Box Score / Print Media Coverage

DETROIT, Mich. – Six different players recorded goals to lead the 13th-ranked Michigan State men's hockey team to a 6-1 victory over Rensselaer in the Championship Game of the 45th-annual Great Lakes Invitational, tonight at Joe Louis Arena. With the win, the Spartans improve to 14-6-2, while the Engineers conclude the 2009 portion of their season with a 10-10-1 mark.

Michigan State scored the first three goals of the game and saw sophomore netminder Drew Palmisano (Ann Arbor, MI) allow just one tally for the second straight night. Palmisano picked up 19 saves, including nine in the second period to improve to 10-5-2.

Chris Forfar (Darien, IL) gave Michigan State a 1-0 lead, when he stuck home a rebound at 10:55 of the opening frame. Freshman defenseman Zach Josepher (Wantagh, NY) took a shot from the left point that was deflected towards the low right circle where Forfar gathered the puck and raised it over the glove of Rensselaer freshman goalie Bryce Merriam (Bethel Park, PA/Topeka Road Runners).

The Spartans made it 2-0, when junior Dustin Gazley (Novi, MI) beat Merriam short-side after the puck caromed off the backboards to the left side of the cage. Gazley elevated the puck over the right pad of Merriam for his sixth goal of the season.

Merriam was pulled immediately following the goal for sophomore Allen York (Wetaskiwin, AB/Camrose Kodiaks), who stopped all three shots he faced over the final 5:32 of the first period.

Michigan State built a 3-0 advantage, 3:15 into the second period, when freshman Dean Chelios (Bloomfield, MI) recorded his second of the year. Assists went to sophomore Trevor Nill (Novi, MI) and freshman Torey Krug (Livonia, MI).

Rensselaer sophomore Patrick Cullen (Washington, DC/Indiana Ice) brought the game to within 3-1, when he picked up a loose puck in the slot and buried a shot past Spartans' sophomore goaltender Drew Pamisano (Ann Arbor, MI). Junior Tyler Helfrich (Calgary, AB/Price George Spruce Kings) won the puck from behind the Michigan State goal and worked it towards the slot for Cullen for the one-time finish. Freshman Brandon Pirri (Toronto, ON/Georgetown Raiders) picked up the second helper on Cullen's third of the year.

The Spartans answered with just 32 seconds left in the second stanza, after an Engineers turnover at their own blue line turned into a 2-on-1 break. Michigan State capitalized as junior winger Corey Tropp (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI) sent a cross-ice pass to Jeff Petry (Farmington Hills, MI), who beat York to the near post.

Michigan State forwards Brett Perlini (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) and Andrew Rowe (Muskegon, MI) tacked on insurance goals over the last 10 minutes of the contest to bring the game to its final score.

York finished with 18 saves, while Merriam had seven. The Engineers were 0 for 4 on the power-play, while the Spartans finished 1 for 3.

Rensselaer junior forward Chase Polacek (Edina, MN/Academy of Holy Angels) was named to the All-Tournament Team after recording a pair of power-play goals in the Engineers', 4-3, victory over Michigan on Tuesday night.

RPI is back in action on January 8, when it visits eighth-ranked Quinnipiac (7pm).