Michigan State University Athletics
Hockey Prepares For Home-And-Home With Notre Dame
11/29/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 29, 1999
Sat., Dec. 4 at Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind., 7:05 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 5 vs. Notre Dame, Munn Ice Arena, 7:05 p.m.
The Week ? The Michigan State hockey team, which lost to Wisconsin, 5-1, and defeated Minnesota, 6-2, last weekend in the College Hockey Showcase, returns to CCHA play this Saturday and Sunday to face Notre Dame in a home-and-home series. The Spartans (11-4-0 overall, 10-2-0 CCHA), ranked fourth in the nation last week, face Notre Dame (5-7-2, 3-5-2 CCHA) at the Joyce Center (2,667) Saturday and at Munn Ice Arena (6,170) Sunday. Both games are at 7:05 p.m. EST. Standing-room tickets ($7) are available for Sunday?s game at the MSU Athletic Ticket Office or by calling 800-GO-STATE or 517-355-1610. Both games are on WVFN-AM 730 and at www.broadcast.com/sports/ncaa/MichiganState, with Scott Moore calling the play-by-play and volunteer assistant coach Jim Mullin providing color commentary. Sunday?s game is on AT&T Cable Services in the Lansing area (Ch. 13 or 17), with Dave Ellis and former Spartan Joe Campbell calling the action.
The Coaches ? Head coach Ron Mason (St. Lawrence ?64) builds upon his legendary status with each victory. Mason, in his 21st year at Michigan State and 34th as a college head coach, is the all-time winningest college hockey coach with 848 career victories, boasting an 848-359-70 (.691) overall record as he nears the unprecedented 850-win plateau. He has a 559-249-56 (.679) mark at MSU.
Notre Dame head coach Dave Poulin (Notre Dame ?82) owns a 60-88-6 record in his fifth year with his alma mater. He rejoined the Irish after a 13-year NHL career.
Quoting Coach Mason ?
On the College Hockey Showcase: ?The Wisconsin game was kind of a continuation of what had happened at Miami the week before. The work ethic was there, but we couldn?t get any breaks and they were very opportunistic. I was happy with the way we responded Saturday night. Once we got that first goal on the power play, our confidence was back.?
On the Notre Dame series: ?Saturday stopped the bleeding for us, but we know we aren?t where we want to be yet. With only three games left before our Christmas break, we?ve got to gear up and play our best.
?Notre Dame got off to a slower start this year, but they have been playing better and better each weekend. A year ago they were as tough as anyone we played.?
The Series vs. the Fighting Irish ? MSU leads the all-time series, 43-28-5, entering the 77th and 78th meetings. The series is tied, 16-16-4, in Notre Dame, while MSU leads 26-12-1 in East Lansing. MSU won last year?s series, 2-0-1, in three close games (2-2, 1-0 and 3-1). MSU is 16-1-4 in the 21 games since ND rejoined the CCHA in 1992 (the lone loss was 6-1, Nov. 1, 1997 in East Lansing). MSU is 6-0-4 at ND since a 3-2 loss Dec. 3, 1982. MSU is 13-1-0 vs. ND in Munn Arena since Feb. 14, 1981 (4-2 loss).
About the Fighting Irish ? Notre Dame is 5-7-2 (3-7-2 CCHA), coming off a split in the Diamond Anniversary Conference Classic (2-1 loss to New Hampshire, 5-1 win over Vermont). Five players share the team lead in scoring with eight points each, while David Inman leads with seven goals. Tony Zasowski (3-2-2, 2.31, .916) and Jeremiah Kimento (2-5-0, 2.90, .885) have split time in goal.
College Hockey Showcase Recap
Michigan State suffered its biggest home loss since Nov. 1, 1997 (6-1 vs. Notre Dame) Friday night against Wisconsin, 5-1. Dany Heatley (hat trick) and Steve Reinprecht (five points) were the offensive stars, but Badger goaltender Graham Melanson was the difference, as MSU outshot Wisconsin, 36-23.
Saturday the Spartans ended their three-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over Minnesota. Five players had multiple-point games for MSU, led by Rustyn Dolyny. Dolyny had two goals and an assist, as the Spartans built a 5-0 lead by the midway point of the second period. MSU was 3-for-9 on the power play and added a short-handed goal.
If you use just one MSU note this week, perhaps this should be it
Horcoff is on ? Senior center Shawn Horcoff leads the nation in points (26) and assists (20). He has had more than one point in more than half of the games this year (eight of 15). Horcoff already has over 70 percent of his point total from all of last year (37) and has a hand in 50 percent of Michigan State?s 52 goals this season.
Through 15 games last season, Michigan State?s leading scorer, Mike York, had 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) and Horcoff had 11 points (five goals, six assists).
