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Sports | Ice Hockey

ICE HOCKEY

Solid 4th line steps up and gives Spartans an edge

Eric Fish
March 23, 2006

With the score 2-1 and less than six minutes left to play in Saturday's CCHA playoff-clinching victory, MSU head coach Rick Comley sent out the fourth line to kill some time off the clock and recharge his other lines. Not only did the trio of sophomore Zak McClellan, junior Chris Lawrence and freshman Nick Sucharski eat the clock and protect the lead, but they outplayed the opposing Miami line while generating a scoring chance. "Every time he can put us out there, it doesn't really matter what time of the game it is, it gives us a lot of confidence — just being able to go out there and know that he has faith in us," McClellan said. "We go out there, and we know in our heads that we can make things happen." Mixed in with redshirt freshman Dan Sturges for much of the season, the fourth line has been trusted to go out and play in critical situations when most other college coaches could have them riding the bench. "I trust them to go out there and be responsible and play how we want to play and that's not unusual.

ICE HOCKEY

Miller's tradition becomes pregame staple for success

Eric Fish
March 23, 2006

They say the playoffs are no place for a nervous person. Maybe that's the reason for the latest pregame ritual in the Spartans locker room, which involves a garbage can and plenty of hockey sticks. Aside from growing out the facial hair — as many players do in the postseason — the Spartans have begun to place their sticks in the locker room garbage can prior to games to signify the importance of the hard-working and far from glamorous "garbage goals." "I didn't know anything about it until I walked in the locker room one day, and I saw a stick in the garbage," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.

ICE HOCKEY

Comley and his seniors endured the ups, downs

There's a saying that goes "You're only as good as your seniors." Well this weekend, the four regularly dressed MSU seniors were about as good as you can be on and off the ice. Defensemen Corey Potter and Jared Nightingale and forwards Colton Fretter and David Booth have been through the downs of the program and have helped return the Spartans to a status of national superiority. It took them four years, but finally each of these well-deserving seniors will leave with a sense of satisfaction.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers skate into semifinals vs. Michigan

Eric Fish
March 17, 2006

Four of the last five meetings between the No. 11 Wolverines and No. 5 Spartans have gone into overtime and resulted in ties. If today's CCHA semifinal matchup at Joe Louis Arena is anything reminiscent of the recent past, the two rivals could play into the early hours of Saturday morning to decide who advances to the conference championship game to play for the Mason Cup. "They're a really quality team," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers pose threat to tourney opponents

How would you describe the No. 5 MSU hockey team? In previous years, you might have called the Spartans underachievers and wanted to pull your hair out while watching games. But that was in previous years. If there's one thing the MSU hockey team has proven this season, it's that the Spartans are no fluke. The Spartans are the definition of the word "team." Multiple players have stepped up this season with game-changing goals, hits and saves.

ICE HOCKEY

Front and center

Eric Fish
March 15, 2006

The State News recently caught up with MSU hockey senior forward David Booth. MSU faces Michigan Friday in Detroit. • His favorite teammate to pick on… "(Zak) McClellan.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU still winning without a high-scoring offense

Eric Fish
March 2, 2006

Averaging only three goals per game, the No. 4 Spartans are far from flashy. But clutch goaltending, a solidified defense and the ability to put enough goals on the scoreboard have the Spartans riding a nine-game unbeaten streak headed into the postseason. After an up-and-down first half of the season, MSU is 12-2-3 since Jan.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers hungry for continued success as playoffs approach

Eric Fish
March 1, 2006

With a first-round CCHA playoff bye, the No. 4 Spartans are playing the wait-and-see game for who will invade Munn Ice Arena for a best-of-three series the weekend of March 10. But while the Spartans (20-10-8 overall, 14-7-7 CCHA) have the luxury of an off-week to get healthy and stay sharp, MSU head coach Rick Comley will be the first to tell you that he has no idea who his team could face in the second round. "The real nice thing is that there's nobody you really want to play and there's nobody that you don't want to play," Comley said.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers focus to stay in 2nd

Eric Fish
February 23, 2006

Although No. 5 MSU clinched a first-round CCHA playoff bye and is a lock to finish no lower than fourth in the conference with last weekend's sweep, the Spartans know there are bigger goals to accomplish. Heading into its final two regular-season games against Lake Superior, the Spartans want to claim second place in the CCHA and ride out the season on a winning streak. "Everybody knows the significance of the games and the time of the year," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.

ICE HOCKEY

Trio adds depth, grit to team

Eric Fish
February 21, 2006

They work hard all week in practice with the uncertainty of whether or not they will be in uniform during the weekend. They compete with each other for playing time on the fourth line and have shown how much depth the No.

ICE HOCKEY

The real deal

Eric Fish
February 20, 2006

As the final minute ticked down for the No. 10 Spartans in their 3-1 Saturday win over No. 2 Miami (Ohio), MSU head coach Rick Comley sent his five seniors onto the ice to a standing ovation from the Munn Ice Arena crowd. Forwards David Booth, Colton Fretter and Chad Hontvet along with defensemen Corey Potter and Jared Nightingale — who were honored in a Senior Night ceremony prior to the game — capped off an emotional night with a weekend sweep against Miami (21-7-4 overall, 18-6-2 CCHA) in MSU's final regular season home game.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU to honor its 5 seniors

Eric Fish
February 17, 2006

Colton Fretter can still remember the feeling he had after he scored the game-winning goal in the 2004 Great Lakes Invitational championship game to beat Michigan, 2-1. "That was just crazy because no one here on this team had won any kind of championship or anything," he said.

ICE HOCKEY

Home ice within reach

Eric Fish
February 16, 2006

While the No. 10 Spartans might not be able to catch CCHA-leading and No. 2 Miami (Ohio) in the conference standings, beating the RedHawks in a two-game series at Munn Ice Arena this weekend would be immense. For one, the Spartans (17-10-7 overall, 11-7-6 CCHA) could create some space in the close CCHA race and further the attempt to lock up home ice in the playoffs as well as a first-round playoff bye. Secondly, wins against a highly ranked team like Miami (20-5-4, 17-4-2) would mean more sway for MSU in terms of seeding for the NCAA Tournament next month. "We're fighting for a first-round bye so that's the only thing we're kind of thinking about, talking about — just as we've done over the last couple of months is just try to put wins on the board," MSU head coach Rick Comley said. Miami clinched the CCHA regular-season title with a 6-3 win Tuesday against Ohio State.