CMU Women's Hockey halts Michigan State in weekend series
Elliot Horstman sent a perfect pass to Natalie Zaviski on the back door of the Michigan State net, finding a way through a few sticks for the wide-open score that gave Central Michigan a 3-2 win and a series sweep.
CMU’s Women’s Division II Club Hockey Team took on the Michigan State Spartans over the weekend and left the two-game series with its second sweep of the season.
It was a hard-fought series, with CMU edging out both games by just one goal in each. Game one was played in Mount Pleasant at Martin Ice Arena and finished 2-1. The following day, MSU hosted at Munn Ice Arena, ending in a 3-2 victory.
The Chippewas begin the year 4-0 in Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association play, outscoring their opponents 14-6.
Compared to the first couple of games against Aurora University, in which Central Michigan was able to get big leads and hold on to them, these two against the Spartans were tight contests.
Central Michigan opened both games by scoring first, which they have done in every game so far this year.
Zoie Sawdy had the first of the weekend after gathering a long stretch pass from Sophie Gibbs on a fast break and burying a backhand shovel in the first period.
And Ryleigh Eurich put CMU on top in game two by skating quickly into the offensive zone, flying from the right side and finishing with a quick wraparound goal.
Special teams were critical to the result of the series, favoring Central Michigan.
CMU scored two power play goals that lifted the team to victory in critical moments.
Game one was tied 1-1 at 5:54 into the second period, and Addison Holdsworth found the corner of the net. She took the shot from the top of the left circle, and the goaltender was screened by Zoie Sawdy in front.
That was the game-winning goal, as neither team could light the lamp for the remainder of the game.
In game two, CMU was down 2-1 in the third period, and a couple of Spartan penalties gave way to a 5-on-3 chance. Once again, it was a screened shot that beat the goalie.
Emily Musser fired a wrist shot through a crowd, blinding eyesight from the net for Michigan State. The Chippewas up front were Mallory Camryn and Sawdy once again.
That goal tied it up and then gave way to the Zaviski goal less than a minute later, flipping the game on its head and leading to the win.
Lainie Fliegel started both games in net for Central Michigan.
The first goal she allowed was a close-up turnaround shot with 11 seconds on the clock in the first period of game one, scored by Ellie Johnson in Green and White.
Fliegel’s defense left her with a challenge in the second game of the series in East Lansing. Both goals were one-on-none chances for MSU. The first was a defensive lapse that left her out to dry, and the second was a penalty shot.
