For the first time since Nov. 17, the MSU hockey team is getting recognition from the national media.
The Spartans, coming off of a two-game sweep at Ohio State, are ranked No. 14 in USA Today/American Hockey magazine with 59 votes.
The icers also received 61 votes in the uscho.com poll- but not enough to break into the Top 15 in that one.
"We've been up and down in polls," junior captain Jim Slater said, sporting a shorter 'do, courtesy of junior forward Adam Nightingale. "But we're not really looking at that. Like (head) Coach (Rick Comley) says, you just want home ice back in the playoffs, and just take one game at a time."
On the injury front, Dominic Vicari is still day-to-day with a left-leg injury, but skated yesterday without equipment.
The freshman netminder was helped off the ice with just more than a minute left in the second period during Friday's game.
Vicari is symptom-free, Comley said.
"He's going to put pads on and go out and play in a controlled way," Comley said.
Heatley homecoming
Atlanta Thrashers forward Dany Heatley is scheduled to play for the first time since suffering injuries from a car crash that killed teammate Dan Snyder.
The Thrashers are in possible playoff contention, even without their leading scorer from last season, who was supposed to miss the entire season recovering from knee surgery.
But his return couldn't have come at a better time for the Thrashers, since they are winless in three games.
Heatley, a former Wisconsin Badger, was a Hobey Baker finalist the year MSU player Ryan Miller won.
Absolute A.J.
Freshman defenseman A.J. Thelen's 4-point weekend against Ohio State earned him the CCHA Rookie of the Week.
During Friday's 4-2 victory, Thelen recorded two assists and then scored two goals in a 3-0 win the following night.
He now has 22 points for the season. He's third on the team and tied for first in defenseman scoring in the CCHA.
The NHL's Central Scouting Report projects the 6-foot-3, 210-pound blueliner to be the 16th overall draft pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.
Sports day
Fans who free up their entire Saturday evening can watch consecutive hockey and men's basketball games.
Faceoff for Saturday's game against Miami (Ohio) has been moved up to 4:05 p.m., due to the men's basketball game against Indiana at 8 p.m. in Breslin Center.
Friday's game still is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
For Friday and Saturday's games, approximately 200 bench seats are still available.
Students with an MSU identification card can purchase $8 single-game tickets through the Athletics Tickets Office inside Jenison Field House, or by calling (517) 355-1610.
