Old habits are hard to break.
But even though the MSU hockey team failed again to sweep this past weekend's series at Bowling Green, the split was a bit different, as the Spartans played close to a complete game.
MSU head coach Rick Comley gave his players credit for playing with the heart and emotion he said they lacked against UMass-Lowell Jan. 9-10 - especially in the third period.
"We've had some questionable efforts in the third period. This was not one of them," Comley said after Saturday's 3-2 loss.
Junior forward Ash Goldie scored twice in the final 20 minutes to inch MSU closer to tying the game.
In the final period alone, 32 total penalty minutes were assessed.
The Spartans also peppered Bowling Green netminder Jordan Sigalet with 23 shots for a game total of 42 and a weekend total of 82.
The last time MSU had more than 40 shots on goal was Nov. 21 during a 7-2 victory over Wayne State.
This time around, however, Sigalet limited the Spartans to only four goals in the two games.
His performances against the Spartans earned Sigalet the No. 1 star honors twice en route to being named the CCHA Player of the Week.
Friday night, sophomore forward Colton Fretter recorded the lone tally, his first career game-winning goal, to lift MSU 1-0.
The shutout ties freshman goaltender Dominic Vicari with Joe Selinger for sixth place on MSU's single-season shutout list with four.
Vicari needs one more shutout to move him to the fifth spot, which will tie him with current junior backup Matt Migliaccio with five shutouts.
The split at Bowling Green means MSU (13-12-1, 9-6-1 CCHA) is in sixth place in the CCHA standings with 19 points. Bowling Green (6-12-6, 4-9-3) is in 11th.
All-Star Miller
Former MSU netminder and Hobey Baker winner Ryan Miller has been selected to represent the American Hockey League in the 2004 All-Star Classic.
In 28 games with the Rochester Americans, Miller has a 14-10-3 record with 2.08 GAA, including three shutouts.
Miller played in three losses for the NHL team this season.
The All-Star game will be held Feb. 8-9 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
