MSU spread the wealth in the post-Thanksgiving game, with 11 different players earning points, and three of the 11 getting either their first goal or assist of the season.

The Spartans found the back of the net first on Friday night only 4:02 into the 1st period. Freshman forward Joe Cox scored the goal on a backhand shot, with assists from senior forward Dean Chelios and sophomore forward Michael Ferrantino.

Senior forward and captain Greg Wolfe said the early goal changed the dynamic of the game for MSU and made it easier for the team to play.

“It gave us all of the momentum,” Wolfe said of the early goal. “It’s a lot easier to play with a lead then coming from behind all the time so it gave us a different look of the game. Its nice to play with a lead and i think the guys fed off the energy after that first goal.”

MSU increased its lead to 2-0 after sophomore forward Ryan Keller put one past Princeton freshman goaltender Colton Phinney with only 2:30 left in the 2nd period. The goal, assisted by Wolfe and senior forward Lee Reimer, was Keller’s first of the season.

Senior defenseman Jake Chelios opened the floodgates with his first goal of the season early in the 3rd period with a slapshot that knuckled past the netminder. Freshman forwards Villiam Haag and Thomas Ebbing had assists on the goal that put the Spartans up 3-0.

Chelios’ goal was the first by a Spartan defenseman on season.

MSU’s powerplay was able to find the back of the net for the first time since Nov. 9, when freshman forward Mackenzie MacEachern scored on a 5-on-3 opportunity.

MacEachern scored the powerplay goal after a cross ice pass from sophomore defenseman John Draeger, giving him his first assist of the season.

Junior defenseman RJ Boyd also had an assist on the MacEachern goal.

“The key to a powerplay is finding the right player at the right time, getting the puck to the right place at the right time and that’s really important and that’s what he did in that instance,” head coach Tom Anastos said. “They moved it around a little bit, that opened up, he got it there and they made a good play on it.”

MSU’s powerplay had been one of the areas struggling this season, ranking 56th out of 59 teams in the country heading into the weekend.

MacEachern’s goal was his fifth on the season, tying him with Wolfe for team leader in goals.

Sophomore goaltender Jake Hildebrand was only three minutes away from a perfect game when Princeton freshman forward Garrett Skrbich broke up the shut out. Hildebrand finished the game with 31 saves.

Hildebrand received praise from Anastos after the game but didn’t want to take all the credit for the strong defensive showing, pointing to blocked shots by teammates as a factor in the final outcome.

“We were getting chances both ways and took a couple of penalties there but guys like Draeger and (sophomore forward Travis Walsh) sacrificing their body with some huge blocks so I love seeing that,” said Hildebrand of MSU’s blocked shots. “Missed (Draeger) for awhile, so I’m glad he’s back.”

MSU skaters blocked 21 shots to Princeton’s 11, with Draeger, Walsh and Chelios each blocking four. Anastos said after the game that blocking shots is something the team takes pride in and works on in practice with tennis balls.

The Spartans will look to continue the momentum on Sunday against the Princeton Tigers. The final non-conference game before Big Ten play will start at 1:00 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena.