Great Lakes Invitational extended through 2014

Michigan Tech Press Release 

Michigan Tech and Olympia Entertainment have extended their partnership in hosting the Great Lakes Invitational through 2014, it was announced today.

One of college hockey’s longest-standing annual tournaments, the GLI will continue to feature Michigan Tech, Michigan and Michigan State in addition to an invitational team.

“We’re thrilled to be able to continue the tradition of the GLI,” said Michigan Tech AD Suzanne Sanregret. “It’s been one of the most successful tournaments in the country, and we look forward to an on-going partnership with the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment, Michigan and Michigan State. The event has been a great way for us to keep a presence in lower Michigan and connect with our alumni and fans. It’s important that we continue what we’ve built up over the years and showcase college hockey in Detroit.”

The new three-year contract will take the GLI through its 50th year of existence. The 2012 event will be played outdoors at Comerica Park Dec. 27-28 as part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival and in connection with the NHL’s annual Winter Classic. The 2013 and 2014 editions will be played at Joe Louis Arena, home of 33 of the previous 47 GLIs.

Mike Bayoff, director of strategic hockey alliances for Olympia Entertainment, is also excited to continue the GLI tradition.

“The Great Lakes Invitational has been a big part of our ‘College Hockey in the D’ lineup for a long time and we’re very pleased that it will continue," said Bayoff. "With this year’s GLI taking place at Comerica Park as part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival, an exciting chapter in the rich history of one of the country’s premiere college hockey tournaments is set to be written, and we look forward to our outstanding relationships with the participating schools continuing to evolve.”

The Great Lakes Invitational was first played in 1965 after the idea for the tournament was conceived and implemented by Michigan Tech coach John MacInnes, Olympia Stadium GM Lincoln Cavalieri and Detroit Red Wings' scout Jack Paterson. The tournament, which has been played in late December every year, has grown into one of the nation’s premier holiday sporting events with more than 1.3 million fans in attendance since its inception.

“The Great Lakes Invitational Tournament has become a long-standing tradition with our program and other schools in the state,” said Michigan AD Dave Brandon. “We are pleased that this annual holiday tournament will continue for the foreseeable future.”

Michigan Tech has won the GLI nine times in 47 appearances. Michigan has competed in 42 GLIs and has claimed 15 titles. Michigan State owns 12 GLI crowns in 38 tries.

“We are thrilled that our relationship with Olympia Entertainment and participation in the Great Lakes Invitational will continue,” said Michigan State AD Mark Hollis. “This tournament is special to all of our hockey fans, players, and alumni, and is an important part of our schedule each season. We are looking forward to celebrating the excitement of this year’s GLI being a part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival, the 50th anniversary of the GLI in the near future, and most importantly, our continued relationship with the great people at the Detroit Red Wings and Olympia Entertainment.”

Western Michigan will join the three GLI mainstays for the 2012 outdoor event. The Broncos will also be the invitational team in 2014. Denver will take part in the 2013 tournament.

Tickets for this year’s outdoor GLI at Comerica Park will go on sale through Olympia Entertainment on July 12.

Photo by Matt Mackinder/MiCHO

Wolverines win Great Lakes Invitational

Michigan defenseman Kevin Clare scored the game-winning goal 11:44 into overtime to give the Wolverines their second consecutive Great Lakes Invitational Title, beating Michigan State University 3-2 on Friday night at Joe Louis Arena.

Boston College defeated Michigan Tech 2-1 in the consolation final earlier in the day.

Michigan battled back twice from one-goal deficits, including the game-tying goal from Kevin Lynch with 50 seconds left in the third period. The Wolverines outshot the Spartans 48-25 in the contest, but Michigan State goalie Drew Palmisano kept his team in the game with 45 saves.

Shawn Hunwick stopped 23 shots in a winning effort for Michigan .

The tournament-winning goal earned Clare GLI MVP honors, as he was joined by Wolverines A.J. Treais and David Wohlberg on the All-Tournament Team along with Spartans Brett Perlini, Torey Krug and Palmisano.

Photos/Matt Mackinder/MiCHO

Spartans top RPI for 12th GLI title

By Matt Mackinder/At The GLI

DETROIT - Michigan State won their 12th Great Lakes Invitational championship tonight with a dominant 6-1 win over RPI at Joe Louis Arena.

MSU never trailed and won fairly easily.

“Obviously, I thought we played well both nights,” said MSU head coach Rick Comley. “Broke down a couple of times, but overall I thought very consistent. I was really pleased with the balance and scoring and people chipping in.”

Brett Perlini was named tournament MVP after being scratched several games this season and having a trying freshman season last year.

"I was just working to try and stay in the lineup," said Perlini. "A couple of good bounces and here I am. I think the hard work has paid off."

