Ann Arbor, Mich. — As the MSU hockey (3-5-1) team walked off the ice into the second intermission, they were looking at a deficit they had cut in half from a period earlier and 20 minutes of positive play.
Things were looking up for the Spartans, but the third period destroyed any momentum MSU previously had gained.
The first half of a home-and-home rivalry series against U-M found the Spartans playing at a deficit for the majority of the game, losing 5-1, with three of U-M’s goals coming in the final period of play.
“I liked where we were going into the third period, I really did,” MSU head coach Tom Anastos said. “I thought our guys were more comfortable in the game. We had settled down from the first period. (Goaltender) Will (Yanakeff) looked very confident and then we give them a goal. It’s kind of a punch in the stomach. You want to get beat by a really good play by the team and make them make a good play. We gave it to them.”
Despite Yanakeff giving up five goals, the junior stood on his head multiple times throughout the game, making key saves that could have easily brought U-M up by a few more points.
He had 29 saves throughout the night.
U-M kicked off an early start, putting away two goals in the first. MSU responded with a powerful second period, holding U-M without a goal and to only nine shots.
Senior forward Kevin Walrod picked up his first of the season as the second period drew to a close, cutting U-M’s lead in half.
“I hopped off the bench, and (the puck) was tangled up on the blue line,” Walrod said. “I was able to poke it through and I got a clear lane to the net. A guy closed in on me, so I pulled back, took it to my backhand, and fired it on net.”
Although MSU might regard the second period as its strongest, U-M head coach Red Berenson said his team failed to perform during those minutes.
“In the second period, I thought we got cute and maybe got overconfident,” Berenson said. “They pushed back. They had fire in their eyes and started to win some races and battles. That was just poor hockey on our part and good hockey on their part.”
Junior forward and captain Greg Wolfe said he doesn’t think the score accurately reflects the play of the game, and the Spartans will have the opportunity to redeem themselves Saturday evening on home ice.
After getting first rivalry game jitters out of the way, Walrod said he thinks the team will perform more to its ability Saturday.
“It’s definitely a hard place to play in,” Walrod said. “Their student section’s second to none. They’re a fast team, they play well, they move the puck. With a home crowd (Saturday), I think Munn will be rockin’, so it’s going to be a good atmosphere tomorrow.”
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