Corey Potter's first goal since Oct. 24 had all the makings of an insurance tally.
The freshman defenseman's slap shot from the right point gave MSU a 4-1 lead over archrival Michigan with 11:33 to play Saturday night at Munn Ice Arena.
The Spartans had controlled the game up until that point and were poised to emphatically avenge Friday's 3-1 loss to the No. 8 Wolverines.
But the Munn crowd - 7,113 people creating more noise than they had in two years - saw the Spartans go from coasting to scrambling in a matter of minutes.
U-M left wing Jeff Tambellini, the Wolverines' leading scorer, notched a pair of goals 20 seconds apart just moments after Potter's tally to provide some tension.
It wasn't until senior left wing Brian Maloney flicked a shot into an empty net from center ice with 1:37 remaining that MSU could breathe easy with a 5-3 win in its pocket.
"I don't want to say I was nervous there for the last 10 minutes, but I was," said sophomore center Jim Slater, who scored MSU's third goal. "That's what college hockey is all about. A great rivalry, the fans into it, the band playing. And we put a great show on tonight."
Fourth-place MSU (17-11-2 overall, 13-8-1 CCHA) needed to sweep the series to solidify its NCAA Tournament standing and move up in the CCHA race. But after losing Friday's contest in front of a fiery crowd at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, the Spartans were content with the split.
"I've been waiting my whole life for that moment," sophomore goaltender Matt Migliaccio said Saturday. "It was amazing. I was just so happy for Michigan State."
Migliaccio allowed a goal 13 seconds into Friday's game, but he settled down and played well afterward. He stopped 32 shots Saturday and kept his composure after Tambellini's spurt cast doubt on the Spartans' seemingly surefire win.
Tambellini, a freshman, scored two goals each night to raise his season total to 22. U-M goalie Al Montoya was sturdy Friday, repelling 33 Spartan shots.
After the series-opening loss, MSU head coach Rick Comley hinted the improved Spartans might meet the third-place Wolverines (21-8-1, 15-6-1) in the postseason.
"We'll play them more than three more times," Comley said, referring to the remaining regular-season matchups on Feb. 28 and March 1. "We're going to have some good hockey games between the two of us.
"We lack speed - I've said it all year. What we'll add to this program is more speed, and when we do, we'll be a step better. They're the best team we've seen, but we're an awful lot better now than we have been."
Comley was in better spirits Saturday. He called the series-splitting win "fun."
"The series lived up to its billing," Comley said. "It was my first time doing it and I enjoyed it very much.
"I just want to develop the hockey team. If we keep winning good games, then you have a chance when it's all said and done. Emotionally, mentally, public perception, everything - the win carries an awful lot of significance."
But for Potter, a native of nearby Mason, the game was all about scoring the winning goal in his first home game against U-M.
"I just saw an opening
