Icers upset by Nebraska-Omaha

After clawing back to erase a two-goal third period deficit, the No. 5 MSU hockey team let it all slip away in overtime.

After taking a penalty to start the extra session, Nebraska-Omaha’s Dan Charleston redeemed himself, scoring the game-winner fresh out of the penalty box as the Mavericks upset the Spartans, 5-4, Friday night at Munn Ice Arena.

“I was real pleased with the way we reacted,” Nebraska-Omaha head coach Mike Kemp said. “We got into overtime and those guys really laid it on the line. They got pucks out, they got pucks down and did a great job to give us the opportunity then we hit Charleston coming out of the box.”

The loss snapped MSU’s eight game unbeaten streak.

“It was really a struggle for us to get going,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said. “Really sloppy, just out of it. I guess it was a letdown after a big, emotional weekend.”

MSU (17-6-5 overall, 13-3-3 CCHA) took a 2-1 lead into the second period but the Mavericks scored twice in the first 10 minutes and held on to a 3-2 lead going into the third.

Things looked grim for the Spartans when Nick Fanto gave Nebraska-Omaha (12-12-3, 9-9-3) a 4-2 edge early in the third period, but from there, the team that was missing in action up to that point showed up to play.

Junior forward Justin Abdelkader cut the deficit to one, 4-3, over three minutes later after a flurry of around four chances finally paid off for the Spartans.

MSU continued to pour on the pressure but couldn’t break through. It wasn’t until senior captain Bryan Lerg scored with just over a minute remaining that the Spartans tied the game.

“We just realized once they got up two goals that we had to pick it up and figure it out,” Lerg said. “It’s sad to say that we didn’t figure it out earlier in the game, but I guess it’s good we bounced back there, tied it up, took it to overtime and gave ourselves a chance to win.”

In overtime, the Spartans got a power play 38 seconds in on a Charleston hooking penalty. MSU had some prime chances but were unable to find the back of the net.

With the penalty expired, Nebraska-Omaha forward JJ Koehler found Charleston fresh out of the box on the left wing. Charleston pulled a slick move and beat junior goaltender Jeff Lerg to win the game for
the Mavericks.

“Everyone’s effort, including myself, was unacceptable,” Bryan Lerg said.

Jeff Lerg, fresh off being named the National Player of the Month, made 28 saves for MSU but allowed as many goals as he did in the previous six games combined. Jerad Kaufmann made 34 saves for Nebraska-Omaha, including 15 in the third period.

“A tough night for Jeff, but he had so many great saves, too,” Comley said. “Bad goals, great saves, really. A tough night for him but he’s not going to win it for us every night. There’s times that the team has to step up to win and this was one of those nights and they didn’t do it for him.”

The two teams meet again at 4:05 p.m. Saturday at Munn.

“Tomorrow becomes a challenge, emotionally, mentally more than anything else,” Comley said. “I tried to warn them all week. What you fear is what you saw.”