Spartans Drop Second Game to WMU

Nov. 6, 2010

Kalamazoo, Mich. - A night after Michigan State lost its first game of the season, Western Michigan finished the sweep with a 3-1 decision on Saturday evening in Kalamazoo. MSU falls to 3-2-3 overall, and 1-2-1-0 in CCHA play. Dustin Gazley had the Spartan marker, and Drew Palmisano made 21 saves.

MSU had a pair of goals - both by Brett Perlini - waved off in the contest, and despite outshooting their hosts 9-4 in the final frame, could not get a late equalizer. The Spartans were swept in a road series for the first time since Jan. 30-31 2009 at Lake Superior State.

Box Score

Ryan Watson redirected a failed clearing attempt at 16:07. With Palmisano out of the net to clear the puck, it ended up on the stick of Watson, who had an empty net into which to deposit his third goal of the season.

MSU tied the game less than two minutes later. The first penalty of the night went against the home team, putting MSU on the man advantage at 16:33. Torey Krug carried the puck across the blue line and left it about a foot inside for a streaking Dustin Gazley. Gazley's slapshot eluded traffic in front and beat Pisellini high glove-side. It was Gazley's third goal of the season.

WMU took a 2-1 lead midway through the second frame. With considerable traffic in front of Palmisano, Ben Warda was able to pounce on a loose puck off a rebound over the leg pad of the Spartan goalie, giving the sophomore his first goal as a Bronco.

The third period got increasingly chippy and emotional, leading to a boatload of penalties midway through the frame. MSU had a chance with a five-on-three, but the Broncos did a nice job of disrupting any momentum the Spartans attempted to establish in the offensive zone. Max Campbell added an empty-net tally in the final minute when Palmisano was on the bench in favor of an extra skater.

The Spartans will be back in action next weekend, when they host Ohio State for a two-game set. Gametime on Friday will be 6:35 p.m., and will be televised on Comcast.

NOTES: MSU had two goals waved off - the first in the second period when play was erroneously allowed to continue after the puck hit the rafters, the second less than two minutes into the third period due to a quick whistle ... The Spartans had not been swept by Western Michigan since Feb. 16-17, 2007, which happened in a home-and-home set by 4-3, 2-0 scores ... MSU had taken at least a point out of every CCHA series last season - one of just three teams to do so . This was their first point-less weekend since the final regular-season weekend against Notre Dame in February of 2009 ... Michigan State allowed six power play goals in its first three games, and has allowed just three in its last five contests combined ... Gazley's goal was his first tally since the Maine series, where he scored one in each game ... Torey Krug has an assist in five straight games.