MSU hockey again no match for Lake Superior State

SAULT STE. MARIE - A four-goal first period by Lake Superior State lifted the Lakers past the Michigan State hockey team, 7-3, on Saturday night at Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie. Two Spartan rookies – Logan Lambdin and Jerad Rosburg – scored for MSU (0-2) along with sophomore defenseman Zach Osburn.

The Spartans pushed back to make it a 4-2 game early in the second, but two more LSSU goals later in the period proved to be too much.

“We have a long way to go,” MSU head coach Tom Anastos said. “We have a lot of young players that played in key roles and big situations. We showed at times that we can raise our level of play, but we need to do a better job defending.”

Max Humitz got on the board first for LSSU (2-0) with a power-play goal at 6:26. The Lakers then added a pair of goals in a 30-second span, the first at 12:07 by Gus Correale. Thirty seconds later, an MSU turnover in the neutral zone allowed Gage Torrel to go in alone and he snapped the puck past MSU goaltender John Lethemon.

Correale got his second of the period at the 15:06 mark after a misplay by Lethemon left a loose puck on the edge of the crease.

The Spartans climbed back into the game in the second period with a pair of goals in a 1:18 span. Lambdin got the first after a shot by Mitch Eliot rebounded off to the side where the freshman could tuck the puck past LSSU goaltender Gordon Defiel.

Osburn cut the LSSU lead in half just over a minute later at 6:46 by putting another rebound past Defiel. Osburn rushed in from the blue line, picking up the puck in the high slot and rifling it into the net.

LSSU halted the MSU momentum with consecutive goals by Anthony Nellis at 9:49 and then Mitch Hults at 14:11 on the power play.

Rosburg made it 6-3 with 18 seconds to play in the second period to make it a 6-3 game. Lambdin and Ebbing picked up assists on the redshirt freshman’s first-career goal.

The Spartans outshot the Lakers 17-6 in the second period and 25-17 over the final two periods.

“I thought we raised our level of play in that second period and certainly created more offense,” Anastos said. “That’s the level we need to learn to play at all the time.”

A ricochet off a player in front gave LSSU its final goal with 2:22 to play in the third period.

Ed Minney took over for Lethemon in goal to start the second period and stopped 14 of 17 shots in the final 40 minutes.

Michigan State will play its first series of the season at home this Friday and Saturday at Munn Ice Arena when it hosts No. 10 Denver.

- MSU athletic communications