Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Massachusetts
Lerg Backstops Spartans to Season-Opening Win
10/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 10, 2008
Boston, Mass - Michigan State opened the 2008-09 college hockey season with a 3-1 victory over Massachusetts in the Icebreaker Tournament at Boston University. Jeff Lerg made 36 saves in the victory, as three different Spartans found the back of the net.
Michigan State got its first look at its power play unit just over a minute into the game. The Spartans'first good chance came when Daultan Leveille brought it up the right side and left a drop pass for Tim Crowder, but goalie Dan Meyers made the stop.
Andrew Rowe potted the first goal of the MSU season 3:04 into the contest, just as the penalty expired. Corey Tropp took the outlet pass from Leveille and broke up the left side. Tropp deked around a defender and into the slot, and put a shot on net. Meyers made the save, but was unable to control the puck; and opportunistic Rowe pounced on it and put it past the goaltender's leg.
UMass had three power play opportunities in the first period, which led to an 13-8 shot differential in favor of the Minutemen. The Spartans had two themselves, and their second man-advantage opportunity carried over into the second period; Andrew Conboy's first collegiate tally 52 seconds into the period pushed the Spartan lead to 2-0. Leveille was again a playmaker, leaving a drop pass for Jeff Petry at the point. Petry's blast was tipped in front by Conboy.
Michigan State tacked on a third goal at 13:26 of the middle period. Trevor Nill carried the puck into the zone, and the rebound off of his shot was roofed over Meyers by Matt Schepke.
Lerg's shutout was broken up at the 12:54 mark of the final period, when Brian Keane came up the left side, got Lerg to commit to his right side, deked and went left.
The Spartans take on tournament host Boston University on Saturday to complete tournament play. The teams face off at 7:30 p.m.
NOTES: Michigan State is now 3-4 in season openers under head coach Rick Comley ... ... MSU recorded its first victory over a Hockey East team since the 2007 National Championship game, a 3-1 victory over Boston College ... The Spartan penalty kill was a perfect 6-for-6 on the night, while the power play scored once in its two chances... Jeff Lerg made 36 saves on the night, the most he's made in his first game of the season in his career. He had 22 in his first career start at Cornell in 2005, 14 in a win over Western Michigan as a sophomore, and 23 last year in a loss at North Dakota ... Several freshmen had their first collegiate points. Daultan Leveille had a pair of assists, Andrew Conboy had a goal, and Trevor Nill had an assist ...
