MSU hockey has late goal disallowed, falls to Buckeyes

EAST LANSING – Beating Michigan is without question an feat to be celebrated for any Michigan State athletic program.

Only beating Michigan, though, is a problem.

The Spartan hockey program’s streak without beating anyone other than Michigan is a week shy of three months after MSU’s 3-2 loss to Ohio State Friday night at Munn Ice Arena.

MSU never led Friday, though twice tied the game and nearly tied it a third time 15 minutes into the third period. That would-be-tying goal — on a shot from sophomore Mason Appleton, deflected in by freshman Sam Saliba — was negated by a high-sticking call on Saliba.

“I didn’t get a close look at it,” MSU coach Tom Anastos said. “It was hard to tell. They said ‘no goal’ on the ice, and they came and told us it was clearly above the crossbar.”

MSU’s final power play — the final 1:24 a 6-on-4 with goalie John Lethemon pulled — never got organized or created a decent scoring chance.

The Spartans’ first goal came on a put-back from sophomore Brennan Sanford on a shot by senior Thomas Ebbing at 12:06 in the first period. MSU’s second goal came on the power play at 19:40 in the first period from senior Villiam Haag, whose parents and brothers are visiting from Sweden.

Ohio State took the lead for good a 1:44 in the third period off the stick of John Wiitala. The Buckeyes’ first goal came from Dakota Joshua, whose younger brother Jagger Joshua is committed to MSU.

MSU outshot Ohio State 35-26 and had 74 attempts, 28 of which missed the net. Conversely, Ohio State missed the net on only nine of its 45 shot attempts.

“We’ve got to get better at finding ways to get pucks in play by just getting them on net,” Anastos said. “That’s been a frustration all season long.”

Lethemon had 23 saves, his second straight solid game in goal for the Spartans.

“(His) confidence is rising,” Anastos said of his freshman goaltender. “You can see that the way he’s handling himself. Pucks are hitting him.”

The Spartans (6-18-3 overall, 2-9-2 Big Ten) host the Buckeyes (14-8-6, 6-6-1) again at 7 tonight.

STENGLEIN OUT FOR SEASON: Anastos said senior forward J.T. Steinglein’s season is over after sports hernia surgery this week. Stenglein had three goals in 15 games played this season.

Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Graham_Couch.