Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Bowling Green
Tropp Hat Trick Leads to Icers Sweep
12/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 12, 2009
East Lansing, Mich. - Corey Tropp's hat trick helped Michigan State completed the sweep of Bowling Green on Saturday with a 4-1 victory over the Falcons at Munn Ice Arena. Tropp had a hand in each of MSU's four goals, while Jeff Petry had a goal and two assists and Andrew Rowe had a pair of helpers. The Spartans finish the pre-holiday portion of their schedule with a 12-6-2 overall record, and hold on to second place in the CCHA standings with a 9-3-2 conference mark.
Box Score | Video Highlights
Post Game Audio: BG Coach Dennis Williams | MSU Head Coach Rick Comley | Corey | Jeff
Michigan State scored in the waning seconds of the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Skating five-on-three, the Spartans controlled play deep in the zone, and Torey Krug slid a pass from Corey Tropp over to Jeff Petry at the top of the left circle, and Petry's slapshot found its way through traffic and past Andrew Hammond.
Bowling Green got a tying tally at 14:02 of the second, as Tomas Petruska swatted at a loose puck while falling down at the left post and beat Palmisano glove-side. The Spartans retook the lead in the final minute of the period, however, when Corey Tropp redirected a Jeff Petry rebound for his 14th goal of the season.
Tropp struck again just over three and a half minutes into the third period with his second goal of the night to push MSU's lead to 3-1. Tropp's offering came off a pass from Rowe, and it bounced through the five-hole of Hammond.
The junior completed his hat trick with a power-play marker at 13:22 of the final period. Jeff Petry's shot was saved by Hammond, and Dean Chelios corralled the loose puck and slid it to Tropp in the right circle.
Drew Palmisano had a relatively quiet night, but made the necessary saves and finished with 15 on the night. Hammond had 32 for Bowling Green.
Michigan State will take a two-week break for the holidays, and return to action at the Great Lakes Invitational on Dec. 29 against Michigan Tech.
NOTES: Michigan State has tied for the most wins (12) in the first half of the season under Rick Comley. The 2007-08 team had 12 wins at the holiday break, but did not win a game in the Great Lakes Invitational ... Michigan State snapped a streak of 17 power-play chances without a score with Jeff Petry's first period extra-man marker. The Spartans had a 19-power play scoreless streak before scoring twice against Wisconsin with a man advantage ... MSU finished 2-for-6 on the power play ... Jeff Petry scored his first goal since Oct. 16 at Maine ...