Perlini had a goal and an assist in the championship game and was part of a 16-goal, two-day outburst for the Spartans, who decimated Michigan Tech last night, 10-1.

Dustin Gazley added a goal and an assist to go along with single goals from Chris Forfar, Dean Chelios, Jeff Petry and Andrew Rowe.

Petry's play earned praise from RPI head coach Seth Appert.

“They were probably the best combination team that we played this year,” said Appert. “They’re very talented but also very disciplined, very strong on their system play and well coached, and certainly with the best defenseman we’ve seen in the country in Petry. I thought he was special. You can certainly see why he’s one of the best defensemen in the country.”

Drew Palmisano stopped 19 shots to earn his second win of the GLI.

“Palmisano’s play was outstanding, very underrated,” said Comley. “When you score that many goals, you’re going to win, but it wasn’t 10-4, 10-5 last night and 6-3 tonight. He was very good.”

Comley also talked about what it means to win the GLI.

“Winning means everything - losing just sucks the air right out of you,” said Comley. “This is a big tournament for Michigan State. It’s one of the things that you target and it means so much to the three permanent schools that are in this tournament and you don’t ever want to downplay what that means to your community.”

The No. 13 Spartans (14-6-2, 9-3-2 CCHA) face the U.S. National Under-18 Team Monday night at home and then host Lake Superior State for a pair Jan. 8-9.

GLI All-Tournament Team
F - Chase Polacek, RPI
F - Dustin Gazley, MSU
F - Brett Perlini, MSU - MVP
D - Chris Summers, UM
D - Jeff Petry, MSU
G - Drew Palmisano, MSU

Photos by Matt Mackinder/MiCHO

LIVE BLOG: Michigan State vs. RPI

Matt Mackinder/At The GLI

Pre-game and Joe College is skating around on the ice and I'm going deaf from some song about "welcome to the masquerade." Seriously, this sound system is about 400 decibels too effing loud!

STARTERS

Michigan State - Grant, Sucharski, Tropp, Petry, Krug, Palmisano
RPI - Angers-Goulet, Pirri, O'Grady, Kennedy, Merth, Merriam

FIRST PERIOD

The crowd is hot. Surprised York isn't in net for RPI, though.

1:30 Gazley goes low to take out Cullen along the boards. More action already than we had for much of last game.

The pizza was delicious, by the way.

6:44 Still scoreless and I forgot - TV timeouts. The in-game host was just throwing pizzas in the crowd.

And hey, Michigan Hockey editor Phil Colvin has arrived. Game time was 7:30, Philster!

8:33 Good, solid pace to this game, but still no goals. Shots are 6-1 RPI.

8:56 Helfrich for tripping. State to the power play.

10:30 Power play just isn't clicking ....

10:55 ... until Forfar roofs one past Merriam from the side of the net with one second left. 1-0 MSU.

14:28 Gazley with a bank shot off Merriam. 2-0 State. York in net now. Kid should have started.

End of 1 - Shots 12-5 MSU.

Some fan just won a GPS for diving on a garbage bag at center ice. I'm not kidding.

SECOND PERIOD

3:15 Chelios with a nice move to spot MSU a 3-0 lead. You'll never see his old man with a move like that, however.

This is actually a great game. Arena is maybe half-full, but those that are here are not seeing the Spartans of last season. And that's a good thing.

7:20 If RPI could hit the net, this might be a hockey game.

9:08 Foss goes for a trip. MSU needs to put this game out of reach.

Now an in-game promo for a free haircut. Yes, a free haircut.

11:30 Good pace. Palmisano with a good save on Pirri.

11:51 RPI gets one back as Cullen rips one past Palmisano.

12:00 Kerins then bids for a second goal, but goalpost prevented that. Good thing, because Palmisano was beaten cleanly.

13:23 Golembiewski gets mugged behind the net after his shot is covered by York. Come on, RPI. Give it a rest.

19:55 Still a great pace and a heckuva game. Philster's calling it a night.

19:27 Petry makes it 4-1 with a fat freaking rebound off a Tropp shot.

Shots 25-16 Sparty.

Someone in the press box has B.O. Perhaps it is I. Hang on...nope, not me.

Talk in the press box now involves hands down pants and shoving that hand into unsuspecting people's grills. Wonder if Andy Samberg reads MiCHO?

Tom Anastos is making his way into the press box. And a Happy New Year to you as well, sir!

THIRD PERIOD

:17 State is flying out of the gate, but Sucharski gets called for slashing. Takes Kennedy with him for hooking, though.

1:38 Burgdoerfer off for hooking - 5-on-3 for about 30 seconds.

4:00 Josepher for a slash.

4:12 Tropp for delay of game. Didn't see it - was daydreaming.

6:12 MSU kills the 5-on-3 and pretty handily, too.

