Michigan State University Athletics
#4 Spartan Hockey vs. Bowling Green: Game Notes
11/13/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 13, 1999
Date November 13, 1999
Site Munn Ice Arena (6,170)
Time 7:05 p.m. EST
Standing-room tickets ($7) remain for tonight's game and can be purchased at the door at Munn Ice Arena
See the game live on AT&T Cable Services (Ch. 13 or 17 in the Lansing/East Lansing area). Hear the game live on WVFN-AM 730 and at www.broadcast.com/sports/ncaa/MichiganState
Note of the Night
They call it a streak ? Michigan State?s nine-game winning streak has given the Spartans a 9-0 CCHA record, its best-ever start in the conference. A win tonight would match MSU?s longest winning streak of last season (Dec. 4 to Jan. 9). Some trends in the nine-game streak:
? the Spartans have scored first in all nine games (five times the first goal has come on the power play)
? MSU has never trailed in the nine games, and has been tied for an average of less than 10 minutes per game (and 65 percent of the time it has been tied ? 59:01 of the 91:44 ? has been scoreless)
? Shawn Horcoff has a point in each game, his career-best point-scoring streak, and is averaging two points per game in that span (4-14-18)
? the Spartans have given up two goals or fewer in each game with four shutouts (one goal or fewer in each of the last seven games)
? MSU has scored at least one power-play goal in seven of the nine games
Five More Notes No Media Person Should Be Without
1. First through 10 ? Michigan State is 9-1-0 through 10 games. Last year MSU was 6-2-2 through 10. MSU and Michigan (9-1-0) have chances to be the nation?s first teams to record 10 wins tonight.
2. Start me up ? At 9-0 in CCHA play, Michigan State is closing in on the best start in conference history. Ron Mason?s 1978-79 Bowling Green team ? his last season before joining the Spartans ? started the year 14-0-0 in CCHA games.
3. Criss-crossing ? Head coach Ron Mason shuffled his lines last night, switching Damon Whitten and Brian Maloney?s spots, plus Sean Patchell and Steve Clark?s spots. Whitten and Patchell both responded with goals, as all three forward lines each had a goal.
4. You?ll get one ? maybe ? and like it ? The Spartans have given up just three goals in the last seven games combined. MSU has given up 1.10 goals against per game on the year (0.78 in league games).
5. You?ll get none ? Freshman goaltender Ryan Miller ? this week?s CCHA Rookie of the Week after earning Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week honors the previous two weeks ? is the first MSU goaltender ever to record three consecutive shutouts. He now holds MSU?s record for longest shutout streak at 181:09 and counting entering this weekend.
Others receiving votes
Red light district ? Michigan State is averaging 3.80 goals per game, two-thirds of a goal per game more than last year?s 3.05 average.
Streak stoppers ? Bowling Green halted Michigan State?s longest winning streak of last season, tying the Spartans, 2-2, Jan. 15 to end MSU?s 10-game winning streak. The Spartan unbeaten streak continued and wound up at a school-record 23 games.
Coaching connections ? MSU head coach Ron Mason was Bowling Green?s head coach from 1973-79, leading the Falcons to a 160-63-6 (.712) record and an NCAA Frozen Four. Among his players at Bowling Green was current MSU assistant coach Tom Newton.
Shooting stars ? Michigan State?s unbelievable 1.10 goals-against average (0.78 in conference games) cannot be explained simply by a defensive style or excellent goaltending. Another factor: opponents can?t score when they don?t have the puck, and the Spartans are averaging 31.8 shots on goal per game. They have outshot opponents in 17 of the last 19 periods.
Triple threat ? MSU has more than three times as many goals as its opponents (38-11).
Five alive ? In CCHA games, MSU has scored more than five times as many goals as its opponents (37-7).
BG bloodlines ? Bowling Green head coach Buddy Powers?s niece, Emily Bastel, is one of the top players on MSU?s NCAA-qualifying women?s golf team. Bastel was the Big Ten and Midwest District Freshman of the Year last season as she posted the second-best stroke average (77.36) in school history.
Tall hands ? In CCHA play, Michigan State has scored more short-handed goals (four) than it has given up power-play goals (three). Last year, the Spartans outscored conference opponents 11-9 while short-handed.
Follow the leader ? Senior center and team captain Shawn Horcoff leads the team in scoring with 18 points (four goals, 14 assists), averaging over two points per game in his current eight-game point-scoring streak. He also shares the CCHA lead in points in conference games. Horcoff has a hand in 47.4 percent of MSU?s goals this season (18 of 38) and 61.5 percent of MSU?s power-play goals (eight of 13).
Hall of fame ? Sophomore right wing Adam Hall has scored 10 goals in the last nine games, including five goals in the last four games. Hall, who leads the Spartans in goals with 10, has scored 16 goals in the last 15 games dating back to last season. He leads the team with four power-play goals and three game-winning goals. Last night Hall equaled his regular-season goal total from all of last year (10), although he led the CCHA in postseason goals last year with six.
Patch things up ? Junior wing Sean Patchell, who has two points in the last three games, enjoyed one of his finest games as a Spartan last night. Patchell shared the team lead in shots on goal (five) and got the game-winning goal when he tipped Mike Weaver?s shot from the point. Two of Patchell?s three goals this year have been game-winners.
Gentlemen, please remove your hats ? Michigan State players have combined for 28 career two-goal games, but no current Spartan has a collegiate hat trick to his credit.
Get the sensation! ? New York Rangers center Mike York has three goals in his last two games and leads all NHL rookies in goals with seven. (Sorry ... force of habit.)
INJURY REPORT ? Fr. F Pat Brush (left knee injury, out indefinitely), So. F Joe Goodenow (left hip injury, out indefinitely).
