Overshadowed by the stunning announcement of head coach Ron Mason’s promotion to athletics director was the fact that his Spartans earned four meaningful CCHA points this weekend at Munn Ice Arena.
Fifth-ranked MSU (19-5-3 overall, 15-4-2 CCHA) topped No. 14 Ohio State by scores of 3-1 Friday and 5-1 Saturday to extend its home unbeaten streak to 32 games and widen its league lead to four points over Michigan.
The Buckeyes (14-10-2, 9-7-2) came into the weekend in fourth place in the CCHA, but fell all the way to sixth by not earning a point in East Lansing. MSU and Ohio State continue their rare four-game series with a two-game set in Columbus, Ohio, starting Friday.
“When you’re sitting on top of the league, as long as you get your wins, you don’t have to worry about anyone else,” junior forward Troy Ferguson said. “You gotta remember that we play these guys two more times and those are four more points we’ve got to go after.”
Junior left wing Brian Maloney notched his first career hat trick in leading MSU to victory Saturday. He scored a goal in all three periods to tie his linemate, senior right wing Adam Hall, for the team-lead with 13 goals.
Maloney missed a day of practice earlier in the week with the flu, but showed no ill effects Saturday.
“I was so laid-back tonight,” Maloney said. “I mean, I was playing hard, but I think being laid-back helped me. Sometimes when you go out looking for those goals, they don’t come to you.
“I was just staying calm out there and the puck was coming to me and I was able to put them in.”
MSU swept the series despite employing a patchwork lineup both nights.
Four Spartans were on the shelf Saturday as freshman left wing Kevin Estrada (flu) was added to the casualty list that already included junior right wing Steve Jackson (thumb), freshman center Lee Falardeau (knee) and senior defenseman Andrew Hutchinson (neck).
Taking their places were redshirt sophomore defenseman Mike Porter, junior left wing Steve Clark, redshirt freshman right wing Steve Swistak and others who don’t usually crack the MSU dress list.
“I’m real proud of this team because we’re playing with a lot of injuries right now and I respect the players that stepped in and did a great job,” Mason said. “It shows me we’ve got some depth and some character. We’re the kind of team that plays well at home and make it difficult to come in here to play and, by gosh, that’s what we did tonight.”
Ferguson notched his first goal of the season and junior defenseman Brad Fast also scored Saturday.
Junior goaltender Ryan Miller was sharp all weekend, making 28 saves both nights. The netminder controlled potential rebounds and thoroughly stymied the Buckeyes in lowering his goals against average to 1.65.
The Spartan defensemen, although basically using a five-man rotation, had a lot to do with the clampdown on Ohio State. Junior defenseman John-Michael Liles in particular was fantastic at both ends of the ice, totaling five assists and racing back defensively to disrupt two near-breakaways Friday by the Buckeyes.
Freshman center Ash Goldie scored Friday’s game-winner and senior left wing Joe Goodenow and freshman center Jim Slater also tallied in game one.
“Some games you’re sitting there and it’s just dragging along and dragging along on the bench,” Goodenow said Friday. “But tonight things were really moving and it made the game a lot more enjoyable to play.”
