Michigan State University
Michigan (GLI)
Hockey Captures Great Lakes Invitational Title
12/31/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 30, 2004
DETROIT - The Great Lakes Invitational championship game was everything that it was suppose to be, but then again, what else would you expect from a Michigan State-Michigan game. But in the end, it took an extra session and an overtime tally by Colton Fretter (Jr., Harrow, Ont.) for the Spartans to capture the GLI title.
"This was tremendous for us," said MSU head coach Rick Comley. "I know that U-M was obviously shorthanded, but the kids played very, very well. It was a great game. Both teams went toe-to-toe, especially when we had the lead and we lost it again. We were very resilient and I thought that we got better and better in overtime."
Fretter's goal at the 9:24 mark of the extra session gave the Spartans a 2-1 win over the Wolverines at Joe Louis Arena. Defenseman Ethan Graham (So., Xenia, Ohio) set up the play by sending it deep into the Wolverines' zone. With the puck deep, Drew Miller (So., East Lansing, Mich.) and a U-M defender were tied up behind the net. Miller kicked the puck out to Fretter and he fired a shot into the open net for his 12th goal of the season.
"There was a little skirmish behind the net," said Fretter on his game winner. "Miller was working hard down there and the puck popped off a skate. It came to me and I just through it on the net."
The Spartans jumped on the board first with a power-play tally by Jim Slater (Sr., Lapeer, Mich.) at the 10:39 mark of the opening stanza. Slater's goal was set up by the play of Chris Mueller (Fr., West Seneca, N.Y.) and Miller down low behind the net. Slater took a feed from Miller, walked into the face-off circle and sent the shot on net. The puck was rolling just wide, but a Michigan defenseman just tapped the puck into the open net.
 Senior captain Jim Slater was named the GLI Tournament MVP.  | |
Both goaltenders were forced to come up with big stops in the third period, including U-M netminder Noah Ruden, who stopped Slater on a break-away with just 9:25 to play and made a glove save on a blast from the point by Tyler Howells, just one minute later. Vicari also made several big stops, including a kick save on a blast by U-M's David Rohlfs. All told, Vicari finished with 31 saves, while Ruden stopped 35 shots.
Graham had a golden opportunity in the extra session as he fired a shot that hit U-M's Jason Dest in the skate blade while he was standing in the crease. Just moments later, the Spartans had a 3-on-2 breakaway and Ruden made a big save on a Mike Lalonde (Sr., Chetwynd, B.C.) blast, as he directed the puck up into the netting behind the goal.
Just moments after Vicari made a save on Andrew Ebbetts; he was called upon to stop a David Moss slap shot from the slot. But in the end, it was Fretter who was the hero for the Spartans.
The win marked State's 10th GLI title and the team's first since the 2000 season.
"It feels great to win," said senior captain Jim Slater. "We have had some good showings at the GLI and I'm proud to bring the trophy back to MSU."
The Spartans return to CCHA play with a two-game set at Miami, Jan. 7-8.
Spartan Notebook
* After registering a goal tonight, SR F Jim Slater now has a three-game point streak (two goals, two assists) heading into the Jan. 7 game at Miami.
* Twenty-six of the last 27 meetings between Michigan State and Michigan have been decided by two goals or less, including five ties.
* MSU played its second straight overtime game. The Spartans beat No. 6 New Hampshire, 4-3 last night and recorded a 2-1 OT win over No. 3 Michigan tonight.
* FR F Chris Mueller has registered one assist in five of his last six games.
* MSU has a three-game winning streak, the team's second-best showing of the season. The Spartans went 3-0-1 from Nov. 5-14.
* FR D Jeff Dunne injured his shoulder in the second period and will miss four to six weeks.
