No. 12 MSU hockey head coach Rick Comley talks about the challenges of going on the road for the first time this season. Comley also discusses the stress of having players leave early for the NHL and what it means for college hockey.
After opening the season with three series in the friendly confines of Munn Ice Arena, the No. 12 MSU hockey team travels to Western Michigan for the first road trip of the year this weekend.
The Spartans (3-0-3 overall, 1-0-1 CCHA) look to remain undefeated while traveling to rowdy Lawson Ice Arena, home to the Broncos (4-2-2, 0-1-1).
MSU head coach Rick Comley said it will be good for the Spartans to be on the visitor’s bench for the first time all season.
“It’s always good to get on the road, for any team in any sport,” Comley said. “There’s a certain bonding that happens at home and there’s another thing that develops on the road. A little bit of a hostile environment is good for a team.”
Opening at home built some confidence for the team, and traveling on the road will be a big test, Comley said.
“I’m a great believer that the schedule is what it is,” he said. “It’ll catch up and balance out at some point. Was it good for us to be home for six games? In some ways, but I think we have to find out how we can deal with a hostile crowd.”
The Broncos have a new head coach, Jeff Blashill, who brings a new style to the team. Blashill spent the past two years leading the Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League, and the six years prior to that as an assistant at Miami (Ohio).
Blashill brings a very similar style to Western Michigan to that played at Miami, Comley said.
“Miami north, if you watch them play, is very similar,” he said. “Philosophy is the same — the approach, the energy they play with — they’re physical and they come at you. What we see in Miami is one of the best teams in the country right now and Western is going to use that model. It looks to be highly effective already.”
Early departures
MSU lost its top three scorers from last year after junior forwards Corey Tropp, Andrew Rowe and defenseman Jeff Petry left early for professional hockey.
Comley said the increasing trend of players leaving early has made college hockey more competitive.
“The more so-called ‘visible programs’ who recruit good kids don’t get their best years,” Comley said. “The other teams, who settled for 20-year-old kids who stay four years, end up being as good or better.”
If players choose to go to college, Comley said he’d prefer they stay and graduate.
“It’s proven percentagewise, those who leave early don’t go to the National Hockey League, and by far the majority of them don’t get there (ever),” he said.
Comley said it is easier than ever for players to think they can make the leap.
“You don’t have to score any,” Comley said. “If (NHL teams) feel you’re not being developed properly, they pull you out of school. And you know what, if I was in their shoes, I probably would too.
“I’m not even being critical of it, it’s just how the system works. It’s not good for college hockey, but they must think it’s good for pro hockey.”
TV timeouts
Games now are required to include three media timeouts a period, even if the game isn’t televised.
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“I think it’s a ridiculous, ridiculous rule, to have three timeouts a period when it’s not a televised game, makes no sense to me,” Comley said. “Friday night, we had three timeouts in six minutes, because they couldn’t get them in. I guess everybody likes to look at shovels, maybe we put advertising on the shovels, then it’ll have true value.”
The rule is supposed to make game play even among teams who play more televised games than others. Comley said it goes against prior rule changes meant to speed up games.
“Our game is a great game when it’s going up and down and there’s emotion,” he said. “It takes emotion out of the game, takes speed out of the game.”
