MSU hockey can't fool U-M twice in 4-1 loss at Munn

EAST LANSING — Some of the luster came off Michigan State hockey’s shiny new rivalry trophy Saturday night.

Less than 24 hours after the Spartans gutted out a 3-2 overtime win against Michigan at Joe Louis Arena, taking home the inaugural Iron D trophy, Michigan State was pushed around at home, dropping a 4-1 decision to the No. 5 Wolverines.

Coach Tom Anastos didn’t mince words following the loss, citing his team’s inconsistent effort across three periods and flat start as targets of his ire. The Spartans came out of the gates surrendering a 20-3 shot differential in the opening frame, followed by a much stronger 17-8 peppering in the second.

“Guys have to understand, I don’t care the circumstances, I don’t care how much rest you have, when the puck drops you have to figure out how to be ready to go,” Anastos said. “Obviously we didn’t have that figured out and we dug ourselves into a hole.”

Senior captain Justin Selman opened the scoring eight minutes into the game, netting his first of two goals with a quick wrist shot from the slot. Despite goalie Jake Hildebrand facing 20 shots in the first period, the Wolverines took just a 1-0 lead into the break.

“We came out flat, they got a lot more shots but that’s why we’ve got an All-American goaltender, to stop 20 shots like that,” junior forward Joe Cox said.

The MSU team that came onto the ice to start the second played with all the urgency the first period team didn’t have, and as a result, created opportunities. But Michigan goaltender Steve Racine didn’t let up a goal and with six minutes to go in the second, JT Compher found himself with the puck deep in the Spartan zone. Compher walked the puck in front of the net across Hildebrand’s face where he flipped it over the senior goalie’s pads for a 2-0 lead.

Things went from bad to worse for the Spartans as the third period began.

Less than two minutes from the faceoff, Selmen snapped a kickback from Brendan Warren into the back of the net to give the Wolverines a 3-0 lead, and Tyler Motte followed up with a dagger 74 seconds later, his 25 goal of the year.

Junior wing Villiam Haag scored the only goal for Michigan State, backhanding in a deflected Matt Walsh shot on goal.

“We knew they were going to come out with a push but we weren’t quite ready for it and that’s not acceptable at home, not acceptable, definitely, against them, so we’ve got to find a way to be better,” senior captain Michael Ferrantino said.

MSU can pull some positives from the weekend, which saw the Spartans hold the nation’s top offense below its five goals per game average on both nights. But ultimately it was the Spartans’ fluctuating energy levels that left their coach frustrated, disappointed and at a loss for explanations at the podium.

“I saw too many guys have different levels of play from first period to second and third and we’ve got to figure out how to fix that because we don’t play enough games where you can have that,” Anastos said. “It’s not like you’re playing an 80-game schedule and game 61, middle of February it’s a tough road night. This is at home, against your biggest rival, and I’m having a hard time digesting that.”