ICE HOCKEY
The game had no impact in the final standings and wouldn’t impact who MSU would play in the first round of next week’s CCHA tournament.
That didn’t diminish the emotion of MSU’s win and first sweep of the season Saturday and happy close to the Spartan careers of three of their own, and significance of singing the fight song in the locker room for the first time at home this year.
MSU laid everything on the line for its retiring head coach, Rick Comley, and two senior forwards, Dustin Gazley and Joey Shean, to defeat Bowling Green, 2-0, Saturday at Munn Ice Arena and send them out as winners, even though they likely didn’t expect to be in 10th place in the standings at this time of year.
The Spartans importantly gave their coach and players a worthy end to careers that saw extreme dedication and commitment to a program and creating some high points along the way.
The Spartans, who were tabbed to finish in third or fourth in the CCHA standings before the season, weren’t playing for a CCHA championship or even for a first-round bye, but that didn’t decrease the significance of the night or the accomplishments Comley has had at MSU.
Comley’s service to the program has been outstanding and his National Title and his three straight trips to the NCAA regional finals from 2006 through 2008 stand as big accomplishments in today’s CCHA.
He was honored Saturday with a tribute after the game and video that highlighted the high points of his career and nine years of keeping up the MSU hockey tradition.
“I’m not a glammer and glitz guy,” Comley said.
