Saturday, February 20, 1999

Saturday, February 20, 1999, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan

Tonight is the last regular season meeting between the Spartans of Michigan State and the Wolverines of Michigan. Usually as the Spartans and Wolverines get to their last game of the season they are fighting for the lead of the CCHA. Tonight is different as these two teams have been going in two very different directions since the mid season break. The Spartans haven’t been beaten since Thanksgiving and the Wolverines haven’t won a game in almost a month. If you go back to the break Michigan has won rarely since the GLI tournament held at this very same Joe Louis Arena, where they were beaten in the finals by these same Spartans. Simply put the Spartans have been soaring and the Wolverines have been in a tailspin. Michigan must win this game just to get some confidence back and to try to get back on track as the run toward the playoffs gets into full swing. Michigan will be without Geoff Koch who was given a game disqualification in last night’s contest against Western Michigan. Can our Wolverines get things back together or will they continue to make the errors that have cost them game after game this entire second half? I certainly don’t have an answer to this question as this team simply baffles me. I cannot figure out where the problems are and why they aren’t playing better hockey than they are. They have the personnel to play with any team in the country, but they don’t seem to be able to play with any team right now. Tonight will be a gut check for this team, will they respond to the adversity or will they continue their downward slide.

I pick up the action in this game about six minutes into the first period, there is no score, and Michigan is just going on the power play. Michigan is moving the puck pretty well and is generating quite a bit of offense. So far they have been unable to score a goal, but they are moving well. The Spartans have the best penalty kill unit in the country and have successfully killed of this penalty, but as I said before Michigan was able to move the puck well and did get some good looks at the goal. The Spartans are playing a very physical game tonight and are really banging the Michigan players around. Now the Spartans move with authority into the Michigan zone. Their passing is good, their players are in the correct positions, and they beat Blackburn to get the first score of the night. Both teams have been moving up and down the ice, but as I said MSU is playing a very physical game. Now with just under seven minutes left in the period UM again goes on the power play. MSU again kills off the power play and there was less offensive action by the Wolverines in this power play. The MSU penalty kill continues to show why they are the best in the country. Michigan has kept the puck in the MSU zone and Huntzicker gets off a shot that Joe Blackburn grabs with the glove. Now UM and MSU are both called for penalties and we will skate four on four with about four minutes left in the period. MSU gets a big shot off, but Josh Blackburn stops the shot. Now UM’s Comrie goes the other way and gets off a big shot, but Joe Blackburn shuts it down. MSU moves the puck back toward the UM zone, with no scoring and now UM moves the puck back into the MSU zone. Now Langfeld gets called for interference, which will give MSU a power play opportunity. We are down to the last minute of the period and MSU pushes the puck into the UM zone. York gets off a shot; Blackburn stops it, and UM clears it out of the zone. The first period ends with MSU holding a 1 to nothing lead. This period was very physical and if allowed to get out of control this game could turn very ugly as these two rivals do battle at the Joe. MSU holds a huge edge in shots on goal at 11 to 5.

Michigan State starts the second period on the power play. Hayes gets off a good shot that hits Joe Blackburn right in the middle of his body. So far Michigan has been shutting down the MSU power play. The penalty has been killed off and both teams are at full strength. Van Ryn gets off a shot from a feed from Kosick, but Joe Blackburn stops it. This was a good shot and so far UM has started this period fairly well. With about three minutes gone in the period Michigan gets called for a penalty, putting MSU on the power play. MSU is really putting the pressure on the Michigan goal, but all shots have been turned away and now UM is bringing the puck back down the ice. Though MSU got some good shots off on this power play UM was able to kill it off. MSU’s York again moves into the UM zone and gets off a big shot, but Josh Blackburn comes up with the big save. There was a big shot by Matzka right in front of the MSU goal, but a MSU defenseman gets in front of the shot and stops it before it can get to the goal. Now Berenzweig puts some pressure on the UM goal, but Joe Blackburn comes up with the stop and MSU gets the rebound. However, MSU does get called for a penalty and UM goes on the power play. The UM power play is really putting some pressure on the MSU goal, but Joe Blackburn just came up with a couple of unbelievable saves. Even with the great pressure applied by UM, MSU is able to kill of the penalty, as Joe Blackburn was the difference in that power play. He came up with some huge saves that kept UM off the scoreboard. Now Michigan gets called for a charging penalty putting MSU on the power play. UM has killed off the penalty and kept MSU from mounting any real scoring threat during that stretch. There are now about five minutes left in the period. Once again both teams get called for penalties and we skate four on four. These penalties came with 2:25 left in the second period. There was a break; a second MSU player goes into the penalty box. I don’t know what the penalty was for, but this puts UM on the power play. The puck was just deflected twice in front of the MSU zone and kind of trickled into the crease, but Joe Blackburn got the puck into his glove. He is really making a big difference in this game. The Spartans kill of the power play and the second period comes to an end with MSU still holding the one to nothing lead. Even though Michigan dominated the play in that second period they were unable to get the puck in the net, thanks in no small part to MSU’s goaltender. Michigan did take the lead in shots on goal, holding a 17 to 15 edge.

