Katz scores two, hockey falls to MSU 5-3

By Mark Rudi
Sports Editor

(Chyn Wey Lee/Western Herald) Western Michigan University forward Jared Katz goes for a goal attempt during Saturday night's game against Michigan State University. Katz scored two goals in the WMU loss.

Head coach Jim Culhane said it, the Western Michigan University hockey team needs to “have more of an consistent effort throughout the hockey game.”

The Broncos (4-2-0, 0-2-0 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) lost 5-3 to No. 20 Michigan State University at Lawson Ice Arena Saturday night.

For the second night in a row, the Broncos got off to a slow start and only recorded 12 shots through the first two periods before getting 12 in the third period. On Friday, WMU only had 11 shots through two periods, before turing it on in the third and recording 13 in the final period.

“I thought we played extremely well at times and spurts of the game,” Culhane said. “That’s one thing we need to improve upon going into next weekend and also getting more pucks to the net. We need more shots on net for us to, obviously, score a few more goals.”

Michigan State (6-2-0, 3-1-0 CCHA) was able to get 24 shots through two periods, but were only held to seven in the third period. The Spartans out shot Western Michigan 31-24 for the game.

“We just couldn’t get the pucks to the net,” freshman left wing Trevor Elias said. “Seems like we were in their zone, but we just couldn’t get to the net.”

Despite the loss, senior forward Jared Katz scored two goals. The San Jose, Calif. native, who transfered from Wayne State University before last season, found the net at 10:38 into the first period on a nice pass from Elias, which was also assisted by senior defenseman Tyler Ludwig.

With the Spartans up 3-1 in the second period, a Michigan State defenseman lost control off the puck in his own zone and Katz took the puck away and blasted a shot right past MSU net minder Bobby Jarsoz. The goals were Katz’s second and third of the season.

“I guess he just gave me the puck right there in the middle,” Katz said on his second goal. “I guess he didn’t really look to where he was passing. I was actually trying to pass to Kane (Kyle O’Kane) because he had an open breakaway, but I fluttered on that.

“Instead, just took a shot and had a screen, luckily, it went in.”

Katz has already surpassed his 2008-09 goal totals, as he only scored two last season.

“He and Trevor [Elias] are playing very well together,” Culhane said. “They’re gelling very well together. Trevor has got great foot speed and is able to get to a lot of pucks and has the skill sets to make some plays. Jared gets a couple goals tonight and I thought he was real solid for us all weekend.”

With his assists tonight, Elias now has recorded a point in each of the first six games of the season. He had goals in both games against the University of Alabama-Huntsville last weekend.

“I don’t know, I’ve just been kind of getting my breaks,” Elias said about his start. “Making stuff happen, just using my speed and bounces are happening right now. I’ll just keep on going on with the streak I guess.”

Coming into this weekend, Michigan State had the top scorer in the conference in Corey Tropp, who came into this weekend averaging 1.62 goals per game. But the Broncos held him scoreless through the weekend. The Spartans also came into this weekend second in the CCHA on the power play, converting 23.5 percent of the time and MSU didn’t score a power play goal Saturday night.

On Saturday, just like Friday, WMU tried to build a third period comeback, but fell just short. Down 4-2 and under five minutes to go, the Spartans Kevin Walrod was whitsled for boarding at 15:07 and then 51 seconds later, Torey Krug was pentalized with a five-minute major and a game misconduct for checking from behind the back.

This gave Western Michigan a two-man advantage and the Broncos took advantage with Chris Clackson scoring off a rebound. The goal was assisted by Matt Tennyson and Greg Squires, which cut the Spartan lead to one.

With under a minute to go, WMU goalie Riley Gill was pulled to give the Broncos a 6-on-4 advantage, but the Broncos could only muster a few shots and at 19:54, lost the puck and MSU’s Dustin Gazely found the net for the empty net goal.

“Another one goal game,” Culhane said. “Right down to the very end there and we’re able to score on the 5-on-3 opportunity. Had an opportunity to tie it and Michigan State is able to get the empty netter and get a win out of Lawson Ice Arena.”

Gill made 26 saves on the night, including 11 and 12 in the first and second periods respectively in the loss.

The Broncos also scored twice on the power play, going 2-for-5 with the man advantage.

“We did some very good thing, but again, we need more of a consistent effort for longer periods of the game,” Culhane said. “We got it at times, played extremely well at time, but we need to be more consistent with that consitent effort through 60 minutes of the game.”

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Posted by heraldstaff on Oct 31 2009. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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