Junior forward David Booth picked up flu-like symptoms on a road trip to Miami (Ohio) earlier in the month and sat out the series against Western Michigan due to his illness.
MSU head coach Rick Comley said that it was anybody's guess when he would return to the ice.
Booth lost 22 pounds and wouldn't eat as a side effect of his illness. Comley even said that when Booth walked to class last Tuesday, he had to stop and rest on the way there. Things weren't looking good.
To everyone's surprise, Booth resumed practicing last Wednesday, after putting some weight back on, and said that he felt "great" in his first practice in a week and a half.
"I practiced on Wednesday for the first time in 11 days without skating, and I felt great. I don't know why," Booth said.
"I guess I was just really excited to get back and (it) felt really great to be back, and, so the emotions ran high."
After another good practice Thursday, Comley said Booth would be in the lineup for the weekend series against Lake Superior - and what an impact he made.
Booth scored two goals in an 8-0 blowout win over the Lakers on Friday night and was on his game the next night when he posted a goal and an assist in a 2-2 tie.
"That's probably the best wind and the best legs I've had all year," Booth said. "I wasn't tired at all."
For his stellar series performance, Booth was named CCHA Offensive Player of the Week.
"It's nice; it's always good to be recognized," Booth said of his conference honors.
"You have to keep on stepping it up. You can't dwell on that, and you can't look back after this weekend and say 'I had a good weekend, last weekend' you have to keep on getting better and that's a goal. That's a stepping stone."
Waiting for his chance
After senior goaltender Matt Miggliaccio suffered a hand injury, junior Rod Tocco moved from his third string goaltender status to back up sophomore Dominic Vicari.
Despite seeing no game-time play in his previous years with the Spartans, Tocco remains hopeful that he will get his chance to play between the pipes in a game situation.
"It's kind of weird going from the third string position where you have to be under the understanding that there's still another guy ahead of you and it's going to be a real outreach for you to get in there," Tocco said.
"Being bumped up to second makes it more evident that you're right there."
Although Tocco is eager to get into a game situation, he said that he remains committed to helping the team in any way he can.
"With how well Dom is playing right now, that's more or less my main goal right now for the betterment of the team whether it's Dom, or I, or whoever in net, as long as you're playing well."
Throwing hats is cool
Freshman forward Bryan Lerg registered his first career college hat trick last Friday in an 8-0 win over Lake Superior.
The Spartans have had a player come through with a three goal performance in back to back series, as sophomore forward Drew Miller posted three tallies the Jan. 14 series against Western Michigan.
Unfortunately, there were no hats tossed onto the ice Friday in honor of Lerg's performance.
Shutting the door
With his 18-save performance in an 8-0 romp over the Lakers on Friday, Vicari got his fourth shutout of the year and the 11th of his career. Vicari tops the CCHA in shutouts and is tied for second in the NCAA.
