After a nine game win streak and number one ranking the Michigan State Spartans hockey team was riding high and looking good. When the number 7 ranked Badgers arrived in Munn this weekend they managed
to sweep the Spartans and knock them back to reality some. The Spartans were bound to lose more games, it is just how hockey goes. Sometimes you face a hot goalie, sometimes the puck just bounces the other way. I doubt anyone had a sweep on their bingo card though. Both games were winnable matches so let’s take a look at what went wrong on both nights.
Game one was a second period nightmare. The Spartans gave up too much in transition where Wisconsin was able to get back and close the gaps. As Nightingale mentioned in his presser, MSU is a young team and they think it is fun hockey trading chances. He mentioned that MSU has skill but they can’t be trading chance after chance. He was exactly right, anytime MSU had a rush Wisconsin used in and used their speed to generate their own rush the opposite way.
Looking at the score you would think, what happened to Trey? That is not a normal game for him. MSU did not look like themselves out there. They were of on their PK and giving up way too many odd-man rushes. MSU is used to controlling the pace of the game and Wisconsin managed to take that away from them in the second period.
MSU did show some reserve as they fought hard in the third to get back in it as they got behind two goals twice in the third but just couldn’t pull off the equalizer down the stretch. The icing was rough as they had pulled Augustine but were forced to put him back in.
Giving up four goals in a game is a lot but four in one period is not Spartan hockey. Game one was a rough one but definitely a teachable opportunity for Nightingale and a chance for this team to learn and remember to play the full sixty.
Saturday’s game was an entirely different affair. MSU and Wisconsin were scoreless after one and of course the second period had Wisconsin’s Blake Montgomery connecting on a power play goal to take the lead heading into the third. The third saw the Spartans in the box for what felt like most the period with 16 minutes worth of penalties. MSU had a late power play and Martone scored to even the game. It was Martone’s third of the weekend and tenth of the season. He tied it up with 39 seconds left sending Munn into a frenzy. It seemed like perhaps the Spartans had gained the momentum swing as they headed to overtime.
MSU had some chances with a couple of breakaways but Wisconsin made a great play diving in there to get the game winner. Game two was much better than game one and at least they got it to overtime. Thankfully, a weekend like this is coming early in the season where there is much opportunity to grow from and learn. The PK was much better Saturday and with the holiday, MSU will play again on Wednesday and Friday with the chance to cleanse the pallet and start anew. I’d expect Nightingale to have them ready and work them hard after this one. One bright spot, Porter Martone is the real deal. It is hard to not have eyes on just him on a shift as he is just as exciting without the puck as he is with it. Let’s hope MSU gets back in the win column and can return the favor to Wisconsin later in the season.
