Freshman defenseman Carson Gatt, junior defender John Draeger, junior forward Michael Ferrantino, and senior forward Matt Berry celebrate a goal scored by Ferrantino Nov. 14, 2014, during the game against Boston College at Munn Ice Arena. The Spartans lost to the Eagles, 3-2. Erin hampton/The State News
MSU hockey (3-6) suffered another one-goal loss on Friday, this one coming at the hands of No. 8 Boston College. With goals from senior forward Michael Ferrantino and junior forward Matt DeBlouw, the Spartans made it close at the end but fell 3-2.
"We started a little slow," Ferrantino said. "For the most part, I thought we picked it up. We were able to put some pressure on the goalie and at the end of the day, I guess, they got one more than we did."
In a rematch of the 2007 National Championship, the Eagles jumped on the Spartans early in the game. Just 39 seconds in, freshman forward Zach Sanford was able to poke one past junior goaltender Jake Hildebrand. With a lot of commotion in front of the net and contact with Hildebrand, the goal was reviewed and upheld.
Just over 12 minutes into the first period, MSU gift-wrapped a goal for BC and put themselves in a big hole against a great team. When an Eagles defender lobbed a puck from center ice towards Hildebrand, a bad bounce handcuffed the goaltender. Hildebrand then struggled to cover the puck and BC's Matthew Guadreau beat the MSU defense to the net and tapped the puck into the net.
"We just gave up goals too easy tonight," head coach Tom Anastos said. "That's a good team, and you can't spot teams like that the goals that we spotted. And that's not typical of our team, but unfortunately, in a game like tonight, it was too much to overcome."
Down 2-0, MSU needed a response and got just that when sophomore forward Joe Cox made a sensational pass across the ice to Ferrantino. With linemate Matt Berry driving the net, Ferrantino got the pass by the left circle and finished on an open net to make it 2-1.
"They've been kind of finding me lately," Ferrantino said of his three-game goal streak. "They're doing most of the work and I'm lucky to be tapping them in."
BC was able to regain its two-goal lead just over halfway into the second period. After MSU struggled to clear the puck from the crease, senior Quinn Smith was there to slam home the Eagles' third goal.
Down two goals against a goaltender selected in the second round of the 2014 NHL Draft, the Spartans needed a response. Just under halfway through the third period, DeBlouw took a pass from junior forward Ryan Keller and fired a wrist-shot that beat the goaltender to his short side.
That's all MSU could muster on this night though, as they were unable to tie the game after they pulled Hildebrand with 1:35 remaining. The Spartans are off for the rest of the weekend before traveling to Ohio to take on the Buckeyes next Thursday.
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