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Sports | Ice Hockey

ICE HOCKEY

Womens hockey varsity status all about money

The MSU women’s hockey club is seeking to join Wayne State as the only universities in Michigan to have a women’s varsity ice hockey teams. MSU has 11 women’s varsity sports, and each is budgeted a certain amount of money each year. From July 1, 2000 to June 30, the women’s basketball team had revenues amounting to $109,296 and expenses totaling $1,374,930. During the same year all other women’s teams brought in $416,968 compared to expenses totaling $4,769,835. The hockey club team first applied for varsity status in 1996.

ICE HOCKEY

Victory at Joe breaks season tie

Detroit - Fifth-ranked MSU finally broke its season-long, head-to-head stalemate against Michigan and claimed a 3-1 victory in front of 20,058 fans at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday. The Spartans (21-6-5 overall, 15-5-4 CCHA) raced to a 2-1 lead in a wild opening five minutes, and then clamped down on the No.

ICE HOCKEY

Team looks within to move on minus Mason

Colton Fretter, 19, is standing firm in his decision to play hockey for MSU next season. The high-scoring forward from Harrow, Ontario, signed a National Letter of Intent with the university back in November after choosing the Spartans over Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio) and other suitors. But November was a much different time in Spartan hockey.

ICE HOCKEY

Goalie gives commitment

MSU’s commitment list swelled to five when Northville goaltender Justin Tobe pledged to the Spartans. The 5-foot-11, 157-pounder plays for the Compuware Ambassadors of the North American Hockey League.

ICE HOCKEY

List shrinks of possible Mason replacements

If the rumor mill is on track, MSU has apparently lost its top candidate to replace Spartan hockey head coach Ron Mason. Denver head coach George Gwozdecky held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to announce a long-term contract extension to stay with the Pioneers.

ICE HOCKEY

Freshman rides learning curve

As one of the most heralded skaters in MSU’s highly touted, eight-player recruiting class, freshman defenseman Duncan Keith had plenty of expectations coming into his rookie season.He furthered his reputation by scoring in his first collegiate game, “The Cold War.” His laserlike slap shot helped the Spartans tie archrival Michigan, 3-3.He tallied again in his fifth game, a 4-3 loss to Nebraska-Omaha on Oct.

ICE HOCKEY

Munn Ice luck runs out with Irish

Heavy underdog Notre Dame dealt fourth-ranked MSU a double blow with a 3-2 upset win at Munn Ice Arena Saturday night.With the setback, the Spartans saw their school-record home unbeaten streak snapped at 33 games (30-0-3). MSU hadn’t lost at home since a 2-1 decision to Omaha on Oct.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans hope to fight off Irish, maintain lead

Any Spartan suffering through a scoring drought probably can’t wait for the puck to drop tonight at Munn Ice Arena. Notre Dame (9-14-5 overall, 7-11-4 CCHA) is in town for the first time in almost two years, and just gave up 13 goals in a series against Alaska-Fairbanks. The Irish have given up an average of 3.43 goals per game - which ranks 10th in the CCHA.

ICE HOCKEY

2 games, no winner in weekend series

Columbus - While MSU head coach Ron Mason got the two points he wanted out of a weekend trip to Ohio State, Michigan still sliced the Spartans’ CCHA lead in half.With the Wolverines sweeping Lake Superior State, and MSU and OSU skating to a pair of 3-3 ties, the Spartans’ lead shrunk from four to two points with six CCHA games remaining.“Definitely, it matters,” junior defenseman Brad Fast said.

ICE HOCKEY

Enforcer commands respect

When Brian Maloney is on the ice, people take notice. And referees and opposing players have started to take extra notice. That’s because the 6-foot-1, 208-pound junior left wing has earned a reputation as one of the CCHA’s toughest enforcers. Maloney, 23, is the oldest and most-penalized player on the Spartans - the least-penalized team in the CCHA.

ICE HOCKEY

Peers praise Masons legacy

MSU head coach Ron Mason’s decision to leave the hockey program and become MSU athletics director surprised many of his colleagues across the nation. “We’re certainly going to miss him at a collegiate hockey level,” Boston College head coach Jerry York said.

ICE HOCKEY

Replacement put on hold

Nobody really saw it coming, but now that hockey head coach Ron Mason has officially announced he’s vacating his post of 23 years, coaches across the country are expected to start printing out their résumés and sending them to East Lansing.Current MSU assistants Tom Newton and Dave McAuliffe have clearly stated they want the job, but those outside the Spartan hockey program face a stickier situation if they are interested.Rumors have Denver head coach George Gwozdecky, an MSU assistant from 1984-89, in the pole position for the job, but his No.

ICE HOCKEY

Mason makes difficult decision

After meeting with university officials three months ago to discuss possible candidates for athletics director, Ron Mason walked out of the meeting and everything suddenly clicked. “I walked away from that meeting and said, ‘You know, I think I’d be the right person for that position,’” Mason said.