Sunday, January 15, 2012

Michigan State gets five of six points from NMU

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Michigan State and Northern Michigan played two tight games this weekend in East Lansing, but it was the Spartans who came out on the winning side both nights.

Ten different players scored a goal, seven had multiple points and Tyler Gron scored an extra-attacker goal with 26 seconds left in the game to give the Wildcats a 5-5 tie on Friday night.

NMU scored a goal in the final minute of each period, but the Spartans won the shootout on Matt Berry’s goal to earn the extra point.

Brian Nugent and Justin Florek opened the scoring for NMU, followed by four straight MSU goals from Chris Forfar, Anthony Hayes, Kevin Walrod and Mike Merrifield.

NMU's Matt Thurber added a goal late in the opening frame.

The teams exchanged goals in the second period, with Michigan State's Tim Buttery and Northern Michigan's Scott Macaulay each scoring.

Spartans' goaltender Drew Palmisano stopped 28 shots and Northern Michigan's Reid Ellingson and Jared Coreau combined for 30 saves on the night.

Saturday night, Brock Shelgren broke a 1-1 tie with a second-period tally and Michigan State held on to defeat Northern Michigan, 2-1, and take five of a possible six points on the weekend.

Berry scored the Spartans' first goal, while Thurber scored for the Wildcats.

Will Yanakeff made 23 saves in the win and Coreau finished with 28 saves for in the loss.

MSU (12-19-3, 7-7-2-2 CCHA) is just three points behind third-place Lake Superior State, the team MSU hosts next weekend at Munn Ice Arena.

The Wildcats (10-8-5, 6-7-5-0 CCHA) host Michigan Tech next Saturday night.

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