Wolverines Sweep Spartans in Weekend Series

After falling short to the Wolverines at Joe Louis Arena, 2-1, the Spartans were looking to turn the tables in front of their home crowd at Munn Ice Arena Friday night.

After two periods of play both teams headed into the locker rooms knotted 2-2 and were even in the shot department with 24 shots on goal.

In the third period things got out of hand.

“They came out harder then us,” senior captain Greg Wolfe said. “They wanted it more.”

At the 5:23 mark in the third period, Michigan forward Derek DeBlois netted his second goal of the game off a deflection out front of Michigan State goaltender Jake Hildebrand, giving his team a 3-2 lead.

It wouldn’t stop there for the visiting team.

Less than a minute later, the Wolverines struck again after a defensive breakdown by the Spartans. Wolverine forward Mac Bennett snuck behind the MSU defense creating a 2-on-1 and buried a goal past Hildebrand.

The Spartans were given the opportunity to get within one goal after Wolverine forward Justin Selman was called for roughing at 8:59 of the third period. On the power play, Wolfe took a chance at keeping the puck in the zone and it was chipped passed him. The Wolverines created a 2-on-1 and capitalized, gaining a comfortable 5-2 lead shorthanded.

Although the teams were tied at two, MSU head coach Tom Anastos said he didn’t like the feeling when the puck was dropped.

“I didn’t like our approach to the game,” Anastos said. “It takes one hundred percent commitment, one hundred percent of the time.”

“They were hungrier than us and that’s unacceptable.” Anastos said



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David Defever is the host of Behind the Mask for Impact Sports.

Photo: Jonathan Yales/Impact Sports