Michigan State University Athletics
#3 Spartan Hockey vs. #5 Michigan: Game Notes
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
January 28, 1999
Site Munn Ice Arena (6,170)
Date and Time Friday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m.
See the game live on FOX Sports Detroit or nation-wide on mini-dish systems
Hear the game live on WVFN-AM 730 or at www.gamecruiser.com/michiganstate/index.htm
The Notes of the Night
What Super Bowl? - Tonights showdown with Michigan is the Spartans most anticipated home game of the season. There are plenty of reasons to love this battle between two heated rivals for first place in the CCHA. Here are a few:
It features two top-five nationally ranked teams.
Seven of the last 10 meetings between MSU and U-M have been decided by one or two goals.
The two teams have combined to claim at least a share of eight of the last 10 CCHA titles.
Joe (MSU) and Josh (U-M) Blackburn are the top two goalies in the CCHA.
They are the top two teams in the nation in team defense.
Every on-campus meeting has been sold out since Nov. 8, 1985, when 8,011 attended a game at Yost Ice Arena (capacity at the time was 8,100). The teams have sold out their last 40 on-campus meetings.
MSU has faced Michigan 226 times, 81 more than MSUs next-busiest rivalry (Michigan Tech, 145 meetings).
Five More Notes No Media Person Should Be Without
1. Streak one - Michigan State carries a 14-game unbeaten streak (12-0-2) into Fridays game, the longest active streak in Division I. It also ties the third-longest unbeaten streak in school history. MSUs longest stretches without a loss:
TEAM RECORDS: LONGEST UNBEATEN STREAK 22 games 12/29/84 to 2/15/85 19 games 10/15/88 to 12/16/88 14 games 12/4/98 to present AND 1/5/90 to 2/24/90
2. Streak two - Michigan State owns a school-record 24-game home unbeaten streak (20-0-4) as it returns to Munn Arena for the first time since Jan. 9. The Spartans did not lose in Munn in all of 1998, with the last loss coming Dec. 7, 1997 (1-0 to Bowling Green).
3. Two is too many - Michigan State has allowed one goal or less in 78 percent of its games (21 of 27), including nine of the last 10 games.
4. A team effort - Michigan State is the only team in the nation allowing less than 2.0 goals per game (1.26; 0.78 better than second-best Michigan). Nevertheless, the Spartans have not had a CCHA Defensive Player of the Week.
5. Dream Weaver - Junior defenseman Mike Weaver snapped a 49-game goal-less streak with the game-winner last Friday night. He last scored in the GLI title game last season (when he had two goals against Michigan and earned GLI MVP honors). He added an assist Saturday and has a two-game point-scoring streak.
Post-it Notes ...
Get the Sensation! - Senior center and Hobey Baker Award candidate Mike York leads the Spartans in scoring with 35 points (16-19-35) in 27 games. Other Mike York notes:
currently tied for second in the CCHA in scoring in all games (35 points) and in league games (27 points)
has had a hand in more goals (35) than MSU opponents have scored (34)
a clutch player, he has scored half of his goals in the third period (eight of 16) and has four game-winning goals
leads the team or shares the team lead in goals (16), assists (19), points (35), game-winning goals (4), shots (115) and plus/minus (+24)
a terrific two-way player, leads MSU at +24 and has only been on the ice once when the opponent has scored a a 5-on-5 goal
logs between 25 and 30 minutes of ice time each night, often vs. the opponents top line
Second-degree Blackburns - The two goaltenders in Fridays game share the same last name, but are not related. MSUs Joe Blackburn made a career-best 36 saves Saturday night and leads the CCHA in goals-against average and save percentage. Joe, who celebrated his 20th birthday Tuesday, is second in the NCAA in GAA and third in save percentage.
TALE OF THE TAPE First name Year Hometown GAA Save Pct. Legend replacing MSUs Blackburn Joe So. Livonia, Mich. 1.33 .933 Chad Alban U-Ms Blackburn Josh Fr. Chocktaw, Okla. 2.00 .911 Marty Turco
A special team - Michigan State has scored more special teams goals than its opponents in 17 games and only lost that matchup four times. Other special teams notes:
MSU has scored as many goals as its opponents when opponents are on the power play (10 MSU SHGs and 10 opponent PPGs)
MSU has scored at least one PPG in five of its last six games and 18 of 27 overall
MSU has more than twice as many PPGs as its opponents (21-10)
Rustyn Dolyny and Shawn Horcoff share the national lead with three SHGs apiece, while MSUs 92.4 percent penalty killing also leads the nation
Coaching connections - Ron Mason and Red Berenson faced off as college players in Berensons final collegiate game, Michigans 1962 NCAA consolation game victory over St. Lawrence.
Horcoff is on - Junior center Shawn Horcoff has a career-best seven-game point-scoring streak in which he has totaled 4-6-10. MSU is 13-0-2 when Horcoff has a point.
