The Michigan State Spartans, the three-time defending Great Lakes Invitational champs, will get a chance to defend their crown Saturday night.
Rustyn Dolyny scored two goals and added a pair of assists as the top-ranked Spartans defeated second-ranked Boston College, 4-1, in a GLI semifinal on Friday evening at Joe Louis Arena.
Damon Whitten added a goal and an assist for MSU and Ryan Miller made 26 saves.
Michigan State (13-1-4), which was defeated 6-5 by Boston College in overtime in the NCAA tournament last season, will meet the winner of the second semifinal between Michigan and Michigan Tech in the championship game on Saturday night at 7:30 ET.
Krys Kolanos gave Boston College a 1-0 lead with 22 seconds remaining in the opening period when he beat Miller with a low wrist shot from between the circles.
The Spartans evened it up 1:23 into the second period on defenseman Andrew Hutchinson’s first goal of the season. Whitten took a nice pass from Dolyny and then made a perfect pass to Hutchinson, who put the puck into the open net.
MSU took the lead on a power-play goal by Dolyny with just five seconds left in the middle period. Dolyny took a pass from behind the net by Jeremy Jackson and one-timed it into the top right corner of the net.
Boston College pressed for the tying goal in the third period but couldn’t solve Miller. With little over 10 minutes left in the third period, Miller made perhaps his best save of the game, stopping a Marty Hughes shot from close range.
Shortly thereafter, Dolyny scored his second of the game and sixth of the year to make it 3-1 with 9:59 left.
Whitten then finished the scoring on a nice feed from Dolyny at the 16:56 mark.
Scott Clemmensen made 27 saves for the Eagles (12-4-1), who failed to score on any of their six power-play opportunities. Michigan State was 1-for-5 with the man advantage.
