In a do-or-die contest Saturday at Munn Ice Arena, the MSU hockey team was able to squeak past Western Michigan, 3-1, earning the weekend split behind the game-winning goal of senior forward Mike Lalonde.

MSU sophomore goaltender Dominic Vicari made 21 saves en route to first-star honors.

"It was a very, very important game," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.

"I've tried all year to protect them and not treat it like it was life or death, but we just are at that point of no return."

Similar to Friday's game, the Broncos (10-11-1 overall, 5-10-1 CCHA) struck early when forward Paul Szczechura found a rebound and beat Vicari, but the tally was answered by junior forward Colton Fretter later in the stanza, when he patiently waited for the Broncos defense to collapse, then roofed a shot on his backhand that beat goaltender Daniel Bellissimo.

Early in the second, the Spartans (12-11-1, 7-9-0) took the lead for good when Lalonde took a pass from sophomore forward Tommy Goebel and slammed a shot past Bellissimo from where he was positioned at the side of the net.

"I just try to put it on from wherever I can," Lalonde said. "A lot of people that watch, or my teammates will say I shoot from anywhere, and that's exactly what I did."

Behind steady goaltending from Vicari, the Spartans were able to hold off the Broncos attack and seal the victory when senior captain Jim Slater scored on the empty net late in the third.

The Spartans continue CCHA play Friday and SAturday when they welcome Lake Superior State for two home games.