MSU Spartans vs Air Force Academy Falcons
While the first game of the Ice Breaker started off slowly and lacked excitement, the second day of the Ice Breaker Tourney started off with a bang, as the feisty Falcons scored only 27 seconds into the game as Falcon forward Casey Kleisinger scored what could be classified as a highlight reel goal from an impossible angle. Kleisinger took a shot from behind the red line and caught the Spartan goalie Drew Casey off of his left post giving the Falcons a quite one nothing lead.
That goal would be the only excitement for the rest of the first period as the game went back to a tight checking affair; from that point on most of the action in the first period was played in the neutral zone. The game resembled two heavy weight prize fighters feeling each other out waiting for the other to make the first mistake. The Spartans thought they had tied the game on the power play at the 14:12 mark of the first period as Michigan State’s Dean Chelios appeared to score a goal, however, the on ice officials quickly waved the goal off and after going to the video review and ruled that the puck was in fact redirected off Chelios’ skate.
The game started out slow in the second period as well and at the 08:33 mark the Spartans evened the score with a goal from Greg Wolfe who was left all alone in the slot. The Falcons took the lead at the 18:12 of the second period when Falcons defenseman Scott Mathis launched a wrist shot on net that wasn’t touched by anyone and fluttered past the Spartan goalie Will Yanakeff who was screened by his defensemen.
The game continued to be a chess match until the Spartans evened the score at the 05:21 mark of the third period with a power play goal by Lee Reimer. In watching the replay, I would imagine that the Falcons goalie Jason Torf would’ve liked to have that goal back because he badly over played the first shot and was caught out of position as the rebound ended up behind him in Falcons goal.
With the Spartans Jake Chelios off for holding at the 16:28 mark of the third period, Scott Mathis had a chance to give the Falcons the lead but he rang a shot off the cross bar. It wasn’t meant to be for the Falcons as the game went to overtime and the Spartans made short work of the Falcons as they scored the game winning goal at the :54 mark of the overtime; All Tournament Forward Lee Reimer picked up a Falcon turnover deposited the puck into the Air Force net to win the game for the Spartans. While the Falcons out shot the Spartans 28-23 for the afternoon, the only statistic that mattered in the end was the final score.
After the game Michigan State head coach Tom Anastos had to say about his teams win against the Air Force Academy Falcons this afternoon, “I thought our guys again tonight played real hard tonight and that [Air Force] is a real good team, I was really impressed with their team. After the second period we were only down two to one I told them that winning is fun but a comeback win is even more fun. We went out there and continued to do what we were trying to do the whole game the puck was contested out there on both sides. I thought I was a real good game.”
Coach Anastos was also asked if he made adjustments during the second intermission, “We didn’t really make a whole lot of adjustments, we continued to do what we were doing, maybe some very minor things, but we continued to play the same way we were playing. I just think that maybe they got tired a little bit, I don’t know because they played last night, I don’t know if that was a factor or not they didn’t see tired to me I thought worked really hard. Maybe that was a bit of a factor, the only thing that we did was we shorten our bench a bit got guys a little more ice time maybe that created a little bit of a different rhythm.”
Final score: Michigan State University 3 – Air Force Academy 2 overtime.
Box Score
Game two
UND Fighting Sioux and the B.C. Eagles.
The University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux and Boston College Eagles have a storied rivalry and played in some epic battles during the NCAA tourney. As of late, the Eagles have had the upper hand in the series, coming into this game the Eagles have gone 3-0-1 against the Sioux, make that 4-0-1 after tonight's 6-2 Eagle win.
The Eagles got on the score board first as Pat Mullane scored at the 2:21 mark of the first period. The Eagle goal was the result of a bad turn over in the Fighting Sioux end as Mullane was left with the puck in the slot and just simply shot the puck past Fighting Sioux goalie Aaron Dell.
Tonight marked the much anticipated debut of the highly touted freshman forward Roco Grimaldi for the Fighting Sioux, however, Grimaldi's first shift was one that he will want to forget as he was on the ice when Mullane scored for the Eagles. Grimaldi who was held out of Friday’s game with a lower body injury didn’t look like he was slowed a bit by the injury. As the game progress Gramialdi have some nice chances during the game but wasn't able to record a point on the score sheet.
The Sioux tied the game at the 15:55 mark of the first period with a nice goal from Sioux forward Corbin Knight who took a nice pass feed from Danny Kristo for a shorthanded goal. The Sioux took the lead on a power play goal at the 5:23 mark of the first period from Sioux defenseman Derek Forbort who shot the puck on net; Eagles goalie Parker Milner was screened by his own guys and had no chance at the shot.
That lead didn’t last for long as Eagles forward Chris Kreider tied the game less than two minutes later at the 7:27 mark of the second period. The Eagles followed that goal up with a power play goal from Johnny Gaudreau at the 13:16 mark of the second period. Mullane followed up that goal at the 15:55 mark putting the Fighting Sioux down by two goals. From that point the Fighting Sioux never recovered and looked frustrated by the Eagles speed and they started to take undisciplined penalties.
The Eagles Bill Arnold scored at the 17:14 of the second period to send Fighting Sioux goalie Aaron Dell to the bench. Enter backup goalei Brad Eidsness who was tested almost immediately as the Fighting Sioux continued to give up odd man rushes of untimely turnovers. It was not a strong period of hockey for the Fighting Sioux as they were outscored by the Eagles 4-1 during the middle frame.
After giving up four goals during the second period, the third period did not start very well for the Fighting Sioux either, the Fighting Sioux continued to take senseless penalties and beat a path to the penalty box. The Eagles scored their sixth goal of the game at the 15:15 mark of the third period when Eagles forward Steven Whitney took a pass from Pat Mullane and shot it on net catching the Fighting Sioux goalie Eidsness not covering the left post. Sioux generated a few chances during the latter part of the third period but were unable to get anything past All Tournament Goalie Parker Milner.
Boston College head coach Jerry York was asked why his teams have been so successful against the Fighting Sioux, “that’s probably misleading we have some terrific games. What’s effects me the most about the North Dakota is the rivalry east west, but when you play so many times at the national level. I think we have played 5 times since 2001 twice in the tournament, twice in the title game, so we have built a great respect for the Sioux and for that to continue to play them, they bring out the best in us and hopefully we bring out the best in them, in the early season it helps us get better.
Final Score: Boston College 6 University of North Dakota 2
Box Score
The following players made the Ice Breaker All Tournament Team: Parker Milner goalie Boston College, Patch Alber defenseman Boston College, Tommy Cross defenseman Boston College, Chris Kreider forward Boston College, Lee Reimer forward Michigan State, Tie Brock Nelson forward North Dakota and Bill Arnold forward Boston College. Chris Kreider forward Boston College was named the Ice Breaker Tournament MVP.
Cross Posted at Inside Hockey...
