Jan. 25, 2013
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VIDEO: Coach Gadowsky Postgame Comments
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Nine different Nittany Lions reached the score sheet but the Penn State men's hockey team fell to Michigan State, 5-3, at Munn Ice Arena Friday night. With the loss, Penn State fell to 9-13-0, while the Spartans improved to 7-15-3.
The Nittany Lions erased a 2-0 and 3-2 second-period deficit to tie the game, but the Spartans notched a power-play and empty-net goal in the third stanza to account for the two-goal victory.
Junior forward Taylor Holstrom (Yorba Linda, Calif.) extended his point-scoring streak to five games with his fifth marker during that span, while freshman David Glen (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) netted his team-leading 12th goal of the season. Sophomore forward Tommy Olczyk (Long Grove, Ill.) opened the scoring for Penn State with a shorthanded tally.
Freshman forward Casey Bailey (Anchorage, Alaska) recorded an assist on Holstrom's goal as he recorded at least one point in his sixth straight game. Junior Justin Kirchhevel (Brookings, S.D.) added an assist to extend his point-scoring streak to three contests, and freshman goaltender Matthew Skoff (McKees Rocks, Pa.) turned aside 27 shots.
Michigan State outshot the Nittany Lions by a 32-30 margin and finished 1-for-5 on the power play. Penn State was 0-for-2 on the man advantage. Michigan State netminder Will Yanakeff made 27 saves.
The Spartans, who outshot the Nittany Lions by a 12-7 margin in the first period, took a 1-0 lead at 12:42 of the frame. Michael Ferrantino won a battle near the right corner before skating toward the net and sending a backhand past Skoff. Ryan Keller and Anthony Hayes collected assists on the play.
An exciting second period produced five goals, including three in a 1:34 span, as the frame ended in a 3-3 tie. The Spartans skated to a 2-0 lead when Tanner Sorenson took advantage of a Penn State line change and tallied on a breakaway.
The Nittany Lions battled back with two straight goals to even the game. Freshman defenseman Connor Varley (Lansdale, Pa.) collected the puck in the neutral zone and fed Olczyk, who unleashed a snap shot at the left faceoff dot for Penn State's first shorthanded marker since its 5-1 win against Air Force Nov. 10.
Holstrom tied the game with his sixth goal of the year at 14:38. Sophomore Max Gardiner (Deephaven, Minn.) passed to Holstrom along the blue line, where he played the puck off his skates before moving down the slot and sending a backhand over Yanakeff's blocker. Bailey also collected an assist on the play.
Michigan State quickly retook the lead 1:20 later. Kevin Walrod collected a pass from Jake Chelios and sent a shot from the right faceoff dot past Skoff.
Just 14 seconds after Walrod's goal, Glen made it a 3-3 game with his team-leading 12th marker. Freshman Kenny Brooks (Las Vegas, Nev.) passed to Kirchhevel, whose initial shot from the left circle was stopped by Yanakeff. The puck rolled down the netminder before Glen buried the rebound.
In the third period, Michigan State skated to a 4-3 lead with a power-play goal. Travis Walsh moved the puck to Sorenson in the slot, where he fired the puck in for the goal at 14:17.
Greg Wolfe deposited the final goal into an empty net with 16 seconds remaining to account for the 5-3 final.
Penn State and Michigan State will conclude their two-game series Saturday, Jan. 26 when they face off at 6:05 p.m. The game will air live on the BTN.