MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Spartan Hockey took to the ice Friday night, facing off against the Western Michigan Broncos.

In MSU's first contest in two weeks, the team looked energized, but they struggled to create many scoring chances.

The Spartans offense dwindled at the end of the first, and looked even weaker in the second period, firing only 5 shots on goal.

It was Western's offense that found the back of the net first on a two-on-one goal against goaltender Jake Hildebrand.

The score stayed one-to-nothing in Western's favor until late in the third.

MSU's Mackenzie MacEachern took control of the puck after some strong back pressure from line-mate Matt Berry. MacEachern took the puck down low, but lost control to a Bronco defender who played the puck up, past a pinching Spartan D, springing another Western odd-man rush, where forward Justin Kovacs made no mistake.

Western would hold on for the 2-0 shutout win.

There were some positives to draw on, even with the loss. Both Last year's leading scorer, Matt Berry, and MSU's leading minutes logger, John Draeger, played in their first contest.

"We just got to stay positive," Draeger said. "We just got to have more talk and positivity on the bench, definitely helping our younger guys out, get them hopping and firing."