It was yet another odd weekend for the MSU hockey team. After routing No. 2 Wisconsin 4-0 on Friday, the Spartans had the favor returned to them by No.
It was a refreshing day for the MSU hockey team, led by two freshmen forwards in a 2-0 win over No. 8 Cornell on Sunday in front of 5,534 fans at Munn Ice Arena.
Big Rapids - Riding the coattails of sophomore goaltender Dominic Vicari and the line of sophomore Drew Miller, freshman Chris Mueller and junior Colton Fretter, the MSU hockey team continued its dominance of Ferris State with a weekend sweep. "That line has been an outstanding line for us," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.
You know things aren't going well when, for the first 55 minutes of Saturday's hockey game, the loudest cheer came when Jason Teague took a 3-yard plunge into the end zone for a touchdown. That was the case for Spartans (2-4-0, 1-3-0 CCHA) as they were romped, 5-2, by Nebraska-Omaha (5-1-0, 3-1-0) in front of only 4,946 fans at Munn Ice Arena. "(I'm) confused," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.
Marquette - It was a struggle all weekend for the MSU hockey team as the Spartans limped through a sweep at the hands of Northern Michigan.
After a split this past weekend with St. Lawrence and New Hampshire, the No. 9 MSU hockey team will travel to Marquette to play Northern Michigan. An oddity of the Wildcats' home, the Berry Events Center, is that it hosts an Olympic-sized ice sheet.
Senior forward Ash Goldie had a goal and two assists and senior forward Kevin Estrada had a goal and an assist to lead the MSU hockey team to a 7-2 victory over Toronto on Sunday at Munn Ice Arena. "Tonight, I thought two of our better forwards were Goldie and Estrada," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.
After a week of intense practices, the MSU hockey team will finally hit the ice to open the 2004-05 season with a pair of exhibition games this weekend at Munn Ice Arena. "We want to get the team going," junior forward David Booth said.
After ending its season in disappointing fashion, courtesy of a 5-0 loss to Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA Tournament, the MSU hockey team believes that with its new focus and attitude, this could be the Spartans' year. "We're just trying to be focused on what we need to do to get back to where Michigan State hockey should be," junior defenseman Jared Nightingale said.
Jim Slater will serve as captain of the MSU hockey team for the second-straight year, becoming the first player to do so since Tyler Harlton repeated for the 1998 season. "It's a great honor and one of biggest honors a player can get," the senior forward said in a written statement.
A huge smile appeared on MSU junior forward David Booth's face expressing his anticipation of fulfilling one of his dreams - being drafted into the National Hockey League. "Growing up all you think about is playing in the NHL," Booth said.
Three more players will don the Green and White for the MSU hockey team starting this fall after giving their commitments in the spring signing period. Defenseman Jeff Dunne and forwards Jim McKenzie and Chris Mueller join forward Peder Skinner and defenseman Daniel Vukovic as MSU's freshman class for the 2004-05 season.
Time was almost running out for former Spartans defenseman Brad Fast to record his first NHL goal in his professional debut with the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. With less than three minutes left in regulation, Fast's wrister went past Miami goaltender Roberto Luongo to force the game into overtime.
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.
For someone who understands most of the sports out there, except cricket - can't they just run faster to speed up games?
Grand Rapids - The MSU hockey team played a strong first period against Minnesota-Duluth, down by only one goal in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at Van Andel Arena. All the Spartans needed was to carry their play over to the next period.
After a one-year hiatus, the MSU hockey team is back in the national spotlight when the Spartans face Minnesota-Duluth in the Midwest Regional at 3:30 p.m.
Freshman defenseman A.J. Thelen and sophomore forward David Booth were ranked 16th and 24th, respectively in the NHL's midterm Central Scouting Report, released Jan.
Coach Rick Comley, it is time to put on another pot of coffee, crack that playbook and review more game tape.
MSU junior captain Jim Slater says this season hasn't been a good year for him. It's not enough that he leads the MSU hockey team in points, with 48, and ranks as one of the top 10 in the nation. It's not enough the Lapeer native has registered 15 points in the past 11 games. And it just might not be enough that a 2004 All-CCHA First Team member was recently named one of 10 finalists for college hockey's most prestigious individual award - the Hobey Baker. Slater still isn't satisfied with what he's done. "I went through a drought from November to January," Slater said.