There is a green tint to the blue-liners on this year's All-CCHA First Team.
MSU seniors John-Michael Liles and Brad Fast were voted the two best defensemen in the CCHA by the 12 league coaches, and sophomore center Jim Slater joined them on the all-conference first team, which was released Wednesday night.
It's the first time since 1984-85, when former Spartans Gary Haight and Don McSween were honored, that both first-team defensemen have hailed from the same school.
"Fast and I play very well together and he has helped me bring my game to another level," Liles said in a statement. "It's nice to get individual awards, but it is a team effort to earn them."
With three players, the Spartans had the most first-teamers of anyone in the league. Ferris State goaltender Mike Brown and forward Chris Kunitz also made the first team, as did Ohio State forward R.J. Umberger.
Liles was a first-team selection last year as well, and was on the second team as a sophomore.
With 45 points, he is the top-scoring defenseman in the nation and the leading point-getter on the Spartans. He has 16 goals and 29 assists in 36 games this year, and he leads MSU with a plus-19 plus/minus rating.
Liles is on pace to lead the Spartans in scoring for a second straight year - a feat that has never been accomplished by a defenseman.
Fast ranks second on MSU with 41 points in 36 games this season. His 30 assists are tops on the team, and he is second to Liles with a plus-18 rating. Fast earned CCHA honorable mention last year.
"It's an honor and I'm very thrilled to be named to the All-CCHA first team, especially to be named with Liles," Fast said. "I thought we put up some pretty good numbers and really helped our team turn things around in the second half."
Slater is third on the Spartans with 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) in 34 games. He is plus-11 and was on the CCHA All-Rookie Team last year.
The No. 4 seed Spartans (21-13-2 overall, 17-10-1 CCHA) play No. 9 seed Alaska-Fairbanks in the best-of-three first round of the CCHA Tournament this weekend. Games are Friday, Saturday and, if necessary, Sunday at Munn Ice Arena.
Faceoff is 7:05 p.m. each day.
