I first want to say that there just couldn't have been two better back-to-back
college hockey games.  If you're a fan of the game, you pray for nights like
this.  The first game was a rematch of MSU-OSU CCHA championship game from a
week before.  That game went into double OT, this one went single OT with
underdog OSU winning.  The second game featured the national champs vs.
underdog (but at home ice) Michigan.  Michigan scored with 2:57 to go to takes
its first lead of the game and hung on to UND final 2 minute flurry.
 
I picked MSU to win the whole thing this year and so much for my predictions.
OSU outplayed MSU most of the game but MSU was leading 2-0 into the second
period.  My written comment at that time was that OSU was playing like I see
Michigan play so often - outplaying the other team, outshooting the other
team, and behind in the score.  In the second, OSU scored to make it 2-1.  MSU
scored again to make it 3-1 and OSU came back to make it 3-2 (in favor of MSU)
at the end of two.  One of OSU's goals came within a minute or so of MSU's
goal.  OSU socred 2 goals the week before against Michigan in the same manner
- within a minute or so of the other team's score.  This shows you what OSU is
made of.  OSU tied the game in the third and some OSU kid had the chance of a
lifetime with 47.5 seconds to go but just couldn't lift over Alban.  I thought
that that would come back to haunt OSU but it didn't.  MSU only had 3 shots on
goal during the third period.  MSU was running out of gas.
 
OSU scored several minutes into OT and celebrated like they had won the
national championship.  Even though I picked MSU to go all the way, I wanted
OSU to win.  What a turnaround this season.  I believe they are something like
18-2-1 in their last 21 games.  Who wants to play these guys next???  They are
playing HOT, confident, and talented.  They have a suffocating defense and MSU
was hardly able to put much pressure on them.  I believe all three of their
goals came on power plays.  I forgot to mention that MSU came within a 1/4" of
scoring 15 seconds before OSU scored the winning goal in OT - a very exciting
game, very exciting end, and congratulations to the OSU kids who have for so
long been the doormat of the CCHA.  What a treat this feeling must be.
 
Steve Bartley, a Michigan fan
 
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