7:32 Polacek for ... embellishment??? Crandall from MSU for holding.

Embellishment. What's next? Two minutes for coughing without covering your mouth? Two minutes for running? Two minutes for sharting?

10:21 MSU again. This time, Perlini picks up a loose puck and beats York.

10:25 Tropp (slash) and Helfrich (unsportsmanlike) both go. Six PIMs for Tropp? Dude should be scoring, not sitting. Then again, it doesn't look like this game will go south at any time.

14:00 Getting ready to head down to play post-game photographer with Karl.

Hit the john on my way down and let me just say that the bathroom smells better than the stairwells going down to the service level.

MSU got a late goal to win the game, 6-1. My feeling is Brett Perlini as tourney MVP. That seemed to be the consensus in the press box.

Wolverines take third place at GLI

By Matt Mackinder/At The GLI

DETROIT - Michigan, coming off a heartbreaker yesterday, came back to take third place at the Great Lakes Invitational this afternoon with a 5-3 win over a game Michigan Tech squad.

Lindsay Sparks' first two collegiate goals led the way for Michigan and Bryan Hogan made 20 saves for the win in goal.

Some wondered if Hogan would sit after getting pulled at the start of the third period last night for Shawn Hunwick, but according to Michigan head coach Red Berenson, "Hogie's our goalie."

Brian Lebler also added a pair of goals for the Wolverines, with his second being an empty-netter with Sparks wide-open to the side of the net for what could have been a hat trick. Lebler knew it right away and threw his arms up in disbelief.

Still, Michigan will take the win, even if they much rather would have played the second game of the night.

"Any time you come down to this tournament, your goal is to play in the championship game, so it's a tough game for the players and even the coaches, but we got through the game," said Berenson. "I thought we did some good things in the game and some not-so-good things. Penalties in the second period kind of changed the momentum of the game, but nevertheless we got through it."

Matt Rust added a goal for Michigan and said after the game that holding on for the win showed character.

"Obviously you want to play in the [championship] game," said Rust. "It's tough waking up knowing you're playing in the third-place game. It's important at the end of the year trying to get invited to the NCAA Tournament. I think it shows something about our character on this team. The ability to come back after a heartbreaking loss like that is not easy. When you're spirits are down, it's tough."

Brett Olson, Jordan Baker and Eric Kattelus scored for MTU and goalie Josh Robinson finished with 39 saves.

"Facing a lot of shots keeps you in the game," said Robinson. "I'd much rather face a lot of shots and be in the game."

“Tonight we battled hard, we competed and worked hard,” said MTU head coach Jamie Russell. “Michigan is a good team. We obviously play in a very good conference in the WCHA, but Michigan’s got good size, they play with pace, protect the puck well, good skill level, but I thought we went toe-to-toe with them with a roster that’s got 18 freshmen and sophomores.”

The Wolverines (10-10-0, 5-7-0-0 CCHA) has a home-and-home set with Western Michigan starting next Friday in Kalamazoo. Michigan Tech (3-16-0, 2-13-0 WCHA) plays at St. Cloud State next weekend.

Photo by Matt Mackinder/MiCHO

LIVE BLOG: Michigan vs. Michigan Tech

Matt Mackinder/At The GLI

Starters

UM - Hagelin, Rust Lynch, Langlais, Summers, Hogan
MTU - Baker, Kattelus, Dobson, Kivisto, Seigo, Robinson

1:18 - Wohlberg gets taken down by VanWagner and we go to a Michigan PP.

This should be a decent enough game - wish more people were here to see it. Oh well. I'm here and Karl is at ice level with camera in tow. Pretty swell coverage we got going here, eh?

2:55 UM can't get anything going here.

3:11 Robinson with a good save on a point shot from Summers.

This PA is TOO LOUD. Four minutes in and my ears are bleeding.

6:41 Kivisto with a nice hit on Brown along the boards. Finally, something to make some noise about.

In an unrelated, yet related, note - USCHO's Bob Miller has done away with the mustache.

The PA just yelled some announcement about a tote bag. Now I hear Michigan Tech cow bell. Who brings cow bell any more?

7:59 Now the Tech band is playing the Darth Vader theme. Because that sounds well during a stoppage in play.

9:09 A scramble in front of Robinson, but no goal. No noise, either.

10:07 Robinson with a save on Llewellyn, who then wants some from a Tech player. Should have gone to the OHL, Tris...just saying...

11:46 Hogan smothers an Olson shot for his first big test of the game.

11:50 Kampfer for hooking off the draw.

12:13 Kattelus misses the net on the PP.

13:24 MacLeod for tripping Moffie after Moffie made a save on a shot with Hogan out of position.

