MSU reaches Frozen Four

GRAND RAPIDS - The power play hasn't been one of Michigan State's strengths or major weapons most of this season.

But it delivered in a huge way on Saturday night at Van Andel Arena with two goals in MSU's biggest game of the year.

The power play, combined with outstanding team defense and great goaltending by Jeff Lerg, lifted the Spartans to a nail-biting 2-1 victory over Notre Dame in the NCAA Midwest regional title game and trip to the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Louis April 5-7.

"This means a lot," MSU coach Rick Comley said. "We're a program that is judged on getting to Frozen Fours. It's about the past, present and future. There's nothing that's tolerable in our market unless you're elite and competing for national championshps."

MSU (24-13-3) had to survived a wild last few minutes, including a 6-on-4 advantage for the Irish in the final 23 seconds before earning their season-long dream of a berth in the Frozen Four.

It's the first trip to the Frozen Four in Comley's five years as Spartan coach and first for MSU since 2001.

"For me personally, I came to Michigan State because I thought I could win national championships," Comley said. "This is very rewarding. I'm happy for the kids."

Spartan junior center Chris Mueller scored a power-play goal at 6:04 of the second period to break a scoreless deadlock, and sophomore left wing Tim Kennedy converted on a power play at 5:59 of the third period.

Notre Dame finally solved Lerg on a shot from the left point by defenseman Evan Rankin with 5:08 left, setting up an exciting finish.

But the Spartans held on at the end to spoil a brilliant season for Notre Dame (32-7-3), the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's regular season and playoff champions.

Jeff Lerg, who outdueled Boston University standout goalie John Curry in Friday's 5-1 semifinal victory, made 19 saves, including a great save on Kevin Deeth in the first period.

"In a big game, he's great," Comley said of Lerg. "He comes and plays, this is his team and they rally and focus right around him. He did a great job again.

"We blocked a lot of shots, didn't give up a lot of quality chances, but he can pull out that save when you absolutely need it.''

Irish goalie David Brown, the CCHA's Player of the Year and a Hobey Baker candidate, made 23 saves.

The Spartans will play Maine in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals on April 5. The other spots in the tournament will be decided today, when Minnesota plays North Dakota in the West Regional final in Denver and Boston College faces Miami in the regional title game in Manchester, N.H.

Lerg, Mueller, Kennedy, defenseman Tyler Howells made the Midwest Regional All-Tournament team with Lerg winning the most valuable player award. Notre Dame forward Ryan Thang and Irish defenseman Wes O'Neill also made the all-tourney team.

In the evenly-played first period, each team had a dangerous scoring chance rejected by an outstanding save from their respective goaltenders.

Lerg made a spectacular point-blank save on Notre Dame freshman center Kevin Deeth at 9:47. Brown responded with a clutch save of his own at 10:40 when the stopped MSU sophomore right Tim Crowder at the edge of the crease.

The Spartans had an excellent second period, outshooting the Irish 12-3 and putting the puck in the net twice. But only one goal counted.

MSU thought it had taken a 1-0 lead when Jim McKenzie took Tim Kennedy's behind-the-back pass in the slot and wrested the puck into the top left corner at 4:34.

But the goal was waived after video review showed that MSU's Justin Abdelkader was in the crease behind Brown and interfered with the Irish goaltender before McKenzie shot the puck.

Fourteen seconds later, the Spartans went on a power play and converted at 6:04, when Mueller, wide open to the right of the net, fired a rebound past Brown, who had stopped a shot from the right point by MSU defenseman Chris Snavely.

MSU skated off two Irish power plays and were outstanding in blocking shots and clearing rebounds or loose pucks in the slot.

The Spartans boosted their lead to 2-0 on their second power play of the third period. After Abdelkader and Crowder battled to gain possession behind the net, Kennedy came out from the cage and slid the puck under Brown, near the right post at 5:59.