The fries at the bottom of the bag ? Michigan State traveled for 16 hours and approximately 3,500 miles each way to Fairbanks last weekend ... The Voice of the Falcons, Bartt Davis, is in his final night of calling play-by-play on the radio for BG hockey tonight ... the only other time Michigan State opened the season against Colorado College was 1965-66 (a 4-0 loss), the year MSU won its first national championship ... Michigan State?s last national championship came when the Frozen Four was in Providence, R.I., as it is this season.
Say This About Our Players...
1 ? Mike Gresl (Sr., G)
? a solid backup goalie who returned to practice this week from injury
2 ? Jon Insana (So., D)
? MSU?s Most Improved Player a year ago ? after not scoring a goal all of last season, had one against Guelph
4 ? John-Michael Liles (Fr., D)
? MSU?s top-scoring freshman (2-3-5) ? a talented freshman defenseman who brings offensive skill to the blue line ? had a goal and two assists ? all in the third period ? vs. UNO Oct. 16
5 ? Mike Weaver (Sr., D)
? MSU?s top defensive player and penalty killer ? first-team All-CCHA, second-team All-America and CCHA Best Defensive Defenseman last year ? posted a +23 rating last season
6 ? Steve Clark (Fr., F)
? has two points in his last three games
7 ? Brad Hodgins (Sr., D)
? leader among MSU defensemen in career points with 10-49-59 ? tied for fourth among CCHA defensemen in conference scoring (2-4-6) ? eight of his 10 career goals are PPGs
9 ? Sean Patchell (Jr., W)
? has points in two of the last three games ? two of his three goals have been GWGs ? led MSU in penalties last year with 37
10 ? Shawn Horcoff (Sr., C)
? MSU?s top active scorer (40-65-105) and the 55th Spartan to record 100 points ? eight of his 18 points this year have come on the power play ? MSU?s leading scorer with a hand in 47.4% of MSU?s goals (18 of 38) ? has had two games with three or more assists this year (Oct. 16, Oct. 23) ? 16 of his 40 career goals have come in the third period or OT ? Hockey News rates him the Edmonton Oilers? No. 4 prospect and a sure-fire NHLer
14 ? Damon Whitten (Jr., LW)
? has 6-4-10 in 9 GP despite playing on a fractured right pinky toe ? first career multi-goal game Oct. 16 at UNO ? had a goal in each game last weekend
17 ? Troy Ferguson (Fr., F)
? had two assists Oct. 16 vs. UNO and added his fourth of the year last Friday night ? co-captain of U.S. Under-18 Team last year
18 ? Adam Hall (So., RW)
? has five goals in the last four games ? has at least a goal in eight of his last nine games and 16 goals in last 15 games ? leads MSU with three GWGs ? led the CCHA with six goals in the 1999 postseason
19 ? Rustyn Dolyny (Jr., C/RW)
? shares lead among active Spartans in career goals (40) ? has had a hand in three of MSU?s four SHGs this season ? scored MSU?s first goal seven times last year
20 ? Brian Maloney (Fr., LW)
? had two goals Oct. 15 at UNO, including the game-winner ? 21-year-old freshman with great touch around the net
22 ? Andrew Bogle (So., C)
? scored first goal of the year Oct. 29 ? had three goals and an assist in the Green & White Game and vs. Guelph
24 ? Andrew Hutchinson (So., D)
? was picked by Nashville in the second round of last summer?s NHL Draft ? had 13 of his 15 points and 48 of his 67 shots on goal last year after Christmas
26 ? Joe Goodenow (So., LW)
? out indefinitely with an injury suffered at U.S. Junior National Team tryouts in August
27 ? Brad Fast (Fr., D)
? had his first career point vs. CC and first career goal in next game at UNO ? added goal at UAF and has 2-2-4 on year
30 ? Joe Blackburn (Jr., G)
? returning first-team All-American who has split time with rookie Ryan Miller ? owns a 1.45 GAA and .930 save pct. ? set CCHA and MSU single-season records in GAA and save percentage last year ? owns the best career GAA (1.60) and save percentage (.925) in MSU history ? has four career shutouts (one this year) ? an outstanding student who hopes to become a teacher after hockey
39 ? Ryan Miller (Fr., G)
? has shared time in net with Blackburn to this point, with a 0.67 GAA and .972 save percentage ? first MSU goalie ever to post three straight shutouts ? broke Ron Scott?s school-record shutout streak (181:09 and counting) ? an East Lansing native and cousins of Kip, Kevin and Kelly Miller
SERIES INFORMATION vs. BOWLING GREEN:
? 78th meeting: MSU leads, 47-22-8
? In East Lansing: MSU leads, 25-8-3
? First meeting: MSU 7, BGSU 2 (1/2/71)
? Last meeting: MSU 3, BGSU 1 (11/13/99)
? Last BGSU win: BGSU 1, MSU 0 (12/7/97)
? Last 10 meetings: MSU leads, 7-1-2
? Last year?s series: MSU won, 2-0-1 (outscoring BGSU, 12-4)
? MSU has held BGSU to two goals or fewer in each of the last eight meetings (5-1-2)
? MSU is 11-2-2 in the last 15 at Munn
MSU CAREER LEADERS vs. BGSU Player (Yr., Pos.) GP, G-A-P Shawn Horcoff (Sr., C) 9 GP, 5-6-11 Rustyn Dolyny (Jr., C) 7 GP, 2-3-5 Adam Hall (So., RW) 4 GP, 3-1-4 Damon Whitten (Jr., LW) 7 GP, 2-2-4 Goaltenders (Yr.) W-L-T, GAA, Sv.% Joe Blackburn (Jr.) 3-1-1, 1.09, .943
