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MSU hockey loses wild overtime game to OSU, 6-5

March 12, 2016
Senior forward Matt DeBlouw looks to pass the puck during the hockey game against Minnesota on March 4, 2016 at Munn Ice Arena. The Spartans were defeated by the Gophers, 4-2.
Senior forward Matt DeBlouw looks to pass the puck during the hockey game against Minnesota on March 4, 2016 at Munn Ice Arena. The Spartans were defeated by the Gophers, 4-2. —
Photo by Sundeep Dhanjal | and Sundeep Dhanjal The State News

Down 5-4 after leading the game three different times, MSU hockey’s final desperation attempt yielded a goal off the stick of junior forward Joe Cox knotting the game up with 1.6 seconds left in the period, sending the game to overtime. Nevertheless, Ohio State’s Matthew Weis played the role of hero, redirecting the puck into the MSU net with 26 seconds left in the overtime period giving the Buckeyes a 6-5 win.

“We got to be way better defensively we can’t give up six goals,” captain and senior forward Michael Ferrantino said. “You’re not going to win games giving up six goals.”

A quick and dominant start by Ohio State (13-17-3, 8-8-3-1) was held in check by MSU goalie Jake Hildebrand as he turned aside multiple prime Buckeye chances early. Following two minutes of four-on-four hockey MSU (10-22-3, 6-12-1-0) registered the game’s first goal on a wrist shot from the top of the circle off the stick of senior forward Ryan Keller.

Ferrantino and freshman forward Mason Appleton recorded assists on the goal.

A tame first period gave way to a wild second 20 minutes. OSUs David Gust touched off the scoring bonanza with his tying goal less than three minutes into the second; a period that saw OSU score four goals and take a 4-3 lead into the third.

MSU’s Mackenzie MacEachern regained the lead less than three minutes after the Gust goal on quick turnaround shot right in front of the net. OSU answered 26 seconds later as Luke Stork slung home a shot on a breakaway.

MSU regained the lead again as junior forward JT Stenglein notched his first goal since Nov. 21 against Michigan Tech. Stenglein’s rebound goal gave MSU a 3-2 lead that would only last for 3:55 when Anthony Greco of OSU slid home a shot making it 3-3.

Less than two minutes later OSU captured its first lead of the night on Gust’s second goal of the game. OSU held onto the lead heading into the third.

“I guess it was just a little bit of sloppy defense,” Cox said. “We weren’t really playing our best defense and made some bad turnovers at the blue line and things like that that just can’t happen.”

More of the same continued in the third with the teams trading goals early. Matt DeBlouw snapped home a rebound just over four minutes into the last frame tying the game up at 4-4. OSU answered a little over two minutes later on Brendon Kearney’s one-timer from the crease making it 5-4.

A wild night wouldn’t end quietly. Scrambling to tie the game, MSU's Cox was able to push the puck into the net during a net mouth scramble knotting the game up at 5-5 with 1.6 seconds left in the contest.

“It kinda got caught in my jersey and flew up into the air and the goalie caught it behind his back but then he fell in the net,” Cox said of his tying goal.

The Spartans would have their chance to erase a bad night of defense in overtime but squandered a couple prime opportunities. Weis’ game-winning goal gave OSU its fifth win in six games and secured fourth place in the Big Ten for the Buckeyes.

“They’re really an offensive team and one of the things we have to concentrate on is not losing battles in dangerous zones,” Cox said.

Adding to that sentiment, head coach Tom Anastos expressed his dissatisfaction with the defense.

“I just thought there were some coverage issues that we had tonight that cost us,” Anastos said. “We have to be better, we have to be better.”

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