Michigan State University
Alaska
Spartans Down Alaska, Remain Unbeaten
10/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 23, 2010
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East Lansing, Mich. - No. 16 Michigan State improved to 2-0-2 overall and is 1-0-1 in the CCHA with a 4-1 victory over Alaska on Saturday evening at Munn Ice Arena. MSU got three of its four goals tonight from the defensive corps, as Torey Krug's tally stood as the game-winner and third-period markers by Brock Shelgren and Jake Chelios provided insurance for the Spartans.
"Its just the way things are going right now," noted Shelgren after the game, when asked if the blueliners felt that they needed to generate offense for MSU to get wins. "Right now, it just happens that its some of the defensemen getting goals. Our forwards will get it going too, and we will be fine. The important thing to everyone in our locker room is that we are getting the results we want."
Captain Krug admitted that tonight's victory felt especially sweet after a bitter taste in the team's mouth after watching Alaska record a shootout win on the Munn Arena ice the night prior. Alaska got on the board at 15:08 of the first period, with Jarret Granberg putting back a loose puck at the left post. It was nearly identical to the goal scored by the Nanooks on Friday evening - and also like the night prior, it would be the only score that Alaska would put on the board.
MSU gained the equalizer just over six minutes into the second period. Daultan Leveille had the puck on the half wall, peeled out along the top of the left circle, and wristed his shot from the left hash under the blocker hand of Greenham. Jake Chelios and Derek Grant were credited with assists.
MSU took a 2-1 lead, its first lead of the weekend, at 9:35 of the second. Just seconds after MSU had a goal waved off, Torey Krug took a pass from Dustin Gazley and fired a blast from the point while skating 5-on-3. MSU threatened to add to the lead, with nearly a minute of power play time remaining on the board, but could not get one past Greenham and took a 2-1 lead into the locker room.
With 11:00 showing on the clock in the third, Ryan Hohl was whistled for a five-minute major for contact to the head-high sticking. MSU converted for its second power-play goal of the night nearly two minutes later with a Brock Shelgren blast from the point for the blueliner's second goal of the season. Matt Grassi hit the right post on the ensuing shift, and MSU continued to generate chances on the extended man advantage. Jake Chelios closed the scoring with his first collegiate tally, a blast from the left point. Chris Forfar and Greg Wolfe got assists on the play, the first collegiate points for both the younger Chelios and Wolfe.
NOTES: MSU snaps a four-game unbeaten streak against Alaska (0-2-2) and is now 1-0-2 in its last three games against the Nanooks ... MSU has yet to play a game away from Munn Ice Arena, and will not play a road contest until the first weekend in November when it travels to Kalamazoo to play Western Michigan ... Jake Chelios had his first career two-point game on the same night he had his first career point (an assist on Daultan Leveille's tally) and goal ... Drew Palmisano made 18 saves on the night, and stopped 45 of 47 shots in the weekend set ... Two of MSU `s four scores came on the power play, and the Spartans were 2-of-7 and 2-of-11 on the weekend ... The Spartans did not allow a power play goal to the Nanooks in three tries ... Alaska blocked 30 MSU shots in the game ... MSU is unbeaten in its first four games for the first time since the 2005-06 season, when it started 3-0-1 ...
