Score doesn't lie in U-M beatdown of Spartans

This one was over from the get-go.

The No. 10 MSU hockey team was destroyed by Michigan, 5-1, in the first game of a best-of-three series in the quarterfinals of the CCHA Tournament.

By the end of the first period, MSU was already down 3-0. And the game didn’t feel like the one at Joe Louis Arena where the Spartans battled back and at least made it a game.

No, this one was over at the end of the first period.

U-M just looked like they wanted it more. They were the first on every loose puck and they capitalized on their chances.

As poorly as MSU played, I’m not sure if any team in the league could have hung with the Wolverines tonight.

“It’s not a surprise to me,” U-M head coach Red Berenson said of his team’s performance. “They’re coming together. I’ve said all along, it’s a good time for our team to go into the playoffs. We’re as good as we’ve been.”

Because students are on spring break, the MSU student section was practically non-existent. And it’s safe to say that more than half of the overall attendance of 3,188 were U-M fans.

Early in the game it seemed like the MSU fans would be able to be able to hang with those sporting the maize and blue. But when the Wolverines took a 3-0 lead in the first period, the U-M fans completely took control of Munn Ice Arena. And they were yelling at the top of their lungs for the rest of the game.

“I’m sure the kids expected the atmosphere would be pretty good,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said. “Obviously, it wasn’t. But we didn’t give much to yell about either.”

There was really only one positive for the Spartans tonight. U-M junior goaltender Shawn Hunwick looked shaky throughout the game. Hunwick is the backup who has been inserted into the lineup due to an injury to starting goaltender Bryan Hogan.

The Spartans were only able to muster 16 shots on net, but Hunwick was giving up long rebounds. And because of his small 5-foot-7 size, he has to come way out to cut the angles. MSU will surely be looking to capitalize on this tomorrow.

“The rebounds that Hunwick kicks out are just juicy,” senior forward and co-captain Nick Sucharski said. “They are just there for the taking. We scattered them and we knew that. We just didn’t execute.”

Well, they better execute on Saturday. If not, they can pack up their lockers. Barring a miracle in the other conference tournaments, the Spartans will be on the outside looking into the NCAA Tournament.

And after how strong the team started, it would be a shame to see it come to an end that way.

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