The new year found three new faces in the Spartan lineup searching for, well, new beginnings.
MSU head coach Ron Mason used a nonconference series against overmatched Quinnipiac to insert freshman goaltender Matt Migliaccio, junior left wing Steve Clark and redshirt sophomore forward Pat Brush into the Spartan lineup.
Each played one game of the series - Clark in Friday’s 4-1 win and Migliaccio and Brush in Saturday’s 3-1 victory - but all hope the appearances won’t be their only cameos of the 2002 campaign.
“I try to approach every weekend as if I was going to play,” said Brush, who had played in one previous game on Jan. 20 of last year. “You never know when you’re going to get a call, so you have to be prepared.”
But Migliaccio knew he wouldn’t see the ice much in his rookie campaign. After all, he’s behind all-everything junior goalie Ryan Miller.
Miller got the night off Saturday, paving the way for Migliaccio’s first starting call. He battled through a case of early-game jitters to stop 11 shots for the victory.
“I had a lot of family here supporting me, that’s why I had to fight through a little groin injury to play,” Migliaccio said. “I’ve been waiting for this all year. To finally get a chance, it felt great.”
While Migliaccio viewed his start as a bonus, Clark and Brush considered their ice time an audition for the regular rotation of 12 Spartan forwards.
Mason lost five senior forwards from last year’s team, but gained six forwards in this year’s freshman class. With all six earning their way into the regular lineup, Clark has been the odd-man out.
Clark played in 34 games as a freshman and 41 last year, so his sudden demotion to a regular healthy scratch came as a surprise to most observers, including himself.
He made his presence felt Friday, springing a Mike Lalonde goal with a long outlet pass. Still, it wasn’t enough to put him on the dress list Saturday.
“I knew a chance was coming at some point,” Clark said. “I was a little nervous to start, but I felt I was in good shape and could still skate out there.
“You know, you just start small and take all the positives. It’s a lot better than watching out in the stands.”
Brush took a slightly different road to the MSU lineup. He dislocated his knee before the 1999 season and has struggled since then.
Even Saturday’s appearance was marred by injury. Brush tweaked his back in the second period and didn’t return.
“It was great to be back out there on the ice, on the bench, getting the feel of the game again,” Brush said. “I’ve been out for almost three years now, so it was a thrill, but it was a learning experience as well.”
Mason said contests against lesser teams allow him to reward and evaluate players who have worked hard in practice.
“I would’ve liked to put more people in the lineup if I could have, but that’s the way hockey is,” Mason said. “You can only dress so many. I would have gotten them all playing time if I could have gotten them all in the lineup.”
