Michigan State University Athletics
Hockey Prepares For Nebraska-Omaha Series
1/10/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 10, 2000
Thurs., Jan. 13 vs. Nebraska-Omaha, Munn Ice Arena, 7:05 p.m. (FOX, WVFN-AM 730)
Fri., Jan. 14 vs. Nebraska-Omaha, Munn Ice Arena, 7:05 p.m. (WVFN-AM 730)
The Week ? The Michigan State hockey team, which lost to Michigan 2-0 last Friday, returns to action this Thursday and Friday against Nebraska-Omaha. The Spartans (15-6-0 overall, 11-4-0 and in first place in the CCHA), ranked fifth in the nation last week, face the Mavericks (6-10-4 overall, 4-6-4) at Munn Ice Arena (6,470) at 7:05 p.m. EST both nights. Standing-room tickets ($7) are available at the MSU Athletic Ticket Office or by calling 800-GO-STATE. Thursday?s game is on FOX Sports Net (DirecTV Ch. 636), with Josh Lewin, Billy Jaffe and Shireen Saski calling the action. Hear both games 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.
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 852 career victories, boasting an 852-360-70 (.692) overall record. He has a 563-250-56 (.680) mark at MSU.
Nebraska-Omaha head coach Mike Kemp (Gustavus Adolphus ?75) owns a 31-52-7 record in his third year as a college head coach, all with the Mavericks.
Quoting Coach Mason -
On the Michigan game: ?That game was the exact opposite of the game the week before at Joe Louis. They finished their plays here and we finished down there. We had our opportunities to get back in the game, but couldn?t take advantage.?
On facing Nebraska-Omaha: ?Nebraska-Omaha has really made a good showing for itself in its first year in the league. We sawthem the first two games of the year and I imagine we will see a much better team this weekend. We?ve got to make some adjustments of our own, especially in the first game, and that is what I am most concerned about right now.?
The Series vs. the Mavericks ? Michigan State has won all four meetings between the two teams entering this week?s series. The Spartans were the first team from the CCHA to ever play the Mavericks (Dec. 4-5, 1998) and the first team to play UNO in a conference series (Oct. 15-16, 1999). MSU won the two games last season in Munn Ice Arena, 2-0 and 3-1, and won the two meetings earlier this season in Omaha, 5-2 and 6-2.
About the Mavericks ? Nebraska-Omaha is 6-10-4 overall and 4-6-4 in the CCHA, standing in ninth place in its first season in the conference. The Mavericks are led offensively by Allan Carr, whose nine goals, 11 assists and 20 points lead the team in all three categories. Other offensive threats include Jason White (5-7-12) and Derek Reynolds (4-8-12). Kendall Sidoruk (5-7-4, 3.55, .876) has played the majority of minutes in goal. The Mavericks sport a 14.5 percent power play and a 76.2 percent penalty killing unit.
Michigan Recap
The largest crowd in Munn Ice Arena history (7,117) went home unhappy last Friday as Michigan handed the Spartans a 2-0 loss. Michigan State unveiled its new luxury seating in Munn, boosting the building?s capacity by 300 to 6,470 (plus standing room).
Goaltenders Ryan Miller (MSU) and Josh Blackburn (UM) kept the game scoreless for the first 35 minutes, before a deflection by Scott Matzka put the puck past Miller at the 14:43 mark of the second period. An Andy Hilbert goal at the 2:34 mark of the third period gave Michigan its 2-0 lead. Michigan State had chances in the third, outshooting UM 11-6 for the period and 23-18 for the game, but could not score. A post-game melee resulted in the ejection of three players (MSU?s Damon Whitten and Brad Hodgins, UM?s Bob Gassoff) for fighting.
If you use just one MSU note this week, perhaps this should be it
Feast or famine ? Michigan State has scored 4.83 goals per game in its last six victories and has scored just one goal in its last four losses combined.
The Spartans have only allowed 2.25 goals per game in their four conference losses.
We encourage you to use more notes ... perhaps these
Hot ticket ? The crowd of 7,117 at the Michigan State-Michigan game Jan. 7 established a new Munn Ice Arena attendance record. The new record was made possible by the opening of luxury suites and club seating in the arena, boosting capacity by 300 to 6,470 (plus standing room). The old record of 6,902 was set Feb. 6, 1987 against Bowling Green.
The Nebraska-Omaha series could see a new Munn attendance record for a two-game series. The previous record of 13,780 was set Feb. 13-14, 1987, against Lake Superior.
New addition ? Michigan State adds depth to the forward position this week with the addition of Steve Jackson to the Spartans? roster. Jackson, a freshman forward, began classes at MSU on Monday Jan. 10 (which is also his 19th birthday). He spent the first half of the season with the Compuware Ambassadors of the NAHL, the same program which produced current Spartans Joe Blackburn and Pat Brush. Jackson, in his third year with Compuware, tied for the team lead in scoring through Dec. 30 with 17 goals and 13 assists (30 points) in 28 games.
Fast starters ? Michigan State has not allowed a first-period goal in its last seven games, since Nov. 26 against Wisconsin. MSU has outscored opponents in the first period 10-0 in that span.
