After out-racing Bowling Green 6-3 on Thursday, No. 3 MSU looked more like last season’s defensive juggernaut in a 4-0 win over the Falcons at Munn Ice Arena on Friday.
The Spartan defensemen came up big across the board and junior goaltender Ryan Miller was outstanding, making 30 saves for the shutout.
Freshman left wing Kevin Estrada led the offensive charge with two goals, helping the Spartans (5-2-1 overall, 5-2-1 CCHA) complete a sweep of Bowling Green (1-5-2, 1-4-1).
With the win, MSU extends its home unbeaten streak to 22 games (20-0-2) since Oct. 20, 2000. And the good news for the Spartans is they’re in the midst of a seven-game homestand - their longest of the season.
MSU’s next action is a one-game visit from UMass-Amherst on Nov. 9 at Munn.
But Estrada’s night was Friday against the Falcons.
After being shut out in his first six collegiate games, Estrada scored for the second straight night - tallying his second and third goals of the season.
Estrada’s first tally was created by a fantastic individual effort by junior defenseman Brad Fast, who notched an assist on the play. During a delayed Bowling Green penalty, Fast picked up the puck at the offensive blue line, maneuvered to the right side of the Falcon net and banked a pass off the goal post to the front of the crease.
Estrada was right there for the easy tap-in goal.
MSU carried that 1-0 lead into the first intermission, but not without a challenge. Miller, who recorded his 21st career shutout Friday, made his second sensational save of the series with 3:55 to play in the first.
Sophomore defenseman Joe Markusen accidentally tipped a loose puck to Falcon right wing Austin de Luis streaking up the left side. De Luis fed Falcon center Greg Day, who was open near the crease, but Miller gloved Day’s attempt out of mid-air while diving back into position.
Referee Brian Aaron briefly conferred with the linesmen before ruling Miller’s glove was not over the goal line when he made the save.
Junior right wing Steve Jackson put MSU up 2-0 with his second goal of the season 1:48 into the middle frame.
Jackson brought the puck into the zone with a hard slap shot on Falcon goaltender Jordan Sigalet and pursued his own rebound. Eventually, the puck squirted to him off senior defenseman Jon Insana’s stick and Jackson shoved a shot under Sigalet’s arm.
Sigalet, playing in place of usual starter Tyler Masters, made 28 saves for the Falcons.
But senior right wing Adam Hall cracked him 5:40 into the third, giving MSU a 3-0 lead.
Freshman center Jim Slater redirected the puck in front of the net and Hall popped a backhand over Sigalet for his third goal of the season.
Estrada then capped things off for MSU with a power play goal at 11:24 of the third.
The Spartan power play finished 1-for-5.
Personnel: MSU head coach Ron Mason tinkered with MSU’s lineup again Friday night, moving junior right wing Troy Ferguson up to the second line and dropping freshman forward Mike Lalonde to right wing on the fourth line.
The Spartans received a scare early in the third period when Fast had to be helped off the ice. He returned to the game later in the period and after the game, he said he was “just sore.”
