Detroit — After Friday's 5-2 loss to Michigan in the CCHA semifinals, MSU knew its NCAA Tournament hopes rested on its performance in Saturday's third-place consolation game against Lake Superior. "We have to put this disappointment behind us," MSU head coach Rick Comley said after Friday's game.
The State News caught up with the hockey team's resident funny man, junior forward Zak McClellan.
Lake Superior State Relies on goaltender Jeff Jakaitis, who posted a 2.17 goals-against average and .935 save percentage on the season.
The green 2006 CCHA Championship banner that hangs from the rafters at Joe Louis Arena bears great significance to the MSU hockey team.
Tonight's matchup between MSU and Michigan is something that happens in movies, not real life. Playoff game.
MSU shouldn't have any trouble slipping past the Joe Louis Arena metal detectors entering Friday's semifinals matchup against Michigan. The Spartans failed to receive nominations for CCHA individual and team honors, which will make Thursday's CCHA awards banquet at the Fox Theatre in Detroit a forgettable one. But the Spartans maintain that lack of recognition makes their performance in the CCHA tournament and their national ranking more impressive from a team perspective. "We didn't have a single player who made the top three in any of the league awards or any of the all-star teams or anything," MSU head coach Rick Comley said after Saturday's 4-1 win over Nebraska-Omaha.
All questions surrounding the No. 13 MSU hockey team were put to rest Saturday. Does home ice matter?
MSU won't find out who its second-round CCHA playoff opponent is until Saturday at the earliest, but it's counting on playing Nebraska-Omaha anyway. The Mavericks host last-place Bowling Green this weekend.
Spartans hockey fans may be criticizing the team's recent play, and MSU head coach Rick Comley probably won't blame them. "I've known all along that we have some good points and that we have some deficiencies," Comley said.
The No. 13 Spartans knocked one thing off their to-do list by guaranteeing themselves a fourth-place conference finish and clinching a first-round playoff bye with Friday's 5-3 win at Bowling Green.
Senior forward Tyler Howells learned a few things on the ice during his four years at MSU that he never would have acquired from in a classroom. Howells has played every position — except for goaltender — in a Spartans' uniform, and he considers the experience valuable beyond the rink. "Going out into the work world, you've gotten used to being moved around and learning new things very quickly, accepting new roles," Howells said.
Don't tell the hockey team that four goals over its last three games won't cut it in the playoffs.
The Spartans were centimeters away from playing an overtime frame in Friday's 4-3 loss to Western Michigan. After taking a closer look, maybe they should have been in overtime. Sophomore forward Tim Kennedy sent the puck toward the net and supposedly hit the left goal post in the waning seconds of the game.
Sports editor Eric Fish spent Friday at Lawson Ice Arena watching Western Michigan host MSU in a CCHA battle.
The No. 6 MSU hockey team learned a valuable lesson in Saturday's 2-0 loss to Western Michigan — there are 20 minutes in each period, right down to the last fraction of a fraction of a second. Broncos forward Patrick Galivan tallied the eventual game-winning goal for Western Michigan (16-15-1 overall, 13-12-1 CCHA) with what is believed to be .01 seconds remaining in the first period. "I thought the period was pretty much over," sophomore goaltender Jeff Lerg said.
Why are the Spartans struggling now of all times? Depends on who you ask. MSU's game Tuesday against Ferris State threw an obstacle at its nine-game unbeaten streak as the team was forced to play its third game in five days.
With their winning flame now doused, the No. 6 Spartans play two games against a hot Western Michigan team this weekend in a home-and-home series. MSU's 2-1 loss Tuesday to Ferris State — the team's first since Jan.
The question must be asked: How strong is sophomore goaltender Jeff Lerg's back? Jeff Lerg was unquestionably shaky to start the season, but if there is any reason — and maybe it's the only one — the Spartans are competing for a first-round playoff bye, it's because of their goaltender's spectacular play since December.
Big Rapids — The No. 6 Spartans nine-game unbeaten streak ended Tuesday night after a 2-1 loss to Ferris State. The game resembled Friday's matchup with the Bulldogs (10-19-3 overall, 7-15-2 CCHA) in many ways — superb goaltending, defensive struggles, tied score at one apiece late into the game. The only difference was who scored the final goal. "This loss hurts a lot," MSU head hockey coach Rick Comley said.
The No. 6 Spartans hope tonight's rematch with Ferris State doesn't seem like deja vu. After a frustrating 2-1 overtime victory over the struggling Bulldogs (9-19-3 overall, 6-15-2 CCHA) Friday, the Spartans (18-8-3, 14-6-3) will be looking for a more convincing win.