Spartans take third place at GLI
Sophomore center Anthony Hayes, right, skates in to celebrate with sophomore forwards Kevin Walrod, left, and Chris Forfar Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich. Walrod scored the first two goals of his career in the Spartans’ 5-3 victory over the Michigan Tech Huskies. Matt Radick/The State News
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The MSU hockey team took third place in the Great Lakes Invitational on Thursday night with a 5-3 win against Michigan Tech.
After falling Wednesday night to Colorado College, MSU (7-10-3) received an offensive outburst from freshman forward Kevin Walrod against Michigan Tech (3-13-2).
Walrod started the scoring 13:42 into the first period with his first career goal.
The Huskies tied it up about five minutes later when when forward Aaron Pietila slipped one past MSU junior goalie Drew Palmisano.
Sophomore forward Dean Chelios gave the Spartans another one-goal lead, with a wraparound the left post three minutes into the second. Michigan Tech evened it up two minutes later.
Gallery: 2010 Great Lakes ...
MSU got its game-winner from junior forward Brett Perlini, and never looked back.
Senior forward Dustin Gazley gave the Spartans a two-goal lead with his second goal of the tournament.
Pietila scored another goal for the Huskies in the third period, seven minutes before Walrod gave MSU its final tally of the night.
MSU head coach Rick Comley was happy with his team’s effort during the tournament.
“I thought we made a couple of mistakes tonight that led to goals, but I’m pleased with our effort,” Comley said at the post game press conference. “We would dominate the game, make a mistake, and it would end up in the back of our net. But it was a good tournament for us, in terms of how we battled back last night, and how we approached the game tonight. It will be a good jumping-off point for us for the second half. “
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What happened?
(12/31/10 11:52am)Report
A win is a win, but beating a 3-13-2 team is not an accomplishment I’d be touting too loudly. So we won the battle of the bottom tier of the two Midwestern leagues.
MSU used to be a hockey school. Is there a law of nature that requires an MSU sports team to be down when others are up (i.e., football, M&W basketball)?
Comley deserved coach of the year for his masterful coaching in the national championship game several years ago. However, his performance since then has been substandard. Yes, he has had injuries and NHL defections, but that’s part of the college game.
Unfortunately Ron Mason’s ego got in the way of doing the right thing years ago — and that was queuing Jeff Jackson as his successor-in-waiting. Instead Notre Dame now reaps the success that Jackson brings to every program.
Hopefully Hollis will have similar success in picking a new hockey coach when the time comes.