15:50 – This is the fastest BU hasjumped out offensively this year. Already, Boomer Ewing and John McCarthy have made creative and strong pushes to net, although both shots ended up in MSU goalie Jeff Lerg’s stomach. But as of now, BU’s put four shots on net, while the Spartans have none. Wait, scratch that (another joy of RichText). Chris Higgins just slid toward net from the right side and backhanded a shot into Lerg’s glove. On the next possession, Pete MacArthur ripped a pass from Jason Lawrence into the left slot on net.
13:55 – A well-made, pretty goal, all the result of work and anticipation. Ryan Weston beat his defender down the right side, and Matt Gilroy slipped the puck up to him. Weston, with a step on everybody, deked right and cut left to sneak a low shot by Lerg’s right pad.
12:30 – The offense hasn’t let up. They’re really zipping the puck foward, making skip-passes and actually creating with the puck, instead of what’s become the norm: simply evading the defense.
11:35 – Some impressive stuff on the power play. Motion, action toward the net, even a good deflection off’ a Kenny Roche shot by Jason Lawrence.
7:18 – After matching roughing penalties to Ewing and Brandon Gentile, Brian Strait gets whistled for a hook. This is a chance for Michigan State to win back some momentum in a first period that they’ve lost so far.
7:09 – Yeah. Goal, Michigan State. (1-1) Virtually uncovered, Tim Kennedy shoots on John Curry from the right slot, gets his own rebound and scoops a shot in from point-blank.
4:22 – Lerg’s giving up big rebounds, and BU’s still coming. Looked like MSU might get another goal for a minute or two, but the game’s evened out again.
2:52 – Michigan State’s fight song is the same thing as BU’s. A little more accent on the high brass, but it’s definitely The Song.
:00.0 – MSU gets a bunch of almost-chances in front of the net
End of the First; BU 1, MSU 1; Shots: BU 11, MSU 9
Despite going into the second tied, 1-1, the Terriers can feel pretty satisfied with the first period. BU attacked from start to finish, and the opportunities were many. Every line got into the action, and the McLine (McCarthy, McGuirk, McGoff) played one of the best 20 minutes it has all year — McCarthy was everywhere. Also, getting always-underappreciated Ryan Weston on the board had to make Jack Parker grin a bit. But, more importantly, the lines that should be scoring looked like they will be scoring, especially the White Line of Kenny Roche, Ewing and Lawrence.
The penalty that led to Michigan State’s goal was a result of bad positioning — as Brian Strait had to pull down his mark as he cut toward the net — but if the Terriers can take it as an anomaly in an otherwise dominated period, this game should lean again in BU’s favor.
Start of Second Period
18:49 – Not really the way things should have started in the second — an MSU goal. MSU’s Tim Kennedy, after Curry deflected a shot wide, got the puck on the left boards. He threw it across the crease to a streaking Tim Crowder, who just tapped it in with Kevin Schaeffer a step behind.
14:53 – Rough shift by BU. The Michigan State offense pins the puck in the BU zone, circling hte puck around net and just missing scores. The puck slid through the crease, untouched, on three different occasions. And MSU claims the momentum…
14:38 – Another MSU goal, this time on a long shot that Curry kicked away into the crease and MSU’s Jay Sprague pounced on for a goal. And how the tides have turned. The same team that flew around the ice, pouncing on every puck and punishing Michigan State has now stopped being able to control the puck or even get close to prying a Spartan away from where he wants to be.
6:18 – Tom Morrow just got tossed, getting a game misconduct after a 5-min major for checking from behind. After a little tussle after the whistle, the refs sent him out. Not at all what BU needs, and Morrow might watch his last college game from the locker room, at this rate.
Morrow’s absence will cost the Terriers greatly. Michigan State’s proven to be a faster team, and Morrow — with his long, long strides — is one of the faster players on the BU club. Also, with Matt Gilroy under the weather, Morrow was needed to help out offensively.
2:41 – Aaaaand another Michigan State goal. Daniel Vukovich got the puck from Bryan Lerg in the right circle, ripped a wrister far-side and beat Curry over his blocker-side shoulder, which teams have been exploiting lately.
BU closes the period on a power play, 22 seconds of which will carry over into the third. But this team, if it doesn’t score early, will be playing its last 20 minutes of the year.
End of Second Period; MSU 4, BU 1; Shots: BU 24, MSU 20
Just to tie, BU needs three. Four to win. This is a team that’s scoring 2.6 a game. The one uniting strand for a streaky, undulating team has been the lack of scoring. So if BU’s gonna come back, it’ll require the discovery of something this team hasn’t found all season, some of the’ passion and potency that the scarlet and white used to mean.
Start of third period
MSU Penalty, a minute into the period. But the power play, again, isn’t doing anything, and this place is quieter than an English garden.
14:04 – BU Penalty on Sullivan for hooking. When Sully, who virtually never takes a penalty, goes to the box, you know things are falling apart.
11:56 – And there it is, what should’ the final dagger.’ A long pass through center ice met Crowder in the middle of the blue line. Crowder flew toward net and simply beat Curry gloveside, putting the game pretty much out of reach. Things might get better, they might get worse, but the goal ensured that BU’s year won’t carry into tomorrow.
*Also, BU hasn’t had a shot this period*
7:31 – Luke Popko just got nailed for a 5-minute major for spearing — with a game misconduct –‘ and Zach Cohen gets to serve it. The only way this game could get worse is if it ends the way the BC game did last year.
00.0 – MSU 5, BU 1