Michigan State University
Bowling Green
Spartans Down Bowling Green, 2-0, in Regular Season Finale
2/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 26, 2011
East Lansing, Mich - Michigan State used goals in the first and third period to complete the regular season on a three-game winning streak, downing Bowling Green 2-0 on Saturday at Munn Ice Arena. Dean Chelios and Derek Grant had the Spartan tallies, while Drew Palmisano made 17 saves to record his second shutout of the season.
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The game was not only the final one at Munn Ice Arena for seniors Dustin Gazley and Joey Shean, but also for head coach Rick Comley, who will retire at the end of the season. The seniors were honored in a pre-game ceremony, while the head coach was honored with a post-game career retrospective, spanning 38 seasons as a player and coach. Comley served at the head coach at his alma mater, Lake Superior State as well as starting the Northern Michigan program which he led for 26 seasons, then the nine-year tenure at Michigan State. He won National Championships at each stop.
Dean Chelios had his second goal in as many nights, getting the first score of the game at 3:58. Brock Shelgren fired the puck on net from the high slot, and Hammond made the save. The puck got lost in his equipment, and an opportunistic Chelios dove at it and was able to poke-check it over the line.
The Spartans got a bit of insurance in the third period, when Derek Grant took a pass from senior Dustin Gazley and convered his shot to beat Hammond blocker-side. Chris Forfar tied up a defenseman behind the net, allowing the puck to squirt out to the half wall for Gazley. Gazley carried it in to the hash marks looking for a shot, but instead dished to Grant, who scored his eighth goal of the season.
Michigan State draws Alaska in the CCHA first round, departing Wednesday for a best-of-three series which will begin Friday at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.
NOTES: Michigan State swept their first series of the season, and extended their winning streak to three games ... The Spartans are 5-0-1 in their last six games with the Falcons ... Dean Chelios has had points in six of his last seven games (3-3-6). He scored the first goal of the game against the Falcons in both games of this series ... Derek Grant had his eighth goal of the season in the third period ... M
