Michigan State University
Minnesota
Spartans End Skid with 5-2 win at Minnesota
11/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 26, 2010
Minneapolis, Minn. - Michigan State snapped a three-game losing streak in convincing fashion, riding three first-period goals to a 5-2 victory over No. 15 Minnesota on Friday evening in Minneapolis. The Spartans also snapped a nine-game winless streak against the Gophers (4-0-5), and won their first game in the College Hockey Showcase since 2004. Dustin Gazley had a pair of tallies, while captain Torey Krug had a goal and two helpers in the victory.
With the victory, the Spartans claim the Mariucci/Bessone Trophy for the first time since 2000 - the trophy given to the winner of the Minnesota/Michigan State hockey game. The trophy is named for the legendary coaches of the two programs. With the demise of the College Hockey Showcase, the two teams will play next season in a two-game set over Thanksgiving weekend in East Lansing.
The action came fast and furious in the opening four minutes. It started with an elbowing call against Minnesota's Jake Hansen at 2:03; Krug's slapshot from the high slot made its way through traffic, caromed off the leg of a Gopher defender, and past goalie Kent Patterson just 23 seconds later. At 3:48, Daultan Leveille took a pass from Krug and sent a shot netward. Patterson made the save, but the rebound fell to his left foot, at the post. Gazley made a heads-up play, pouncing on the loose puck and flipping it over the keeper's leg pad for his fourth goal of the season.
Five minutes after Gazley's goal, Brett Perlini gave the Spartans a 3-0 lead. Derek Grant started the play from the half-wall, and Perlini tipped it out of midair in front of the Gopher goalie. The play was reviewed to see if it was scored on a high stick, but the goal was good, giving MSU a commanding lead midway through the opening frame.
 MSU took home the Mariucci/Bessone Trophy, which goes to the winner in a game between MSU and Minnesota.  | |
A holding call against Brock Shelgren just over five minutes into the period put the home team on the power play, and it took just nine seconds for the Gophers to get on the scoreboard. The initial shot came from the high slot, and Palmisano made the save. The rebound trickled loose, and with the goalie stuck under a pile of players, the rebound trickled slowly over the line. The goal was eventually credited to Cade Fairchild from Jay Barriball and Jake Hansen.
The Gophers cut into the lead further midway through the second period. At the 10-minute mark, Hoeffel had a chance at his second of the night, intercepting a pass deep in the zone for a point-blank shot that Palmisano kicked away. Twenty seconds later, the Spartans turned over the puck at the left wall on the blueline, which quickly was passed onto the stick of Taylor Matson, who was alone in the right circle. Matson deked, and sniped a shot over the blocker hand of the Spartan netminder.
MSU regained some momentum late in the period, and got a good bounce to take a 4-2 lead. The Spartans forced a neutral-zone turnover and broke into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1. Gazley streaked up the right side with the puck, and looked to pass across the slot to Dean Chelios. His pass deflected off the shinpad of the defender and beat Kangas five-hole, giving the Spartans back a two-goal lead heading into the final period.
The Spartans got their fourth power-play chance of the night at 13:42, and took exactly 10 seconds off the clock before adding to their lead with their second man-advantage tally of the night. Derek Grant walked out of the right corner with the puck alone, moved from left-to right in front of the goalmouth, and got Kangas to commit before roofing the puck for his third goal of the night.
Palmisano came up with a nice point-blank save in the final minute to punctuate the victory, in which he made 29 saves.
The Spartans will now travel to Madison to take on the Badgers of Wisconsin at the Kohl Center on Saturday evening. Gametime is 9 p.m. eastern.
NOTES: The Spartans scored a season-best five goals in the contest, the most since Feb. 26, 2010 when MSU posted a 5-2 victory over Bowling Green ... Michigan State won its first game in the College Hockey Showcase since blanking Wisconsin, 4-0, in 2004. MSU had gone 0-7-4 in CHS games since ... The Spartans picked up their first victory over Minnesota since the 2000 season ... MSU won the first game of a two-game weekend for the first time this season ... MSU's three-goal opening period tied its season-high for goals in a period, matching the three it put on the board in the first period against Ohio State on Nov. 13 ... MSU's third goal chased Minnesota goalie Kent Patterson from the crease. Patterson had played every game since Nov. 5, and had allowed just 18 goals in eight games entering the contest ... Dustin Gazley's first-period goal was his fourth of the season, and first since Nov. 5 at Western Michigan ... Gazley recorded his fourth career two-goal game, and first since March 7, 2009 at Northern Michigan ... Torey Krug had his third multiple-point game of the season, and his first career three-point game ... Brett Perlini scored his ninth of the season in the opening frame, matching his total of his first two varsity seasons combined ... Perlini's tally was his first points in three games, snapping his longest point-scoring drought this season ... Drew Palmisano's 29 saves was the most he's had since the 4-3 overtime loss to Ohio State on Nov. 12 when he stopped 35 shots. His season-best is the 38 he made in the season opener against Maine ...