Michigan wins the opening face off of the third period and gets a good shot on goal, but again the MSU netminder comes up with the big save. So far both teams are going back and forth on the ice with no real good shot since the quick flurry by UM at the start of the period. There’s a quick shot by Matzka, but again Joe Blackburn comes up with the save. Michigan continues to put the pressure on the MSU goal, but so far the MSU defense has stopped all shots. Michigan pushes the puck up the ice, but MSU gets it away and pushes it all the way down the ice. Van Ryn gets back to the puck first and there is a penalty against MSU putting UM on the power play. Michigan gets some shots off during this power play, but again MSU keeps them from getting any points on the board. There was a quick shot that looked to be a score and again Joe Blackburn comes up with the huge save. Now both teams are back to full strength and MSU gets the puck out of the UM zone. We are now under ten minutes left in the period and Rominski gets a long pass off up the ice, but no score comes from it. Both teams are pushing the puck back and forth, up and down the ice. MSU gets a two on one rush and they get their second goal. The way this game has been going that could very well be the game. This goal comes with just under eight minutes left in the game. Michigan made one mistake, by letting a MSU player get alone behind them and MSU exacted the ultimate the price. Michigan continues to play hard and put the pressure on the MSU goal, but they just cannot get the puck past the MSU defense. Michigan is getting shots, but they don’t have anyone in position to get the rebound and MSU continues to get the rebounds and clear the puck. Now Michigan gets called for a penalty putting MSU on the power with just over five minutes left in the game. With 3:18 left in the game UM has pulled their goalie in an attempt to get a goal in this game. It seems to have worked as Jillson gets a goal to pull UM within one. It appears that UM hadn’t really pulled their goalie, there was a delayed penalty and Blackburn had left the ice to give UM the extra attacker. Josh Blackburn is back in goal and UM is looking to tie this game up. Credit for the goal is actually given to Matzka who deflected the puck down in front of the goal. We are now down to 1-½ minutes to play in the game and UM is trying to get something going, but MSU takes it away at center ice. Now with just under a minute to go UM pulls their goalie and MSU gets the puck away from UM. There’s a shot, but the puck goes wide. MSU keeps it in the UM zone and there is the goal into the empty net giving MSU the two goal lead. That should be it, MSU takes the game and Michigan continues their long winless streak. MSU takes the game with a 3 to 1 edge in goals, but UM won the shots on goal war with a 27 to 24 edge.

Well I just don’t know. UM really played this game hard and did take it to the Spartans, but they simply could not get the puck past the MSU goalie. Michigan takes only one point on the weekend even though they really did play a good game on this night. I don’t know what they do, even when they play a good solid game they still can’t win the game. You have to give this win to the Spartan goalie. He really won this one with some spectacular saves, keeping UM from getting any goals except the late goal on the delay penalty. Perhaps next week against Miami UM can get back on the winning trail, but right now it doesn’t look like they can buy a win. Michigan plays its final pair of regular season home games next weekend, both against Miami. They finish the season on the road at Lake State and Northern Michigan – both of these games could prove difficult to say the least. Michigan must get something going next week in their last set of home games to shake this winless streak off before going into the north country. Until next week, C-ya!