SAULT STE. MARIE - Two last-minute goals enabled the top-ranked Spartans to escape Lake Superior State with a 2-1 overtime win and a series sweep Sunday.
Senior center Andrew Bogle batted in a power play goal with five seconds left in regulation and senior right wing Rustyn Dolyny scored with 20 seconds left in overtime as the Spartans (18-1-4 overall, 10-1-3 CCHA) kept alive their 20-game unbeaten streak (17-0-3) with a 2-1 win.
Laker goaltender Jayme Platt tamed the MSU offense for almost 60 minutes, but a five-minute major penalty with 4:18 left in the third period proved too much for the Lakers (10-16-0, 6-12-0) to overcome.
Laker center Mike Vigilante received the penalty and a game misconduct from referee Brian Aaron for hitting MSU freshman center Jeremy Jackson into the boards from behind.
Jackson laid motionless, face-down on the ice for about five minutes before being helped off the ice. He returned to the game in overtime.
Bogle capitalized on the power play by winning a face-off to Platt's right with 11 seconds left and dumping the puck back to junior defenseman Andrew Hutchinson. Hutchinson fired a desperation shot into the crowd and Bogle somehow got his stick on it and lifted a shot over Platt for his seventh goal of the year.
Dolyny was the beneficiary of a great pass from senior left wing Damon Whitten on a 2-on-1 near the end of overtime. The captain held the puck, waited for Platt to drop to the ice and lifted a backhand to the top-shelf for the winner.
The goal was his seventh of the year.
The Lakers tallied their only goal with 2:32 remaining in the second period, as left wing Kyle Anderson ended two lengthy streaks.
Anderson jumped off the bench and right into a 2-on-1 Laker rush after a failed Spartan power play. Anderson tried to slide the puck to center Bart Redden, but MSU sophomore defenseman Brad Fast actually tipped the puck through sophomore goaltender Ryan Miller's legs.
The tally marked the first time MSU had surrendered a goal in 242:04, a school record, and snapped Miller's personal shutout streak at 182:04 - the third best of his career.
On the other hand, Lake Superior had not scored in 227:26 after being whitewashed by Michigan twice last weekend. The Lakers also had not scored in nearly eight periods against MSU this season.
The two teams hammered away on each other for most of the game, and that physical play may have gotten the Spartans out of sync.
Sophomore left wing Brian Maloney and Laker left wing Chris McNamara engaged in a near-fight behind the Lake Superior net, for which Maloney received a double minor for roughing.
Sunday’s game was originally scheduled for Saturday night, but a Zamboni mishap melted holes in the ice and forced a postponement. A sarcastic round of applause filled Taffy Abel Arena after every successful ice resurfacing Sunday.
The Spartans won the series opener 2-0 on Friday, setting a school record with its third consecutive shutout.
MSU next plays a home series against Miami this weekend. Games are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Munn Ice Arena.
