The last time former MSU captain Chris Lawrence was on the ice at Munn Ice Arena, he was so emotional he could barely speak. On that day in April, Lawrence and his teammates celebrated the MSU hockey team’s national championship with the fans during a parade and a rally.
Friday, a more composed Lawrence made the trip from Philadelphia and his job as an IT recruiter and returned to Munn to help raise the 2007 National Championship banner to the rafters in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 5,926 prior to the Spartans 6-3 win over Colgate.
“It was awesome,” Lawrence said. “It’s definitely something real cool to be a part of. I think having some of the ’66 and ’86 guys back here was real important. It was kind of the icing on the cake for me. For (the players), it was kind of tough to play a game after that and they have to move on to bigger and better things but I can look back and be proud of this.”
In a darkened arena with the spotlight on them, Lawrence, current captain Bryan Lerg and alternate captain Chris Mueller attached the banner to a rig and it was raised into the rafters to forever recognize the players, coaches and staff that made it possible.
Lawrence was the only player who had left last year’s team that was able to return for the ceremony.
Chris Snavely, Tyler Howells, Ethan Graham, Jim McKenzie and Brandon Warner were unable to attend the ceremony because of prior obligations.
“It would’ve been nice if the other guys could’ve come, too,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said.
“But Chris was such a big part of it, it’s so special for him.”
Lawrence played sparingly on the team’s fourth line for most of his MSU career, but provided the leadership and attitude to aid in the capturing of the 2007 national championship.
The 2007 banner now joins the brand-new 1966 and 1986 national title banners above the ice.
“It was great,” Comley said.
“I liked it because the ’66 banner is now prominently displayed and the ’86 banner looked good up there and it was well done.”
For current freshmen who sat and watched from the bench, it served as a motivating factor for the what could be in the future.
“It was a great experience to go through that and see that,” freshman forward Dustin Gazley said. “All those guys on that team last year worked hard for it and deserved it.”
Raising the banner, though, which serves as the last official celebration of the title, can also serve as a relief for a team trying to find its own identity in the early going.
“Everybody knew that it’s awesome to be a part of it, but after the banner goes up, it’s last year’s news and it’s time to move onto this year and push for another one,” junior forward Matt Schepke said.
Said Lerg: “I think it’s good that everything’s finally done with. It was very exciting and it was a good ceremony, but it’s obviously a good thing to be done with and look forward to this season.”
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