Justin Tobe isn't going anywhere.

Nor is Matt Migliaccio. And Dominic Vicari will soon enroll at MSU.

Three goaltenders. One job.

It's going to be a crowded crease for the Spartan hockey team next season.

The incumbent No. 1 goalie, Migliaccio, started 33 of MSU's 39 games this year. But he still might not have much of a leg up in next year's battle for the No. 1 goalie job.

The MSU coaching staff is extremely high on Vicari, who is tearing up the United States Hockey League as a member of the River City (Neb.) Lancers. He owns a league-best 2.03 goals against average and 28 wins. As an incoming freshman, Vicari is expected to push Migliaccio for playing time at the very least.

MSU head coach Rick Comley and new assistant Brian Renfrew traveled to Omaha to visit Vicari earlier this month. The 18-year-old goalie said the coaches seemed happy with his progress.

"They said they were real excited to have me coming in next year," Vicari said. "If I play to the level I'm capable of, it'll be fun to see what happens."

That's especially true if Tobe turns things around and works his way back into contention for the job. A heralded recruit in last year's freshman class, Tobe struggled in his rookie season and posted a 4.80 goals against average and .855 saves percentage in seven games.

Comley has indicated he doesn't mind using multiple goaltenders if they are deserving. He was all set to alternate Tobe and Migliaccio this year, but Migliaccio proved to be more trustworthy and, therefore, earned most of the starts.

That led some people to label Tobe as the "odd man out" in next year's goalie competition. Some speculated that he might transfer.

But Tobe said he has no intention to do so. In fact, he's looking forward to being part of a three-man battle for MSU's No. 1 job.

"A lot of people have talked about me leaving, but most of the talk hasn't been through me," said Tobe, 18. "I'm not allowed to talk to other schools, and I'm not even thinking about doing it.

"I felt I was ready to play here, and I still feel I can. I think I have the ability. Hopefully, I can come back and compete for the job and make things work out here."

Tobe is planning an intense training regimen this summer, aimed to improve his strength, positioning and lateral quickness. He's also hoping to cut down on rebounds - something that plagued him last season.

The 5-foot-11, 165-pounder said he didn't work out as much as he would have liked to last summer because he had to complete so much schoolwork to graduate high school a year early. Although squeezing an entire academic year into a four-month offseason was hectic, Tobe said it would have been worth it if he became MSU's starting goalie.

"I don't like to look back at things," he said. "It was a good experience - just being at a place like Michigan State. I still would have done it, even if I would have known how the season was going to go."

With Migliaccio a known commodity and Vicari entering the mix this season, it raises the possibility of a three-goalie rotation for MSU. It probably won't happen - simply because there aren't enough starts to go around - but Vicari said it wouldn't be a problem if the trio had to share playing time.

"As you move higher up, it gets harder on the body to play so many games," Vicari said. "I think three is the best situation.

"It makes it so you can't get too comfortable and can't take nights off. It'll be interesting, for sure."