We encourage you to use more notes ... perhaps these
First one to one wins ? Michigan State is 10-0-0 when it scores first and just 1-4-0 when its opponent scores first.
Y ask y? ? Junior forward Rustyn Dolyny had gone nine games without a goal, the longest goal-less stretch of his career, before exploding for two goals and an assist Saturday night against Minnesota. Dolyny, playing in his 100th career game, had two power-play goals and a short-handed assist on MSU?s first four goals, as the Spartans built a 5-0 lead. Eleven of Dolyny?s 13 points and all four of his goals this season have come on special teams (seven points and three goals on the power play, four points and one goal short-handed).
Just-Magnificent ? Freshman defenseman John-Michael Liles had an outstanding weekend in the College Hockey Showcase, posting four assists, leading the MSU power play, making heads-up defensive plays and delivering punishing hits. Liles had three assists in the second period Saturday night ? his second three-point period of the season (also Oct. 16 at Nebraska-Omaha). He has two goals and four assists (six points) in the last four games and leads all MSU rookies and defensemen with 4-7-11 on the year. Liles, an Indiana native who plays his first collegiate game in his home state Saturday, stands tied for third in the CCHA in defenseman scoring in overall games.
A special team ? Seven of Michigan State?s last nine goals have come courtesy of special teams. The Spartans rank first in the CCHA in both power play (22.4 percent) and penalty killing (91.9 percent) in conference games. MSU has scored six short-handed goals on the year.
Power surge ? Eight different players have combined for Michigan State?s 19 power-play goals this year, led by Adam Hall with five. The Spartans have scored three or more power-play goals in a game on three occasions this year
Coaching connection ? Michigan State head coach Ron Mason helped Notre Dame?s Dave Poulin break into professional hockey, recommending Poulin to his friend Ted Sator, who was coaching in Sweden. Sator signed Poulin to his Division I Rogle team, and Poulin produced 62 points in 32 games. Sator, a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers, recommended Poulin to Flyers management, and a 13-year NHL career began.
Munn-real ? Michigan State is 6-1-0 in Munn Ice Arena and 5-3-0 on the road. The Spartans play their second home-and-home series of the season this weekend (MSU swept Ferris State, Oct. 29-30). Here is a statistical comparison of MSU at home and on the road:
| Goals/Game | GA/Game | Shots/Game | Shots All./Gm. | Save Pct. | Opp. Sv.% | PP% | PK% | |
| Home | 3.71 | 1.57 | 32.3 | 20.0 | .921 | .889 | 23.3% | 86.5% |
| Away | 3.25 | 1.88 | 28.9 | 22.5 | .923 | .887 | 20.0% | 87.0% |
About the skid ? Michigan State?s three-game losing streak from Nov. 19-26 was the school?s longest since Feb. 4-11, 1995. The Spartans had not lost back-to-back games since the end of the 1996-97 season (March 15-22).
Hall of fame ? Sophomore right wing Adam Hall leads MSU in goals with 12, including his fourth game-winner of the season Saturday night. He led the team and was third in the nation last year with six game-winning goals. Hall has already surpassed last year?s regular-season goal total (10), although he led the CCHA with six postseason goals last year. He has 18 goals in his last 20 games, dating back to last year.
Showcasing the Spartans ? Michigan State has won at least one game in every College Hockey Showcase since the event began in 1993. This year marked the first time since that first year that each team won a game in the Showcase.
Against the Gophers ? Michigan State?s 6-2 win over Minnesota was its biggest margin of victory over the Golden Gophers since Jan. 5, 1973 (6-2).
Great goalies ? Michigan State junior Joe Blackburn and freshman Ryan Miller have split the Spartans? goaltending duties almost equally this season. Blackburn made back-to-back starts last weekend for the first time this season. Miller (1.17, .943) and Blackburn (1.34, .932) are first and second, respectively, in the CCHA in conference goals-against average and save percentage.
Balancing act ? Six different players have four or more goals for MSU, and eight have at least eight points.
Century club ? Juniors Damon Whitten and John Nail (99 career games played each) are on the verge of playing in their 100th career games.
Gentlemen, please remove your hats ? Michigan State players have combined for 29 career two-goal games, but no current Spartan has a collegiate hat trick to his credit.
On the horizon ? This weekend marks Michigan State?s final CCHA games prior to a two-week holiday break, although the Spartans do have one non-conference game before that. MSU hosts Alabama-Huntsville on Saturday, Dec. 11, at Munn Ice Arena in its final game before the Great Lakes Invitational (Dec. 29-30 at Joe Louis Arena).
