Icers open season with impressive 6-1 win

Spartans score three power play goals for first time since March 2008

MSU head coach Rick Comley’s 750th win might not be his favorite or his most memorable, but it sure allows him to breathe easy for the night.

For the first time since Feb. 29, 2008, the Spartans scored six goals en route to a convincing 6-1 victory over Clarkson on Friday at Munn Ice Arena.

With Friday’s victory for Comley (750-583-100), he joins a class of only three other college coaches to break the 750 win barrier.

And he admitted this win was extra special, if only to get the year rolling on the right foot after last year’s disaster of a season.

“It’s a big year,” Comley said. “It’s a reprove year in a lot of ways. You have to spread confidence around the community and winning does that.

“It’s great to get going; it’s been a long, long summer.”

Of the Spartans’ six goals, three came on the power play – the first time MSU recorded three tallies with the man-advantage since March 14, 2008. Last season, the Spartans didn’t have a game with multiple power play goals.

In his first game in the Green and White, freshman defenseman Zach Josepher had two goals and two assists. For his efforts, he was named the game’s No. 1 star.

“Starting the season off this way, everybody is real excited,” Josepher said. “All the boys have good chemistry in the locker room and we are all really tight. It’s a big win for all of us.”

After being suspended from the team midway through last season, junior forward Corey Tropp earned some redemption and scored the Spartans’ first goal of the year at 16:21 of the first period on the power play. Junior defenseman Jeff Petry took a shot from the point that was deflected in front and Tropp corralled the loose puck. He made a nifty move at the top of the crease and beat Clarkson goaltender Paul Karpowich.

“Obviously it was a long time coming,” Tropp said. “Even if I didn’t score, we want to open up the game scoring the first goal. Tonight I was lucky enough to be that guy. It’s a great feeling after everything that happened last season. It’s good to come back and be able to contribute and help the team right off the bat.

With 1:38 left in the first period, Clarkson forward Matt Beca evened the score at 1-1. Beca took a shot from the point and found his own rebound, sneaking the puck past sophomore goaltender Drew Palmisano.

But unlike so many games last season, allowing one goal didn’t decide MSU’s fate.

The Spartans came out roaring in the second period, scoring three goals. Junior forward Dustin Gazley scored first 2:04 into the period on the power play. Gazley’s linemate, junior forward Andrew Rowe, scored the Spartans third goal of the game at 14:53. Josepher closed out the period with another power play tally at 17:36 to extend the MSU’s lead to 4-1.

Freshman forward Derek Grant added a tally early in the third period (1:02) and Josepher fired a wicked wrist shot from the point at 4:17 to give MSU its final goal of the night.

“He can really shoot a puck,” Comley said of Josepher. “He’ll have to get used to the speed of the game, but he can really shoot it. We knew coming in that he would be one of our power play guys.”

After losing 23 games last season, the Spartans were overjoyed to return to the locker room in good spirits.

“It’s nice coming into the locker room and not being silent and everyone not being upset about a loss,” Tropp said. “It’s kind of fun. Obviously last year the snowball effect happened, and at times, when you’re losing it’s not the most fun time. We can enjoy it for a night, but the biggest test for us will be how we respond tomorrow.”

The Spartans finish off their opening series with Clarkson tomorrow at 5:05 p.m. at Munn. Senior goaltender Bobby Jarosz will get the nod between the pipes for MSU, Comley said.