March 5, 2004

Final Stats

EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 14 Michigan State skated to a 4-4 overtime tie with No. 6 Michigan in front of 6,812 fans at Munn Ice Arena on Friday night (March 5). The classic grudge match saw the Spartans fight back from a two-goal deficit to capture the lead midway through the third period, but have to settle for a tie.

"It certainly was a good game to watch," remarked MSU Head Coach Rick Comley. "It was fast, hard fought and intense. I thought our kids showed a lot of courage. We stayed in the game and eventually got the lead back and we had some bad luck and didn't get the bounces at times.

"It does feel like a loss a little, but you have to be careful with that. I think in retrospect when you let it settle a little bit, it was just two good teams who went toe to toe and gave it everything they had. It was a big game. We were down, but we answered the bell and I'm proud of that. We had a thin lineup and that didn't help."

The highly anticipated match-up between these two rivals was a quick, physical game from the opening face-off. Both teams had numerous chances in the opening minutes. The Wolverines had countless opportunities on a four-on-three power play, and MSU's Jim Slater (Lapeer, Mich.) fired a wrist shot high and wide on a clear-cut breakaway against Michigan goaltender Al Montoya.

Michigan broke the scoreless tie at the 5:01 mark of the second period as Jeff Tambellini wrapped around from the net and backhanded the puck over the left shoulder of Dominic Vicari (Clinton Township, Mich.) for the 1-0 lead.

At the 16:53 mark of the second period, the Spartans tied the game at 1-1. After receiving a pass from Colton Fretter (Harrow, Ont.), David Booth (Washington, Mich.) accelerated down the right side of the ice, flew by two defender and chipped the puck over Montoya's left shoulder for his eighth goal of the season. Jared Nightingale (Cheboygan, Mich.) also picked up an assist on the goal.

Just 14 seconds later at 18:55 Andrew Ebbett tipped a shot from the point by Eric Werner to give UM the two-goal lead, 3-1.

A mere 59 seconds later, MSU pulled back to within one goal, 3-2. Chris Snavely (Lancaster, Pa.) fired as solid shot from the point and with a Michigan defender hanging all over him, Brock Radunske (New Hamburg, Ont.) whacked at the puck several times before finally putting it past Montoya's stick.

The goal was the first for Radunske in seven games, dating back to his two-goal performance against Lake Superior on Feb. 5. Snavely's assist was his first point in eight games, with his last dating to Jan. 30 against Miami.

At 9:04 of the third, the Spartans deadlocked the game at 3-3. Fretter picked up the puck in the neutral zone, streaked down the right side of the ice, and was taken out by a Michigan defender. As Montoya dove for the loose puck, Booth slid it back A.J. Thelen (Savage, Minn.), who shot it into the empty net for his 11th goal of the season.

"This rivalry just gets everybody's adrenaline flowing, every time you play them it just gets better and better," Thelen said. "Even though the tie was pretty devastating, we took a big step as a team today because of how well we played and how we battled."

With a goal and an assist, Booth now has a three-game point streak and 4-5-9 totals in his past six games.

"I think as a team, this is the best game we have played this year," Booth remarked. "It shows a lot of character when people are willing to sacrifice themselves for one another like we did tonight."

The Green and White went up 4-3 at 11:50 of the third period. Freshman Tommy Goebel (Parma, Ohio) dug the puck out of the corner and threw it toward the net. Mike Lalonde (Chetwynd, B.C.) attempted to bat the puck out of the air, but instead, it banked off of his body and into the net. Jared Nightingale also picked up an assist on the goal.

With a two-assist night, Jared Nightingale ties a career best for points in a game and now has eight assists on the season. With his assist, Goebel now has a five-game point-scoring streak in which he has accumulated 4-4-8 points. Lalonde's goal was his 20th of the season, marking MSU's first 20-goal scorer since John Nail in 2000-01.

Michigan tied the game up, 4-4, with a shorthanded goal at 18:42 of the third period. Directly off the face off, Jason Ryznar let loose a wrist shot from the slot, which sailed past the glove of Vicari.

"It was college hockey the way you want it," remarked Comley. "It was fast; it had contact and good scoring chances. When these teams get together, it's always a step up physically. The crowd was great. It was an outstanding atmosphere - it was a good game in that regard."

Despite numerous chances, neither team could convert in overtime. Partway through the extra session, Lee Falardeau (Midland, Mich.) had a goal disallowed for striking it with a high sick.

MSU netminder Dominic Vicari finished with 27 stops, while UM's Al Montoya recorded 31 saves.

Even though they earned a point on the evening, Michigan State is now eliminated from the CCHA regular-season title chase and has clinched the No. 3 seed for the CCHA playoffs. They meet in Ferris State in the opening round.

These same two teams clash again tomorrow at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich., at 7:35 ET as the game will be aired on Fox Sports Net Detroit.