15:22 With two ticks left on McLeod's penalty, Sparks nets his first NCAA goal. Great place to get it, too. Rust and Hagelin with the apples.

16:14 Royer for elbowing.

The Hard Lessons have a concert at the intermission. WHO???

20:00 End of one - 1-0 Michigan, who also lead in shots, 14-7.

SECOND PERIOD

1:06 Seigo for interference.

2:50 2-0 Wolverines. Lebler announced, but looked like Wohlberg with a tip. It may be changed. No, it should be changed.

4:48 Slow pace...

6:43 Summers for a trip. I guess.

The conversation in the press box has turned to the popcorn. The term "buttery morsels" was tossed around.

7:51 Langlais for high-sticking!!!!!!!!! That's the way the PA dude is announcing it.

8:12 Llewellyn for holding. And "Benny & The Jets" gets air time. WHY???

9:09 Kampfer for slashing. MTU needs a goal - or three.

10:12 It all starts with one. Olson on a nice cross-ice feed from Cousens. Hogan was WAY out of position.

Yet, still no energy in the JLA. I need/want/crave a nap. Or "quiet time" like we say at our house to the kiddos.

12:59 Doriott for holding. Michigan looking for their third PPG.

15:13 The UM band plays "The Final Countdown" even though it's not.

16:15 Olson for a high stick. The penalty parade continues...

17:18 With Robinson's arse to the play, Rust banks it off of said arse. Just a terrible goal. Good thing MTU has both backups dressed.

End of two - 3-1 Michigan and shots are 32-14 Michigan.

Off to grow a tail now. Not really. Just sounded like a cool thing to write.

THIRD PERIOD

Not much early, but I'm digging the flat screens in the press box.

1:05 Jimmy Buffett's "Cheeseburger In Paradise" gets play. Again, why??? Good tune, but we only get pizza post-game. Might send someone out for burgers after this game. Karl???

3:08 Players hanging out around the Michigan net, so Kattelus steps in and gets No. 1 on the season. Now a 3-2 game, folks.

5:38 JLA starting to get loud and filled with fans ... for the Michigan State-RPI game.

6:28 Pietila gets trashed along the boards and skates hunched over to the bench. Didn't see who hit him, though.

9:26 Huge carom off the boards leads to Sparks getting goal No. 2. Robinson looked like a dying carp trying to get in position.

Our first playing of a song with the word "Shorty" gets heard with 50 Cent's "In Da Club." Fantastic.

12:22 Baker gets Tech back to within a goal by finishing off a 2-on-1 break with Dobson. Just blew it by Hogan, who looks bored out there. Until he stops Kattelus from point-blank range at 12:45.

Pizza has arrived in the press box. Good, I'm starving. The popcorn just wasn't cutting it.

18:00 Two-minute warning.

18:58 Hogan's poke-check almost winds up behind him. MTU calls time-out. Robinson stays on the bench.

19:48 Lebler with the ENG with Sparks wide-open. Lebler realized it, too.

20:00 Ballgame!

Carl Hagelin and action photo by Karl Henkel/MiCHO

Follow today's GLI action LIVE

Follow today's Great Lakes Invitational action live from Joe Louis Arena with MichiganCollegeHockey.com's in-game blog, and then come back after the games for complete player and coach reactions.

Michigan Tech (3-14-0, 2-13-0 WCHA) takes on Michigan State (12-6-2, 9-3-2-0 CCHA) at 4 p.m. in Tuesday's first game before Michigan (9-9-0, 5-7-0-0 CCHA) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (9-9-1, 3-4-0 ECAC) play at 7:30.

Michigan has won the MacInnes Trophy a record 13 times and is the two-time defending champion. The Spartans last won the event in 2006 and Michigan Tech was a runner-up in 2007. RPI is making its first GLI appearance since 1985.

Wildcats edge Huskies Friday night

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Northern Michigan snapped its three-game losing skid against the Michigan Tech Huskies Friday night with a late goal to gain a 2-1 win at the Berry Events Center.

MTU struck first with a goal at 8:14 of the second period by John Kivisto.

The Wildcats tied the game on a power-play goal by Andrew Cherniwchan at 18:09 of the second.

Jared Brown scored his sixth goal of the season with 1:01 left in regulation to win it for Northern Michigan.

Brian Stewart earned the win in goal with a 22-save outing, while Kevin Genoe made 18 saves in defeat.

NMU (7-8-4, 5-6-3-0 CCHA) is idle until Jan. 2 when it plays in the first game of the Dodge Holiday Classic against Clarkson at the University of Minnesota.

Michigan Tech (3-14-0, 2-12-0 WCHA) next plays Dec. 29 at the Great Lakes Invitational in Detroit against Michigan State.

MiCHO will be covering the GLI live from Joe Louis Arena with a live blog during all four games, exclusive photos and game recaps.