Michigan State University
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Western Ontario
Spartans Skate to 6-1 Exhibition Victory
10/3/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 3, 2011
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EAST LANSING, Mich. - While only an exhibition game, the Michigan State hockey team made an emphatic statement in the squad's first game for a new mentor, defeating Western Ontario, 6-1, on Monday night at Munn Ice Arena. It was the first game behind the bench for head coach Tom Anastos, who watched his team put on an impressive effort - the Spartans brought both speed and quickness, an aggressive but controlled demeanor, and a blue-collar mentality to their first game for their new head coach.
"I was quite pleased with our effort tonight," said Anastos. "Granted - we are aware that this is a team that has played three games in four nights, and it was our first game. But, I liked the way we competed. We played a lot of guys in a lot of situations. I don't want to mention a lot of individual names, because I will forget someone unfairly.
"We did, however, remind them that we will see a very good team in Boston College on Friday night, and that will require another level of effort from us. But all in all, I am quite pleased with this as a first effort."
The Spartans took a 1-0 lead a little over midway through the period. Chris Forfar set up Tanner Sorenson in the slot, and the freshman had a good look at it; his shot was saved, but Brett Perlini was there to pick up the rebound and send it past goalie Alain Valiquette.
Captain Torey Krug doubled MSU's lead at 5:29. Brock Shelgren fed the puck through the neutral zone to Trevor Nill, who carried it up the left side and left a drop pass for Krug at the left dot. Krug's first offering was saved, but he got a stick on the rebound, sending it past the blocker hand of Valiquette.
Just 20 seconds later, the Spartans went up 3-0. Off the ensuing faceoff from the Krug goal, sophomore Lee Reimer won the faceoff back to Greg Wolfe, and Wolfe one-timed the puck blocker-side. Wolfe added a second while skating on the power play five minutes later, when he corralled a rebound at the left post off a Tim Buttery wrist shot. Wolfe backhanded the puck into the upper right corner for his second goal in a five-minute span.
Tanner Sorenson added a goal at 11:50 when he jumped on a rebound on the right side and sent it into the far side of the net. Assists went to Perlini and Buttery, the second point of the night for each of the three players.
The shutout bid for Palmisano ended at 7:25 of the third period, when Adam Stoykewych stickhandled through the high slot and put a shot through traffic that beat Palmisano blocker-side. Minutes later, a skirmish broke out in MSU's offensive zone, which escalated as Dominic Desando cross-checked Daultan Leveille beneath the chin. Desando was shown the gate, while Adam McKee served the five-minute major. Brock Shelgren was assessed a double minor, which gave the Spartans a brief 60-second power play once Shelgren's penalty was released.
Before that could happen, however, the Spartans added to their lead with a great effort by Dean Chelios. Brent Darnell had the puck coming up the right side, and his pass into the slot hit a heavily-defended Dean Chelios perfectly square on the blade of his stick, and it caromed past Jared Richmond, who had spelled Valiquette.
Michigan State outshot their guests by a 37-23 margin. Palmisano finished with 22 saves.
The Spartans play their first game on Friday, when they take on Boston College in the semifinals of the IceBreaker Invitational. It will be the first meeting of the teams since the 2007 National Championship game, won by the Spartans by a 3-1 margin.
