Michigan State University
Clarkson
Comley wins No. 750 as Spartans roll Clarkson, 6-1
10/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 9, 2009
Box Score
Post-Game Audio: MSU Head Coach Rick | Claarkson Head Ccach George RollGame HighlightsPost-Game Quotes
East Lansing, Mich. - Blueliner Zach Josepher had a four-point night in his collegiate debut and three other freshmen had their first collegiate points as the Michigan State hockey team started the 2009-10 season with a 6-1 victory over Clarkson in the opener for both teams. The win was the 750th in the career of Michigan State head coach Rick Comley, who is in his 37th season behind a collegiate bench. He owns a 750-583-100 mark overall, and is 153-108-29 at Michigan State. He is one of just four coaches all-time to reach 750 career victories, following Ron Mason, Jerry York (BC) and Jack Parker (BU).
The Spartans were impressive in their first outing, with eight freshmen in the lineup and a new opening-night goaltender for the first time in three seasons, but gave the home fans something to buzz about as they potted early goals in the second and third frames. Alternate captain Corey Tropp and winger Derek Grant, Corey Tropp, and Dustin Gazley each had a goal and an assist in the victory.
Tropp scored the first goal of the 2009-10 season - on the power play - to give MSU a 1-0 lead at 17:21 of the opening period. Grant launched a heavy shot from just inside the blue line that was saved by Paul Karpowich, but the rebound was corralled by Corey Tropp at the left post. He held the puck as he moved across the top of the crease, and lifted the puck over the netminder's leg pad for the first goal of the game.
The Golden Knights countered with an extra-man tally of their own with just 1:38 remaining. Matt Beca had the puck in the left circle and put it on net. Palmisano made the save, but Beca was able to get his stick on the rebound and stuck it five-hole to knot the score at one as the teams headed into the locker rooms for intermission.
It didn't take long for the Spartans to retake the lead once the second period started - it was 2:04 into the frame when Daultan Leveille had the puck behind the net and put it out in front, and Dustin Gazley was there for the one-timer. At 14:53, Andrew Rowe finished a two-on-one rush that he sniped past Karpowich for a 3-1 State lead. Three minutes later, Josepher became the first freshman with a goal when he took a pass from Zach Golembiewski on the wall and slapped a shot from the left point which made its way through traffic and beat Karpowich blocker-side.
Derek Grant opened the scoring in the third at 1:20, when he scored from the left post to beat Karpowich blocker-side, then Josepher got his second of the night three minutes later on a slapshot from the left point on a delayed Clarkson penalty.
Drew Palmisano finished with 28 saves, including 10 each in the first and third periods, for his first victory of the season. Karpowich had 22 for the Golden Knights.
NOTES: Michigan State had six goals for the first time since Feb. 29, 2008, (6-3 win over Bowling Green) .... It was the first time MSU had potted three power play goals since since March 14, 2008, a 5-2 win over Northern Michigan, when MSU went 3-for-7 on the man advantage ... MSU did not have more than one power play goal in a game during the 2008-09 season ... Zach Josepher's two-goal outing was MSU's first since Matt Schepke potted two against North Dakota In the Great Lakes Invitational (Dec. 27, 2008). Daultan Leveille had two multiple-goal games last year, and Andrew Rowe one ... Josepher recorded MSU's first four-point game since Justin Abdelkader (3g, 1a) against Bowling Green on Feb. 29, 2008 ...
