ST. LOUIS, MO. - Michigan State won its third NCAA National Championship and first since 1986 with a 3-1 comeback win over Boston College. The Spartans also became the first CCHA team to win a national title since Michigan in 1998.

Trailing 1-0 in the third period, sophomore forward Tim Kennedy tied the game with his 18th goal of the season at 9:53. Sophomore forward Justin Abdelkader, who assisted on the goal by Kennedy, put Michigan State ahead 2-1 with 19 seconds left in regulation, while junior forward Chris Mueller scored an empty-net goal with under two seconds left to put the game on ice. Sophomore goaltender Jeff Lerg made 29 saves, including 11 in the third period, for the win.

Rick Comley, who coached Northern Michigan to the 1991 NCAA National Championship, became the third coach in college hockey history to lead two different teams to a national title. The championship is Michigan State's third in school history, but second as a member of the CCHA.

Senior forward Brian Boyle scored the lone Boston College goal in the second period, while junior goaltender Corey Schneider made 26 saves in a losing effort. Boston College was the third Hockey East team to lose to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament, with the Spartans eliminating Maine in the Frozen Four and Boston University in the Midwest Regional.

sigh...