Massachusetts Defeated by Michigan State, 5-3

Junior forward Shane Walsh registered two assists for the Minutemen
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 3:37  MSU1-0 EV Matt Berry (1)Michael Ferrantino/1, Mackenzie MacEachern/1
1st 17:35  MSU2-0 EV JT Stenglein (1)Michael Ferrantino/2
2nd 2:14  UMA1-2 EV Keith Burchett (1)Shane Walsh/1, Brennan Baxandall/1
2nd 6:23  UMA2-2 SH Zack LaRue (1)Dennis Kravchenko/1
2nd 12:23  MSU3-2 PP Mackenzie MacEachern (1)Matt Berry/1, Travis Walsh/1
3rd 3:05  MSU4-2 EV GW Matt DeBlouw (1)Ryan Keller/1
3rd 7:17  MSU5-2 EV Matt Berry (2)Mackenzie MacEachern/2
3rd 13:17  UMA3-5 EV Keith Burchett (2)Shane Walsh/2, Brennan Baxandall/2
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Massachusetts  0213
Michigan State  2125
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Massachusetts  116724
Michigan State  612927
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Massachusetts (0-2-0)  0/2 5/10 1
Michigan State (1-0-0)  1/5 3/17 0
Massachusetts Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Steve Mastalerz (L, 0-2-0)59:295 411722
Empty Net0:310     
Michigan State Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Jake Hildebrand (W, 1-0-0)60:003 114621

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The UMass hockey team recovered from a 2-0 deficit to tie the score early in the second, but Michigan State used a power-play goal and a pair of third period tallies to best the Minutemen, 5-3 on Friday night at Munn Ice Arena. Following the setback, UMass is 0-2-0 to start the year,while the Spartans improve to 1-0-0.

Three Minutemen had multi-point efforts on the evening, headlined by freshman Keith Burchett's two-goal night, the first two tallies of his collegiate career. Sophomore Brennan Baxandall, making his 2014-15 debut, notched a pair of assists, hisfirst two points in a UMass uniform, while junior Shane Walsh also contributed a pair of helpers for his first multi-point game of his career. Freshman Dennis Kravchenko added an assist as the third Minuteman to notch his first careerpoint in the contest, while senior Zack LaRue tallied his first career shorthanded goal, logging his second point in as many games to start the year.

UMass had seven minutes of power play time in the opening frame and out-shot Michigan State, 11-6, but it was the Spartans who took a 2-0 lead into the locker room at the intermission. Michigan State's first tally came just 3:37 into the contest as Matt Berry redirected in a shot from Michael Ferrantino and Mackenzie MacEachern from the top of the crease.

The Spartans then expanded the advantage to 2-0 at the 17:35 mark. JT Stenglein knocked home a loose puck to the left of goaltender Steve Mastalerz from Ferrantino.

The Minutemen came out in the second and punched in a pair of tallies at the 2:14 and 6:23 marks of the frame to tie the score at 2-2. Burchett opened the scoring for UMass as he settled a feed from Walsh out of the corner and knocked it in at the back post. Baxandall earned an assist on the play, as well.

Then, with Michigan State on the power play for the first time in the contest, Kravchenko picked off thepuck from a Spartans player, starting a shorthanded 2-on-1 rush the other way. Kravchenko dished off to LaRue, who drove a low shot past goaltender Jake Hildenbrand for the equalizer.

However, Michigan State responded with a power-play goal 12:23 into the stanza to regain the advantage. MacEachern roofed the puck past netminder Steve Mastalerz from along the goal line, set up by Matt Berry and Travis Walsh.

The Spartans then tacked on their fourth and fifth of the night early in the third. Ryan Keller connected with Matt DeBlouw 3:05 into the period, while Berry collected his second goal of the contest at the 7:17 mark from MacEachern.

Burchett brought the score to 5-3 with a knuckling shot from the point that found the back of the net 13:17 into the third, once again from Walsh and Baxandall, though UMass could not manage to complete the comeback.

Michigan State finished with a 27-24 shot advantage and went 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Minutemen were 0-for-2. Mastalerz made 22 saves in the contest and Hildebrand had 21 stops for the Spartans.

The teams will be back in action tomorrow night, Oct. 18, with game two of the weekend series set for a 7 p.m. puck drop.