Mere hours after the MSU hockey team’s season-ending loss to Notre Dame in the West Regional final, senior captain Bryan Lerg got a call from his family adviser. He had been offered a contract by the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.
The MSU hockey team lost its second underclassman Friday as sophomore defenseman Michael Ratchuk left school early to sign with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers.
Justin Abdelkader has had a busy 24 hours. After deciding to forgo his senior season, the MSU hockey junior forward was signed to an amateur tryout with the Detroit Red Wings and made his NHL debut Thursday night against Columbus.
It didn’t take long for Bryan Lerg to find a new home following the MSU hockey team’s season-ending 3-1 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday.
The MSU hockey team’s quest to defend its national title went up in blue and gold smoke Saturday night. With a trip to the Frozen Four on the line, No. 4 seed Notre Dame continued its improbable run with a 3-1 win over the Spartans at World Arena. With a win and a tie against the Fighting Irish this season MSU had reason to be confident heading into the game. Unfortunately, it never translated to this game. “I knew exactly what type of game they would play and (head coach) Jeff (Jackson) had them ready,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said.
An impromptu Notre Dame victory celebration was well under way Saturday as Bryan Lerg and Chris Mueller stood in the bowels of World Arena following MSU’s 3-1 loss to Notre Dame.
Colorado Springs, Colo. — In the NCAA Tournament projections, it looked like if MSU was going to play a CCHA team with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line, it would be Michigan. Instead, MSU will be facing Notre Dame, a team fresh off an upset of No. 1 seed New Hampshire, at 10 p.m. Saturday.
Colorado Springs, Colo. — In seven career NCAA Tournament games, junior goaltender Jeff Lerg has allowed only 11 goals. Take out the five he allowed against Maine in 2006, MSU’s only NCAA Tournament loss in the last three seasons, and the number becomes staggering – six goals in six games.
Colorado Springs, Colo. – Six-thousand feet and 6,000 screaming fans didn’t bother the MSU hockey team one bit. With three second period goals, the No. 3 seed Spartans stopped highly-favored Colorado College, 3-1, in the NCAA Tournament West Regional semifinal Friday night at World Arena.
The defending national champions aren’t supposed to be a large underdog entering the NCAA Tournament.But considering the circumstances surrounding the MSU hockey team’s West Regional semifinal game against Colorado College tonight, it’s difficult to call the Spartans a favorite. First, there’s what should be a raucous crowd at World Arena, where the host Tigers are 18-2-0 this season. Add in an Olympic-size ice sheet and elevation in excess of 6,000 feet and the odds seemed to be stacked against the Spartans.
The MSU hockey team has a tall task ahead as it faces Colorado College at 10 p.m. tonight in the NCAA Tournament’s West Regional semifinal at World Arena.
The MSU hockey team is doing all it can to prepare for what lies ahead in its NCAA West Regional semifinal game against host Colorado College on Friday in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Last year, the MSU hockey team found itself within driving distance of East Lansing when it landed in Grand Rapids as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
After last weekend’s devastating loss to Northern Michigan in the CCHA Quarterfinals, the MSU hockey team took the first few days of this week to regroup.
A boarding penalty on senior captain Bryan Lerg was all Northern Michigan needed to get going. Then, 1:54 later, it was all over.
With its season on the line, a different Northern Michigan team showed up at Munn Ice Arena on Saturday night.
The MSU hockey team has struggled in third periods at times this season. But against Northern Michigan on Friday night, the Spartans turned a one-goal game into a four-goal blowout, scoring three times in the final stanza to knock-off the Wildcats, 5-1, at Munn Ice Arena.
Junior goaltender Jeff Lerg was named first-team CCHA All-Conference on Wednesday while junior forward Tim Kennedy was named to the second team.
Deputy Sports Editor Matt Bishop discusses the hockey team’s CCHA Quarterfinal series against Northern Michigan and the team’s NCAA Tournament hopes.