys would get a jump start and it worked," Vaughan said. "He made a couple of big saves, and the guys rallied around him."
"They really came after us hard," Head Coach Don Vaughan said. "But our guys never gave up or threw in the towel."
The Raiders were behind for reasons they could not control heading into Friday's game. Not only was this the Spartans' home opener, but Michigan State had just lost 6-0 to #1 North Dakota in its last game and was looking to rebound in a big way. Also, MSU raised its championship banner that night and wanted to impress the roaring crowd at Munn Ice Arena.
"They raised the banners, and we got caught up in it," Vaughan said.
In the middle of the first period, MSU scored on its second power play of the night when junior Matt Schepke swept the puck past senior goaltender Mark Dekanich. With 5:02 left in the frame, MSU won a face-off by the Raider's net. First-year Dustin Gazley got the puck and sent it whizzing by Dekanich's right shoulder. MSU was now up, 2-0. The Spartans put another goal on the board when Gazley intercepted Dekanich's attempt to clear the puck and put the disk into the open net. The Spartans would end the period with a 3-0 lead.
Early in the second period, it became obvious that the Spartans had no plans of letting up. Less than two minutes in, Dekanich made a quick save on a Spartan shot. Unfortunately, MSU senior Bryan Lerg cleaned up and poked the puck beyond the goal line. Dekanich was then pulled from the game.
"We weren't giving him enough support," Vaughan said. "It was our fault."
Senior Justin Kowalkoski played goalie for the rest of the night.
"I was hoping that by putting him [Kowalkoski] in, the guys would get a jump start and it worked," Vaughan said. "He made a couple of big saves, and the guys rallied around him."
Be the first to comment on this story