Michigan State University
Alabama-Huntsville
Spartans Remain Undefeated, Clip Chargers
10/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 30, 2010
East Lansing, Mich. - Michigan State withstood a late, extended shorthanded situation to hold on for a 2-1 victory over Alabama-Huntsville on Saturday at Munn Ice Arena. The Spartans remain undefeated and improve their record to 3-0-3 overall, while Huntsville falls to 1-6-1 on the season. Matt Grassi had a goal and an assist on the night, while defensive partner Torey Krug had an assist on each MSU goal.
Spartan alternate captain Dustin Gazley was whistled for a double minor - for tripping and roughing - with under four minutes remaining, putting Huntsville on the power play for the remainder of regulation. The Spartan kill did a nice job of repeatedly sending the puck out of the zone, and being disruptive when the Chargers looked to set up in their offensive zone. UAH pulled their goalie for the final 40 seconds, hoping to recreate last night's last-second heroics (in which they got the tying goal with four seconds remaining). However, the MSU defense was tenacious, and Drew Palmisano put an exclamation point on the victory by gloving Justin Cseter's last-second shot.
The Spartans opened the scoring at 7:36. The Chargers were attempting to kill off the second of back-to-back penalties, and the Spartans were sustaining pressure in their offensive zone. Krug shot from the left circle, and goalie Clarke Saunders made the save. The rebound came out to an unprotected right side, and Brett Perlini was able to backhand it into an empty net for his second goal of the weekend.
It appeared that Huntsville's first goal would come in a similar fashion to the first MSU goal of the night, but Joe Koudy's putback on the right side with 1:13 remaining in the first period was waved off due to netminder interference.
Neither team scored in the middle frame, and it took an extended power play in the third period for the Spartans to get back on the board. Sebastian Geoffrion was whistled for a major for charging, and MSU connected on its second power-play goal of the night at 4:40. Krug whistled a slapshot off the endboard for D-partner Grassi, who put the carom past Saunders blocker-side for the defenseman's first goal of the season.
The Chargers answered back with a power-play marker of their own at 7:39. With Mike Merrifield in the box for the Spartans on a tripping call, Matt Durnie took the shot from the right point that Mac Roy was able to get a stick on and tip at the right post to get the puck past Palmisano.
Palmisano stopped 18 shots, while Saunders finished with 28 for visiting Huntsville.
Michigan State gets back into action next weekend with its first road games of the season. The Spartans will play a CCHA set at Western Michigan both Friday and Saturday, with 7:35 starts in each contest.
NOTES: Brett Perlini has four goals this season, more than half the total (7) he recorded in his sophomore campaign ... Matt Grassi was the game's first star, followed by Palmisano and Krug ... Grassi's goal and assist was his first multiple-point game of his career ... MSU held UAH to 19 shots, the third consecutive game MSU held its opponent to less than 20 shots ...
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