Columbus, Ohio – It’s all about being in the right place at the right time.
Nick Sucharski knows this all too well.
Spartans ice Buckeyes, 4-1
Lerg stops 27 shots in victory
Junior forward Nick Sucharski celebrates with teammate senior defenseman Daniel Vukovic after Sucharski scored the Spartans third goal in the second period of their game against Ohio State at Value City Arena on Friday. MSU picked up a 4-1 victory.
The junior forward scored a goal against Ohio State in Friday’s 4-1 victory over the Buckeyes, extending his scoring streak to three goals in the past three games.
“I’m playing with great guys right now and just working hard,” Sucharski said. “You play with guys like that, and they put you in good positions. A lot of the times I find myself getting those easy goals … just being in the right place at the right time.”
Senior captain Bryan Lerg scored about two minutes into the first period, putting the Spartans on the board. Junior forward Tim Crowder chipped in a goal off a rebound to give MSU a 2-0 lead.
An all-too-familiar face, Ohio State’s Tommy Goebel, scored his 12th goal of the season to pull the Buckeyes within one. Goebel skated at MSU for two years from 2003 to 2005.
Despite a one-goal deficit heading into the locker room, the Buckeyes came out uncharacteristically strong in the second period with about a two-minute interval of strong shooting on junior goaltender Jeff Lerg. Any momentum the Buckeyes built, though, was destroyed by Sucharski’s goal just over four minutes into the period.
Junior forward Justin Abdelkader scored a third period empty net goal, sealing the deal.
The Buckeyes have struggled this season, which at one point included an 11-game winless streak.
“That’s a good hockey team,” Ohio State head coach John Markell said of the Spartans. “MSU is consistent and patient. They do a good job.
“We rely on 20 guys, and we didn’t have that tonight.”
A young Buckeyes team, with 10 dressed freshmen, is difficult to play because of a lack of experience, MSU head coach Rick Comley said.
“We respect everyone we play against,” Comley said. “It’s really tough to win with freshmen. They’re good players, I like the talent of their class.
“It’s just the ability to get the puck in the net. ... I think they’re doing a good job with that team, and they’re close. And close could be tomorrow.”
READ MORE
MSU continued two streaks in Friday’s game.
The Spartans remained undefeated on the road in league play with a 6-0-1 record and have killed 21 straight penalties. The last power play goal scored against MSU has not been since Michigan Tech’s goal in the Great Lakes Invitational on Dec. 28.
The two teams meet again at 7:35 p.m. Saturday.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
