Icers' rally falls short against Wolverines

MSU comes back from three-goal hole, but loses in final five minutes

After the first period, it seemed like it was time to start warming up the bus for the No. 12 MSU hockey team.

The Spartans came out of the gates flat and went into the first intermission trailing No. 20 Michigan 3-0.

But miraculously, MSU overcame a three-goal deficit and took a 4-3 lead midway through the third period, only to watch the Wolverines score two goals in the last five minutes of regulation to earn the 5-4 victory Saturday at Joe Louis Arena.

“I expected Michigan to come out and play hard and they did,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said. “They got the puck by us. But we hung around and hung around and got the lead. We were in position to win the game, but just couldn’t get it done.”

The first period couldn’t have gone much worse for MSU.

Freshman forward Derek Grant had the best opportunity of the period for MSU, only 10 seconds into the game.

After that, it was all Wolverines.

First, at 13:07, U-M senior defenseman Chris Summers split the MSU defense and charged into the offensive zone. MSU sophomore goaltender Drew Palmisano made the save on Summers’ backhand opportunity, but the rebound went right to A.J. Treais, who chipped in the puck from a sharp angle.

Summers netted a knuckleball shot from the point that deflected off an MSU defenseman at 17:51 to extend the Wolverines’ lead to 2-0.

Then with 25.6 seconds remaining in the first period, U-M forward Chris Brown danced around the MSU defense and found Brian Lebler at the top of the crease. Lebler fired a quick shot that beat Palmisano high.

It appeared the second period would be all U-M, as well.

The Spartans started the middle frame on the power play, but the Wolverines actually generated more scoring opportunities, despite being shorthanded.

At 16:18, MSU worked some shorthanded magic of its own. An outstanding individual effort by junior forward Dustin Gazley set up the goal. Gazley was taken down at the blue line but battled to beat a Wolverine defenseman to the puck. When he took possession, Gazley dodged a hit and completed a full-360 rotation, then found junior forward Andrew Rowe wide open on the doorstep.

“He worked hard and had the second effort,” Rowe said of the shorthanded goal. “He slid it to me back door. I couldn’t really miss that one. If I did, it would have been embarrassing. But he worked hard to get that to me.”

Sophomore forward Brett Perlini tacked on another MSU goal at 8:36 of the second period, his fourth goal in three games at Joe Louis Arena this season, and junior defenseman Jeff Petry tied the game at three 50 seconds into the third period.

It was a hockey game again.

“We had to start over,” U-M head coach Red Berenson said. “We came to the rink ready to play. We had a big edge in the game and on the scoreboard, but we lost it. There’s no use crying about it. You just have to move on. Let’s start again and let’s win the game. That’s what it came down to.”

Freshman forward Dean Chelios broke the deadlock at 13:09 of the third period on a wrap around that snuck past U-M goaltender Bryan Hogan. The crowd erupted and it appeared it was now MSU’s game to lose.

The Spartans did just that.

At 15:12, U-M forward Matt Rust tied the game with a shorthanded goal. At 17:53, Brown netted the game-winner with a big scrum in front of the net. Grant actually ended up behind Palmisano trying to hold the post and keep the puck out of the net. It seemed as though no one knew where the puck was – until the referee signaled goal.

Saturday’s game was the final meeting between the two rivals during the regular season. After losing all five games against U-M last season, MSU posted a 3-1-0 record this year against the Wolverines.

Although the Spartans were happy to have battled back, they felt like they let the game get away.

“We came out kind of flat,” Petry said. “They came out with a head of steam. Going down 3-0, anytime you have to battle back it’s hard. But it showed that we had it in us to come back. Once we come back, we have to continue that momentum for all 60 minutes.”