Western Michigan wins Great Lakes final

DETROIT -- Justin Kovacs scored at 2:01 of overtime to give Western Michigan a 1-0 victory against Michigan Tech on Saturday night to claim the 2013 Great Lakes Invitational championship at Comerica Park.

It is the first GLI title since 1986 for the Broncos, who are coached by former Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues bench boss Andy Murray.

Western Michigan's best chance of the first three periods came late in the second when Colton Hargrove, a seventh-round draft pick (No. 205) of the Boston Bruins in 2012 got behind the Huskies' defense, but his breakaway attempt was high and wide.

Michigan Tech had a breakaway of its own midway through the third period when captain Blake Pietila, a fifth-round pick (No. 129) in the 2011 NHL Draft, collected the puck and was in alone on Lukas Hafner, but was unable to get any lift on his backhanded try.

These two teams met in the tournament final last year a mile and a half from here at Joe Louis Arena. Michigan Tech won that game 4-0, completing back-to-back shutouts in the tournament for Copley against Michigan and the Broncos.

Copley made 70 saves in the two GLI games last season, and he had 56 in this tournament. Hafner made 31 saves for Western Michigan in the final and was named tournament MVP.

This season, the Great Lakes Invitational is part of the SiriusXM Hockeytown Winter Festival, a five-day celebration of the sport leading up to the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium on Jan. 1.

Michigan State 3, Michigan 0

The Spartans got a first-period goal by Thomas Ebbing and a pair of insurance goals in the third to win the GLI consolation game.

Ebbing gave Michigan State a 1-0 lead 1:23 into the game when his shot from the left wing was deflected on the way to the net. Matt Berry scored his second goal in as many days 7:32 into the third period during a power play. He received a cross-ice pass inside the left circle and scored from in close for a 2-0 lead.

Brent Darnell scored another deflected goal through a screen with close to six minutes remaining to make it 3-0 on the Spartans' 38th shot.

Spartans goalie Jake Hildebrand made 29 saves for the shutout, one day after making 41 in a 3-2 shootout loss to Michigan Tech in the semifinals. Michigan lost to Western Michigan 3-2 in overtime on Friday.

It was Michigan State's first shutout of Michigan since Nov. 14, 2009.