Michigan State outplays 2nd-ranked Hoosiers

The hockey team was swept this weekend at Michigan State University. A last-minute empty-net goal resulted in a 7-5 loss Friday, while two goals in the final five minutes of the third period equaled a 4-2 Hoosier loss Saturday.\n"I think we got outplayed from top to bottom," junior forward and assistant captain Bryan Grant said. "We didn't come out to play Friday night. Once we got the lead, we went back to not playing very well. And Saturday we were terrible."\nAfter two quick Spartan goals Friday, the Hoosiers fought back to tie the game at the end of the first period. The game remained tied 3-3 at the end of the second. But as the minutes of the third period wound down, the Hoosiers found themselves trailing the Spartans 6-5. An open-net Spartan goal became the game's final score. \n"We were missing quite a few guys Friday night," coach Rich Holdeman said. "I thought the team battled pretty well. But we got the go-ahead goal and let them score three goals in about a four-minute span."\nJunior forward and assistant captain Brandon Phillips and senior defenseman Brad Lutsch were thrown out of the match Friday for two separate incidents of verbal abuse, a penalty which does not carry an additional suspended game. Both returned for Saturday's matchup.\nJunior Gordy Haggard shined for the Hoosiers Friday, scoring four of the team's five goals. Haggard, normally a second-line forward, was playing first line for Grant, who was suspended from Friday's contest. Haggard was the first Hoosier to net four goals in a game this season.\n"He skated well and created a lot of offense for himself," Holdeman said. "I was thrilled to see him have a good game like that."\nIn the net, senior goalie Chad Whitlock played 52 minutes, allowing six goals. Senior goalie Justin Wojtowicz finished the game for the Hoosiers but was pulled for the empty net strategy, thereby not allowing any goals in six minutes of ice time. The Spartans outshot the Hoosiers Friday by a 40-23 margin.\n Saturday, in a defensive battle, the Hoosiers and Spartans were tied 2-2 after two periods of play. But with just five minutes remaining in the third period, MSU took control of the contest and scored two goals for a 4-2 victory.\n "The biggest disappointment Saturday was our power play," Holdeman said. "We scored on our first opportunity but didn't score again on any of our power plays. Plus, the winning goal was a short-handed goal. It seemed the guys on the power play were really out of it."\n Wojtowicz manned the net Saturday, allowing the four goals and making 25 saves. The Spartans outshot the Hoosiers 54-29 Saturday for a weekend shot total advantage of 94-52.\nThe Hoosiers face their final conference series of the season Friday and Saturday against Michigan at the Frank Southern Center, 1965 S. Henderson St. Michigan is the top-ranked team in the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League, while the Hoosiers sit in second place.\n"We know now that we need to win both games next weekend to win the league," Grant said. "We know we need to win both games, both for placement in the league tournament and national tournament."\nMiami (Ohio) University, now the third-place team in the conference, will battle the University of Kentucky in a home-and-home series this weekend. Barring a major Kentucky upset, the Hoosiers control their own destiny. A Michigan sweep will most likely result in a third-place Hoosier finish. A split series would most likely rank the Hoosiers in second place, and a Hoosier sweep at home against Michigan would almost certainly equal the top conference spot.\n"I would like to put out a challenge to our players," assistant coach and general manager Alex Kyrias said. "They had better wake up and realize it's now February, and from here on out the season is on the line. If they can't suck it up and do it, I'm questioning why they're even on the team. Guys need to take a long look in the mirror and decide what it'll take to make us successful. \n"I don't think it's a question anymore of lineup or talent. Right now it's a question of heart, and we need to find some. This weekend will be a great challenge for us"