20/20 - Michigan State (20-3-4) is the only team in the nation with 20 victories. The Spartans won their 20th game last Friday vs. Lake Superior, giving MSU its 17th 20-win season in the last 18 years.
Shot blockers - Michigan States defensemen have excelled at blocking shots, especially Mike Weaver, Jeff Kozakowski and Chris Bogas. The Spartans have blocked an average of 10.0 shots per game (270 in 27 games).
Simply dominant - MSU has scored more than two-and-a-half times as many goals as its opponents (86-34). The Spartans have more than tripled their opponents scoring in the third period (31-10) and have nearly three times as many goals in the first period (29-10).
INJURY REPORT - Freshman defenseman Andrew Hutchinson is out for approximately three more weeks with a sprained left knee suffered vs. Miami. Hutchinson, a two-time CCHA Rookie of the Week, has assists in six of his last eight games and is 1-8-9 and +8 on the season.
The fries at the bottom of the bag - MSUs three SHGs in 10 minutes at UAF matched the Spartans season total from 44 games last year ... the Alaska trip (3,500 miles, one way) was longer than all of MSUs other road trips this season combined (2,600 miles) ... MSU is 3-1-1 when it takes more penalties than its opponent ... the Spartans are 0-2-1 when the opponent scores two goals and 1-1-1 when the opponent scores more than two ... Andrew Johnsons impeachment trial lasted two months and the Senate fell one vote shy of removing him from office ... MSU set a CCHA league record for team defense last year (1.80 goals against) and has improved upon it this year (1.27) ... Hobart Amory Hare Bakers middle name is misspelled on his Hockey Hall of Fame plaque ("Amery") ... MSU is the first college team to have a banner hung in the Joe Louis Arena rafters after its latest GLI title ... freshmen scored MSUs first goal in the first four games of the season ...
Say This About Our Players...
1 Mike Gresl (Jr., G)
holds a 7-0-0 record, 1.00 GAA, .949 save percentage
has posted two shutouts (12/4, 1/3)
GLI MVP after posting back-to-back wins with 26 and 24 saves while stepping in for Joe Blackburn, who was with the U.S. National Junior Team
had made just two previous starts prior to the GLI: once as a freshman vs. WMU and another this Dec. 4 vs. Nebraska-Omaha
2 Jon Insana (Fr., D)
has improved as the season has progressed and boasts a +10 rating
set the MSU record for penalty minutes in a game Jan. 23 vs. NMU with 29 PIM
4 Chris Bogas (Sr., D)
leads MSU defensemen in scoring with 11 points (1-10-11)
second on the team with six power-play points (all assists)
led the team in plus/minus rating each of his first two years and is +60 for his career
has made a successful return from off-season surgery on his left wrist
5 Mike Weaver (Jr., D)
second among MSU defensemen with +21
an excellent shot blocker and a defensive defenseman in the mold of Tyler Harlton
an honorable mention All-CCHA selection and GLI MVP last season
led all MSU defensemen with 26 points last year, more than three times his freshman output
7 Brad Hodgins (Jr., D)
second among MSU defensemen with 1-8-9 totals
his goal, a PPG, was the game-winner against Ohio State Nov. 6
10 Shawn Horcoff (Jr., C)
second on the team in scoring at 11-14-25
has as many multiple-point games (eight) as single-point games (eight)
shares NCAA lead with three SHGs
carries a seven-game point-scoring streak
15 of his 35 career goals have come in the third period or OT
14 of his 35 career goals are PPGs
12 Shawn Mather (Fr., C)
has been a solid center with 4-2-6, including two power-play goals
14 Damon Whitten (So., LW)
has 8-3-11 on the season, good for fifth on the team
MSU is 8-0-0 when he has a goal
had the game-winner in the GLI title game against Michigan (on the power play)
has doubled his goal total from last year
played goaltender until his junior year of high school 16 Bryan Adams (Sr., LW)
second on the team with 15 goals and is in third in scoring at 15-8-23
MSU is 11-0-1 when he scores a goal
was named the CCHA and national offensive player of the week after totaling 4-2-6 Oct. 23-24
led MSU in scoring through 15 games last year but was plagued with injuries the rest of the way
earned the CCHAs Terry Flanagan Award for overcoming adversity
18 Adam Hall (Fr., RW)
has skated with seniors Mike York and Bryan Adams almost all year
recently returned from U.S. National Junior Team, where he had one assist in six games
leading MSU rookies in points and goals with 6-3-9
ranked 15th among 1999 draft eligible prospects by Red Line Report
19 Rustyn Dolyny (So., RW)
fourth on the team with 11-11-22, including a four-game point-scoring streak
named CCHA Offensive Player of the Week with 4-3-7 (3-1-4 short-handed) Jan. 4
MSU is 13-0-2 when he has a point
led CCHA rookies in league points last season
unanimous CCHA All-Rookie Team pick
22 Andrew Bogle (So., RW/C)
MSUs Most Improved Player in 1997-98
had 11 of his 13 points in the second half of last year, including four points in the last five games
24 Andrew Hutchinson (Fr., D)
will miss a month with a sprained left knee suffered at Miami Jan. 16
leads all MSU rookies with 1-8-9 and had an assist in six of his last eight games
two-time CCHA Rookie of the Week
26 Joe Goodenow (Fr., LW)
has his first two-point game 1/1 vs. UAF
stands third among MSU rookies in points with 2-6-8
27 Jeff Kozakowski (Sr., D)
leads MSU defensemen and second behind Mike York overall with a +22 rating
broke a 61-game goal-scoring at the GLI with a goal in each game
missed last Saturdays game with a concussion, just the fifth game he has missed in his career
named to GLI all-tournament team
has 2-5-7 this year
30 Joe Blackburn (So., G)
has played five straight games after a stint with the U.S. National Junior Team
made career-best 36 saves vs. NMU Jan. 23
made 36 saves to beat Canada 5-2 on New Years Eve in Winnipeg
1st in the CCHA and 2nd in the NCAA with a 1.33 overall GAA
1st in the CCHA and 5th in the NCAA with a .933 save percentage
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ... #61 MIKE YORK
Sr. Center 5-10 185 Captain Waterford, Mich.
