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.
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.
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.
Coach Rick Comley, it is time to put on another pot of coffee, crack that playbook and review more game tape.
If he weren't teaching the game of hockey to a group of college kids, MSU head coach Rick Comley isn't sure what he'd be doing with his life.
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.
MSU athletics director and former Spartans ice hockey coach Ron Mason will be honored as the Hobey Baker Award Foundation's 2004 "Legend of Hockey" at the Frozen Four on April 10 in Boston. The award is given to the person who has committed a significant amount of time and energy in promoting college hockey.
Fans are encouraged to attend a pre-game rally for the MSU hockey team Saturday at 11 a.m. at The BOB, 20 Monroe Ave.
Maybe it's the extra motivation that drives the MSU hockey team to win games its critics say the Spartans should lose. They took the season series away from CCHA regular-season champs Michigan by tying and winning the final two regular-season contests against the then-No.
For any regular bystander, it looked like a normal Sunday afternoon at a local bar - small tables of people watching the basketball games and a few shooting pool or throwing darts. But in the back area of Reno's East Side Sportsbar & Grill, 1310 Abbott Road, members of the MSU hockey team and their families waited anxiously to hear the Spartans' NCAA Tournament fate. Toward the end of the half-hour selection show, MSU finally was announced, prompting the fight song to break out - with "ball" replaced by "hockey." No.
Detroit - The Spartans knew they couldn't keep digging themselves into a hole early in games because sooner or later they wouldn't be able to crawl out of it. Thursday was the night they fell behind and stayed behind. Just 6:05 into the CCHA Super Six quarterfinal game, the MSU hockey team was down, 2-0, to Northern Michigan.
Northern Michigan always seems to get in the way of the MSU hockey team's quest for a CCHA championship. This year is no exception. The No.