FORMER SPARTAN OF THE WEEK ? Dean Sylvester (MSU 1994-95) was called up to the Atlanta Thrashers last week, giving MSU 14 former players in the NHL, more than any other college. Sylvester responded with his first NHL goal last Monday night ? plus two more, becoming just the second player ever to record a hat trick the same night he scored his first career goal. He is the first Thrasher in history to record a hat trick.
TIME CHANGE ? Michigan State?s Feb. 19 game against Alaska Fairbanks has been moved to 7:35 p.m. to avoid a conflict with the Spartan men?s basketball game that afternoon.
INJURY REPORT ? Fr. F Pat Brush (left knee injury, out indefinitely), So. F Joe Goodenow (left hip injury, out indefinitely).
MSU CAREER LEADERS vs. NOTRE DAMEPlayer (Yr., Pos.) StatisticsShawn Horcoff (Sr., C) 9 GP, 1-3-4Rustyn Dolyny (Jr., C) 6 GP, 3-0-3Brad Hodgins (Sr., D) 9 GP, 0-3-3John Nail (Jr., RW) 6 GP, 1-1-2Damon Whitten (Jr., LW) 6 GP, 1-1-2Andrew Hutchinson (So., D) 3 GP, 0-2-2Andrew Bogle (Jr., C) 6 GP, 0-2-2Mike Weaver (Sr., D) 9 GP, 0-2-2Joe Blackburn (Jr., G) 2-0-1, 0.97, .960
SPARTANS IN THE CCHA1999-2000 StandingsTeam (Overall) CCHA Pts1. MICHIGAN STATE (11-4-0) 10-2-0 202. Northern Michigan (12-3-1) 8-1-1 173. Michigan (11-4-0) 7-3-0 144. Lake Superior (6-6-0) 6-4-0 125. Ferris State (10-6-0) 6-6-0 12 Western Michigan (6-6-2) 5-5-2 127. Miami (7-4-2) 4-3-2 108. Notre Dame (5-7-2) 3-5-2 8 Nebraska-Omaha (2-4-4) 2-4-4 810. Bowling Green (4-9-0) 4-7-0 811. Ohio State (3-11-1) 2-9-1 512. Alaska Fairbanks (3-11-0) 2-10-0 4
MULTIPLE-GOAL GAMESMR: most recentPlayer Thisyr. Career MRRustyn Dolyny 2 9 11/27/99Adam Hall 2 6 11/6/99Brian Maloney 2 2 11/13/99Shawn Horcoff 1 7 10/29/99J-M Liles 1 1 11/19/99Damon Whitten 1 1 10/16/99Andrew Bogle 0 1 3/20/98Brad Hodgins 0 1 3/19/99Mike Weaver 0 1 12/28/98
MULTIPLE-POINT GAMESMR: most recentPlayer Thisyr. Career MRShawn Horcoff 8 30 11/27/99Rustyn Dolyny 4 23 11/27/99Adam Hall 4 8 11/19/99J-M Liles 4 4 11/27/99Brad Hodgins 3 9 11/27/99Damon Whitten 3 7 11/27/99Brad Fast 2 2 11/13/99Troy Ferguson 1 1 10/16/99Brian Maloney 1 1 10/15/99Mike Weaver 0 5 3/13/98Andrew Bogle 0 4 3/20/98Joe Goodenow 0 1 1/1/99A. Hutchinson 0 1 1/9/99John Nail 0 1 10/31/97Sean Patchell 0 1 1/2/99
SPARTANS IN THEPOLLS: WEEK-BY-WEEK USCHO USA Today10/5 3 -10/18 5 610/25 4 311/1 4 411/8 4 411/15 3 311/22 4 4
CURRENT POINT-SCORING STREAKS2 games: John-Michael Liles (0-4-4), Adam Hall (1-1-2)
ON THE AIR
Television Michigan State games will appear at least 20 times on television this season. FOX Sports Net will carry 11 Spartan games plus CCHA playoff action, while AT&T Cable Services (Ch. 13 or 17) in the Lansing area will broadcast six games from Munn Ice Arena.
Radio All Spartan games can be heard on WVFN-AM 730, with Scott Moore calling the action. Volunteer assistant coach Jim Mullin provides color commentary. That broadcast is available by calling TEAMLINE at (800) 846-4700 (code #5300) and using a Visa or MasterCard. All Michigan State radio broadcasts can also be heard live on the Internet, free of charge, at http://www.msuspartans.com
Coach?s Shows Head coach Ron Mason?s radio show is hosted by long-time Munn Arena public address announcer Jerry Marshall at Reno?s East Sports Bar in East Lansing. The show runs from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and is on WVFN-AM 730.
Coach Mason is featured on the Spartan Sports Zone weekly television show, which airs on WILX-TV 10 locally at 11:30 a.m. Sundays.
