DETROIT - The CCHA regular season title was nice, but the Michigan hockey team still hadn't accomplished the one thing that could legitimize its entire season - beating Michigan State.

Last night, with the CCHA Tournament Championship on the line, the Wolverines finally put it all together against the Spartans, beating their arch-rival 3-2 to sweep the CCHA regular season and tournament titles.

"I can't tell you it was any special strategy," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "It was just a lot of character, hard work, leadership, poise and all the things that you need to have a winning team."

Entering last night's contest, Michigan was 0-4-2 (0-1-2 this season) against Michigan State since its 4-3 overtime victory on Jan. 27 of last season. In the teams' three previous meetings this season, the Wolverines felt that they had outplayed the Spartans, but were unable to score the key goals to take control and rattle Michigan State's All-CCHA goaltender Ryan Miller.

"The things I've seen written about us against State, I think they're true," Michigan assistant coach Billy Powers said. "The record is crappy against them in the last six games. (Beating Michigan State) is something that we needed to do as a team to get over the hump.

"We haven't played hopeless against them, but they've had an edge. Tonight we had a mental and physical edge. It was nice to find that."

Leading Michigan State 3-2 with less than a minute to play, the Wolverines nearly gave away their championship. Michigan defenseman Mike Komisarek had control of the puck in the Wolverines' zone with Miller out of the Spartans' net. Instead of lofting the puck or trying to score an empty-net goal, the sophomore iced the puck, giving Michigan State a 6-on-5 faceoff in the Michigan zone.

With less than 20 seconds left in regulation, a scramble for the puck ensued in front of Michigan goaltender Josh Blackburn. The puck squirted away toward the senior, who did not cover up the puck but swatted it straight ahead - right to a Michigan State player.

In the last 10 seconds, it was every man for himself, as the Spartans and Wolverines fought for possession of the puck, and more importantly, pride. Blackburn covered the puck as the buzzer sounded, and the Wolverines - overcome with relief - rushed the ice as champions.

"It was nuts," Michigan forward Milan Gajic said. "There were people and bodies flying everywhere. I honestly believe some would have given up their left leg to stop a shot in the third period. It was a lot of balls on the line."

Just under four minutes into the first period, Michigan did something it hadn't done in its last eight games against Michigan State - score the first goal of the game.

Michigan center John Shouneyia skated into the right side of the zone and made a cross-ice pass to Gajic. The puck bounced off Gajic's stick right into the front of the crease where Michigan forward Mark Mink fired a shot and then backhanded the rebound past a sprawling Miller.

"It's very important to go out there and get that first goal against them," Michigan captain Jed Ortmeyer said. "They really concentrate on playing defense. If you let them get the lead right away, it's tough for us. They like to trap and just chip the puck down the ice. It was a huge boost to get that goal."

But Michigan State retaliated quickly just three minutes later on the powerplay, with Shouneyia in the box for a boarding penalty. Michigan State defenseman Brad Fast rocketed a shot high on Blackburn, and Spartans' forward Ash Goldie was outside the right side of the crease for an easy flip-in on the rebound.

With just under 11 minutes left in the second period, the Wolverines went to work off a faceoff in the Michigan State zone. The puck came out to Michigan center Mike Cammalleri, who fired the puck from the point. Ortmeyer retrieved the rebound and put the puck past Miller, giving Michigan a crucial shot of momentum.

Michigan had some quality scoring chances to close the period, including a 2-on-1 breakaway, which was led by Gajic. But the Wolverines could not build on their lead.

By virtue of a gratuitous bounce, the Spartans took a 2-2 tie - and the momentum - into the second intermission. Michigan State forward Steve Clark sent a pass out of the right corner of the Michigan zone that caromed off Michigan defenseman Mike Roemensky's skate past a startled Blackburn into the Michigan net.

But when it counted, it was Michigan's captain who stepped up to give the Wolverines the lead for good. At 15:39 in the third period on the powerplay, Michigan forward Eric Nystrom found himself in the same corner as Clark stood just minutes earlier when he tied the game at two. But Nystrom didn't need a freak bounce, as he sent the puck right across the crease to Ortmeyer who lifted it past Miller for the game-winning goal - his second of the game.