1998-99
leading the team with 16-19-35 and currently stands second in the CCHA in both league (27 pts.) and overall scoring
stands tied for eighth in the NCAA with 35 points
leads the team with with four GWGs, all of which came in a four-game stretch from Dec. 4-27
has had a hand in more goals (35) than MSU opponents have scored (34)
a terrific two-way player, he is leading all Spartans with a +24 rating and has only been on the ice for one 5-on-5 opponents goal in nearly 550 shifts
plays between 25 and 30 minutes a game, usually vs. the opponents top line
leads team with eight power-play points
had at least one point in 19 of 27 games, and has had two or more in 11 of 27 games
elected team captain by his teammates after serving as assistant captain last season
had a season-high three goals vs. Northern Michigan (Dec. 26) and Miami (Jan. 8), a season-high three assists vs. Ohio State Oct. 23, and a season-high four points vs. Miami (Jan. 8)
Career
returning first-team All-American and Hobey Baker finalist
MSUs active career scoring leader with 182 points (1.27 points per game)
has two points or more in more than one-third of his career games
has led the team in scoring each of the last two seasons, the first Spartan to do that since Kip Miller in 1988-89 and 1989-90
could become the first Spartan to lead the team in assists for four seasons and the first in Ron Masons 20 years to lead the team in points three times
leads all current Spartans in career scoring at Joe Louis Arena with eight goals and nine assists (17 points) in 11 games
1998 CCHA Tournament MVP after scoring two goals -- both from behind the goal line -- in the CCHA title game
stands alone in 20th among MSU career scorers, 27 points out of the top 10
Miscellaneous
wears No. 61, the reverse of the No. 16 wore by his childhood hockey hero, Pat LaFontaine
a sixth-round selection of the New York Rangers in 1997
one of only 12 Americans to play in three World Junior Championships
finished his career with the U.S. National Junior Team tied as the No. 8 all-time scorer with John LeClair, Keith Tkachuk and Scott Young
finished high school in three years
housemate and close friend of linemate Bryan Adams
volunteers in the mid-Michigan area through M.S.Unity in the Community and other youth groups
SERIES INFORMATION vs. MICHIGAN:
227th meeting: MSU trails, 101-119-6
In East Lansing: MSU leads, 51-42-4
First meeting: U-M 5, MSU 1 (1/11/22)
Last meeting: MSU 3, U-M 1 (12/27/98)
Last U-M win: U-M 2, MSU 1 (11/20/98)
This years series: Tied, 1-1-0
Last years series: MSU won, 4-0-0
MSU is 5-1-0 in the last two years and 7-3-0 in the last three
MSU has not allowed more than three goals in the last eight meetings (since U-M 5-1 win, 11/15/96) or more than two goals in the last four (since MSU 5-3 win, 12/28/97)
MSU has won the last three in Munn (since U-M 5-3 win, 2/4/95) and is 6-2-2 in the last 10 at home
MSU CAREER LEADERS vs. U-M Player (Yr., Pos.) GP, G-A-P Mike York (Sr., C) 13 GP, 4-8-12 Chris Bogas (Sr., D) 14 GP, 0-8-8 Rustyn Dolyny (So., RW) 6 GP, 2-5-7 Bryan Adams (Sr., LW) 13 GP, 3-2-5 Mike Weaver (Jr., D) 10 GP, 2-2-4 Goaltender (Yr.) W-L-T, GAA, Sv.% Joe Blackburn (So.) 0-1-0, 2.03, .913 Mike Gresl (Jr.) 1-0-0, 1.00, .960
