The MSU hockey team's season-long struggles with offensive production and maintaining consistency hurt the Spartans when it mattered most - the NCAA Tournament.
MSU finished the season with two losses to stand at 23-17-2, but in those two losses, only one goal was scored and only two players tallied points.
"It's such a blessing in today's game to score," head coach Rick Comley said after Saturday's loss to Minnesota-Duluth. "We're deficient offensively. We have some people that, maybe, aren't ready to give it or people that aren't really pure, offensively."
A look back at some highlights from this season:
• Three Spartans earned gold medals with the U.S. National Junior Team in the World Junior Championship, held Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Finland, featuring the world's best under age 20. Sophomore forward David Booth, sophomore defenseman Corey Potter and freshman goaltender Dominic Vicari were a part of the team that won the gold for the United States for the first time in the tournament's 28-year history.
• MSU swept then-No. 13 Ohio State at Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 23-24 for its first road sweep since Feb. 22-23, 2002. It also was the Spartans' first season sweep since the Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2003, series against Ferris State. Freshman defenseman A.J. Thelen recorded four assists en route to CCHA Rookie of the Week honors (Jan. 26).
• Although the 4-4 tie the night before took the Spartans out of contention for the CCHA regular-season title, MSU blanked Michigan, 1-0, in front of a sold-out crowd at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on March 6. Junior forward Mike Lalonde scored the only goal with more than five minutes left in the game, Vicari made 34 saves for his nation-leading seven shutouts, and the Spartans took the season series from the Wolverines, 2-1-1.
• The return of freshman forward Tommy Goebel from mononucleosis sparked the Spartans' offense after he was reunited with junior forwards Jim Slater and Mike Lalonde. In the 12 games following, the trio racked up 40 total points and the three finished 1-2-3 in scoring - Slater with 48, Goebel with 32 and Lalonde with 20. Goebel also earned honorable mention to the All-CCHA All-Rookie Team.
• Two Spartans took home league honors at the annual CCHA Awards Banquet on March 17. Thelen and Vicari won Best Offensive Defenseman and Best Goaltender, respectively. Both were named to the All-Rookie Team. In addition, Thelen and Jim Slater were named to the All-CCHA First Team. Thelen is the first Spartans rookie to be named on the first team all-conference, while Slater got the recognition for the second-straight season and also is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award - annually awarded to college hockey's top player.
• MSU earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament after missing last year's tourney that ended a nine-year streak. This was MSU's 23rd trip to the tournament. The Spartans earned the No. 3 seed in the Midwest Regional and faced No. 2 seed Minnesota-Duluth in Grand Rapids. MSU lost, 5-0.
