Michigan State University
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Western Ontario
Spartans Fall in Exhibition
10/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 8, 2010
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East Lansing, Mich. - The Michigan State hockey team played its first external competition of the season on Friday night at Munn Ice Arena, hosting Western Ontario. Despite outshooting the Mustangs by a sizeable margin, the Spartans fell by a 5-3 score. Daultan Leveille scored two highlight-reel markers, and sophomore Derek Grant had the other MSU tally.
The Spartans dressed 21 skaters, which is legal in an exhibition contest. The Spartans fell behind 3-0, but rallied to tie the score at three before allowing two third-period tallies to their visitors.
Despite owning a 17-8 shot advantage in the first period, the Spartans trailed at the first intermission, as Western Ontario got a goal from Kyle Lamb off an assist from Julian Cimadamore. Goalie Josh Unice, a product of the US National Team Development program and a former Bowling Green commit, was outstanding for the visiting Mustangs, making several quality saves over that first 20 minutes to keep the Spartans off the scoreboard.
Early in the second period, Matt Crandell was whistled for cross checking, and joined Daultan Leveille in the box. It was enough for XXX to get the power-play marker at XXX for the Mustangs, who further added to their lead at 5:19. Brock Turner took the shot from the point into traffic, and Scott Aarssen tipped it at the left post.
The Spartans found the scoreboard at 11:24 of the middle frame. Torey Krug's shot was blocked, and Dean Chelios knocked it out to his brother, Jake, at the left post. Jake Chelios collected it and sent a long cross-slot pass to Derek Grant at the far post, and Grant beat Unice glove-side.
Skating four on four for the final minute of the second period, the Spartans came within a goal with a Daultan Leveille snipe from the bottom of the left circle that beat Unice high over his glove hand. That sent MSU to the locker room trailing by just one, 3-2.
MSU opened the third with 1:16 of power play time, but didn't get the equalizer on the man advantage - it came just over a minute later on another pretty goal by Leveille, who sneaked up the center of the ice and roofed the puck over the glove hand of Unice at 2:48.
The Mustangs regained the lead at 3:30, on an unassisted marker by Chris Rocca, then added to it at 13:33 when Randy Hanagan put back a rebound on an open left side after Palmisano made a save on a Kevin Baker shot from the right point. Despite great pressure in the offensive zone, the Spartans could not get back on the scoreboard, and the 5-3 score became the final.
Palmisano finished with 20 saves, while Unice made 43 for the visiting Mustangs.
Western Ontario defeated Lake Superior (5-4) and fell to Michigan (4-2) in other games against CCHA competition this fall.
Michigan State will host fifth-ranked Maine next weekend at Munn Ice Arena to officially kick off its 2010-11 season. Games will be held at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday, and at 7:35 on Friday.
