No. 2 Michigan State Stunned by New Hampshire

The Michigan State Spartans headed east to New Hampshire this weekend for their second consecutive weekend on the road. Facing a 2-1-1 New Hampshire team that had just earned its first two wins of the season against Colgate last weekend, there was little reason for Spartan fans or players to worry about Friday night's outcome.

Then the game happened, and with it came a troubling reminder of the Spartans' weaknesses.

New Hampshire controlled the game from beginning to end, outshooting Michigan State 34-14 and stifling the Spartans' offense. The Wildcats never allowed Michigan State to establish any rhythm, leaving the No. 2 team in the nation searching for answers throughout the night.

In the first period, Tommy Bleyl had Michigan State's lone high-quality scoring chance. The opportunity did not find the back of the net, and from that point forward, the Spartans mustered just 11 more shots all night as the Wildcats bullied one of the nation's top teams.

In the third period, with New Hampshire holding a man advantage, Michigan State managed to steal the puck and create some commotion, generating a quality look at a potential shorthanded goal. However, in hockey, teams must capitalize on their opportunities or be prepared to defend against the transition.

The Spartans did neither.

New Hampshire regained control, set up its play and fired a shot from just in front of the blue line. The puck beat Michigan State goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen, ending what had been a stellar performance from the freshman netminder up to that point.

When an offense is struggling to generate chances, the defense and goaltending must be nearly perfect to keep a team in the game. Ravensbergen finished with 33 saves on 34 shots, and his performance made it clear that this loss cannot be pinned on the Spartans' goalie.

Instead, the blame falls on an offense that struggled to get anything going, particularly one filled with young freshmen still learning how to compete at the college level.

Although many of Michigan State's young offensive players are elite prospects, with several having been selected in the first round of NHL drafts, talent alone does not guarantee immediate success. There is still a learning curve, and Friday night showed just how much work remains.

Fortunately for Michigan State, this loss comes very early in the season. Last year, the Spartans also lost their second game of the season, but that setback did not derail their campaign. Michigan State still managed to spend an extended period ranked No. 1 nationally.

One loss does not define a season, but how the Spartans respond will be important.

Right now, in-state rival Michigan is firing on all cylinders. The Wolverines defeated Western Michigan on Friday night with a goal in the final 0.01 seconds of regulation, continuing to look every bit like a team capable of claiming the nation's top ranking.

If the Spartans want to reclaim the No. 1 spot and take down their rivals in Ann Arbor, their offense will need to find its rhythm.

Last season, Michigan State could lean on its top line of Martone, Strammel and Russell to carry the team and deliver the timely goals it desperately needed. This season, Anthony Romani and Ryker Lee have provided enough production to help the Spartans through their first three games, but the team's young scorers will need to learn how to step up when the offense struggles.

The talent is there, but Michigan State cannot afford to rely on potential alone.

One loss never defines a season, and this certainly will not be the Spartans' last defeat. Still, when a team that lost 10-1 to No. 7 Quinnipiac to open its season can shut out Michigan State's offense just a few short weeks later, it is only fair to question what went wrong.

The Spartans will have an immediate opportunity to respond Saturday night at 7 p.m. when Michigan State and New Hampshire meet for the second game of their weekend series.

After Friday's disappointing performance, the Spartans will be looking for a much-needed bounce-back effort to prove that one frustrating night does not define their season.