Spartans Fall to Michigan in Detroit

DETROIT – The Michigan State hockey team fell to Michigan, 4-1, on Monday night in the annual Duel in the D at Little Caesars Arena. The Wolverines (15-12-3, 10-8-2-1) scored twice in the first period and then added a goal early in each of the next two periods.

The Spartans (14-15-1, 10-9-1-0) outshot U-M, 32-21, but could only find the back of the net once.

“I thought our guys worked hard, we were a lot better than we were on Friday night,” MSU head coach Danton Cole said. “We played a pretty hard game, did a lot of good things but couldn’t get more than one passed their goaltender.

“Sometimes it goes the wrong way but it’s a good lesson and that’s why you play. You can play well and lose and that’s why you have to play well every night.”

Michigan got it’s first goal just over five minutes into the first. Following some pressure by the Spartans in the UM end, the puck squirted out to the neutral zone where Will Lockwood collected it and headed up ice. Lockwood was able to sneak a shot past John Lethemon from the right circle to give UM a 1-0 lead.

The Spartans responded quickly to tie it up as just 1:08 later Dennis Cesana put home a perfect pass from Adam Goodsir. Goodsir got the puck and carried it into the UM zone along the left side and rifled a perfect pass across to a cutting Cesana, who one-timed home from the left circle.

Nicolas Müller also assisted on the Cesana goal, which was his sixth of the season.

Michigan reclaimed the lead on the power play with 3:14 to go in the opening period as Jacob Hayhurst redirected the puck from the top of the crease and up into the net.

An Spartan penalty early in the second led to another Wolverine power play and UM took advantage as Nick Blankenburg’s shot form the middle of the point sailed past everyone and into the net at the 2:50 mark.

The Spartans nearly pulled within a goal in the late stages of the second while on a power play of their own but shot by Josh Nodler trickled along the goal line and stayed out. Nodler’s attempt from off the left post was stopped by goaltender Strauss Mann, then went off his stick, off the right post and was cleared away.

Michigan put a damper on the Spartans comeback hopes early in the third as a redirect by Lockwood from between the circles made it a 4-1 games, 58 seconds into the period.

Michigan State is back in action at Munn this weekend in their final regular season home series. The Spartans will host No. 12 Ohio State on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. both nights.