Ryan Miller and the fourth-ranked Spartans continued their defensive mastery over Miami (Ohio) in a 3-0 win Friday night at Munn Ice Arena.
Junior goaltender Miller stopped 23 shots for his 22nd career shutout, and MSU (7-2-1 overall, 6-2-1 CCHA) has now held Miami (6-4-1, 4-2-1) scoreless for more than 11 straight periods. The RedHawks last cracked the Spartans 7:48 into the first period of a 5-1 MSU win on March 11, 2000.
The teams rematch at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.
MSU seemed surprised by Miami‘s defensive scheme in Friday‘s first period, as the usually high-scoring RedHawks kept four players back to clog the neutral zone.
MSU managed very little offensive flow in the period, rarely getting the puck deep enough for the forwards to cycle.
And Miller had to come up big twice just to keep the game scoreless into the first intermission. Nine minutes into the game, Miller laid down to deny Miami left wing Nick Jardine on a breakaway.
About 4:45 later, another MSU defensive breakdown led to a 3-on-1 Miami rush. RedHawk left wing Mike Kompon fed center Derek Edwardson streaking through the slot, but Miller knocked down Edwardson‘s one-timer with his blocker.
Miller also picked up an assist on the game‘s first goal - a power play tally by senior left wing Joe Goodenow at 3:08 of the second period.
Junior defenseman John-Michael Liles created the play by carrying the puck into the Miami zone and snapping a wrist shot at the net. RedHawk goaltender David Burleigh made that save with his pad, but Goodenow was there to flip the rebound into an open net for his fourth goal of the season.
MSU took a 2-0 lead five minutes later on junior defenseman Brad Fast‘s fourth goal of the year.
Burleigh was forced to race to the blue line to prevent a breakaway for junior left wing Brian Maloney, but his clearing attempt only made it to center ice. Fast gathered the puck there, skated into the zone and uncorked a 50-foot slap shot that beat Burleigh short-side just before the goaltender got back into position.
Burleigh made 23 saves for the RedHawks.
Liles put MSU up 3-0 with a man-advantage tally, his fourth goal of the year, at 11:55 of the third period. Freshman center Ash Goldie assisted on the score.
The Spartan power play finished 2-for-3.
Time out: A clock malfunction caused a 10-minute delay 8:21 into the game. Goodenow and Miami defenseman Brian Sipotz were both whistled for penalties at that time, but the clock failed to start after the ensuing face-off. After several fruitless attempts, the clock was fixed and the rest of the game went off without a hitch.
Attendance milestone: The crowd of 6,608 Friday night marked the 275th consecutive regular-season sellout at Munn. The streak started on Dec. 19, 1985.