A special team ? Seven of Michigan State?s last 14 goals have come on the power play. The Spartans lead the CCHA with a 21.8 percent success rate on the power play in all games. They have scored three or more PPGs in a game four times this year and are seven-for-22 (31.8 percent) in their last four games.
MSU also leads the CCHA in penalty killing (88.7 percent). The Spartans have killed off 31-of-33 power plays in the last five games (93.9 percent) and, in conference games, have scored almost as many short-handed goals (five) as they have allowed PPGs (six).
MSU was five-for-15 (33.3 percent) on the power play against Nebraska-Omaha Oct. 15-16 while UNO was one-for-20 (five percent) against the Spartans.
Super Shawn ? Senior center and team captain Shawn Horcoff stands second in the nation in scoring, one point behind Wisconsin?s Steve Reinprecht. Horcoff, with eight goals and an national-leading 26 assists for 34 points, is just three points shy of his total from all of last season. He has had a hand in 48.6 percent of Michigan State?s goals this season, including 13 of MSU?s 26 power-play goals.
Magnificent Mike ? Senior defenseman Mike Weaver went head-to-head with Michigan?s Mike Comrie for the second straight game Jan. 7 and held Comrie without a shot on goal. Comrie did have one point, an assist on a third-period drop pass.
Great goalies ? Junior Joe Blackburn and freshman Ryan Miller have split the Spartans? goaltending duties almost equally this season. Miller (1.44 goals-against average, .930 save percentage) and Blackburn (1.83, .923) are first and second, respectively, in the CCHA in overall GAA and first and third, respectively, in save percentage.
O from the D ? Michigan State?s defensemen have combined to score 16 goals this season, led by senior Brad Hodgins (five) and freshman John-Michael Liles (four). All of last season, MSU defensemen combined to score 13 goals.
Familiar faces ? Former Spartan Dan Zaluski transferred to Nebraska-Omaha following the 1997-98 season. Zaluski, who appeared in three games without recording a point at MSU, has 0-2-2 totals in six games for the Mavericks this season.
Nebraska-Omaha?s Kyle O?Keefe is the brother of former Spartan right wing Kevin O?Keefe, who skated for MSU from 1996-98 and was the fourth-leading scorer on the 1997-98 CCHA championship team.
Red-hot rookies ? Freshmen combined for five of MSU?s 11 goals and 10 of MSU?s 30 points in the Spartans? two-game sweep of Nebraska-Omaha in October.
Munn-real ? Michigan State is 8-2-0 in Munn Ice Arena, home of 244 consecutive regular-season sellouts dating back to 1985, and 7-4-0 away from home. 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 3.50 1.40 31.0 19.5 .928 .890 20.3% 91.2%Away 3.18 1.82 29.3 24.4 .925 .891 23.3% 87.7%
Adam Hall (eight of his 14 goals and 13 of his 21 points) and Brad Hodgins (eight of his 10 points) are two Spartans who have benefitted from home ice.
First one to one wins ? MSU is 14-0-0 when it scores first and just 1-6-0 when its opponent scores first.
Saturday night special ? January 15 marks the fifth straight Saturday that Michigan State has not had a game.
Welcome back ? Michigan State welcomed back both sophomore right wing Adam Hall and freshman defenseman John-Michael Liles for the Michigan game. Both were selected to the U.S. National Junior Team which finished fourth in the World Junior Championship in Sweden. Liles was injured in the last minute of the team?s last exhibition game, but returned to practice last week. Hall captained the U.S. team and had two goals in the tournament, as the U.S. upset host Sweden en route to its fourth-place finish.
Mason makes his mark ? Michigan State head coach Ron Mason is coaching in his fifth decade and fourth at Michigan State. Mason began his career at Lake Superior in 1966 and, after a stop at Bowling Green, joined the Spartans in 1979.
Blank stare ? Michigan State has been shut out three times this season, the most in one year since being held scoreless in four games in 1959-60.
Gentlemen, please remove your hats ? Michigan State players have combined for 30 career two-goal games, but no current Spartan has a collegiate hat trick to his credit.
I can?t drive 65 ? Michigan State has not played an overtime in the last 29 games, its longest stretch without an extra session since a 46-game stretch from Nov. 13, 1981, to Nov. 13, 1982.
INJURY REPORT ? Fr. F Pat Brush (left knee injury, out indefinitely), So. F Joe Goodenow (left hip injury, out indefinitely).
MSU CAREER LEADERS vs. NEBRASKA-OMAHAPlayer (Yr., Pos.) StatisticsRustyn Dolyny (Jr., C/RW) 4 GP, 1-5-6Brad Hodgins (Sr., D) 4 GP, 1-3-4Shawn Horcoff (Sr., C) 2 GP, 0-4-4Damon Whitten (Jr., LW) 4 GP, 2-1-3John-Michael Liles (Fr., D) 2 GP, 1-2-3Joe Blackburn (Jr., G) 2-0-0, 1.50, .930Mike Gresl (Sr., G) 1-0-0, 0.00, 1.000Ryan Miller (Fr., G) 1-0-0, 2.00, .926
