Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Hockey Closes First Half Against Ferris State
12/4/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 4, 2000
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THIS WEEK: Michigan State brings a 12-game unbeaten streak (10-0-2) into its final series prior to the holiday break as the Spartans (No. 1 U.S. College Hockey Online poll/No. 1 USA Today/American Hockey Magazine poll) face Ferris State in a home-and-home series Dec. 8-9. The first game of the two-game series takes place at Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids with the second contest set for Munn Ice Arena. Faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m. EST both nights.
RADIO: This week's games, and all MSU home and road games, can be heard live on WVFN-AM 730 "The Fan." Play-by-play man Scott Moore, in his fourth season as the radio voice of MSU hockey, will call the action. Spartan volunteer assistant coach Jim Mullin provides color commentary for the second straight season.
Spartan fans can also hear live play-by-play action of MSU hockey via the Internet. Broadcasts can be accessed by logging on to www.msuspartans.com, the official website of Spartan athletics, or www.espn.com.
TELEVISION: Saturday's game will be televised in the greater Lansing area on AT&T Cable Systems. Eric Peasley handles play-by-play duties and is joined by analyst Joey Campbell. The games can be seen on cable channel 17 in Lansing and cable channel 13 on the East Lansing-Meridian cable system. The broadcast starts at 7 p.m. EST.
MSU HEAD COACH RON MASON: MSU head coach Ron Mason (St. Lawrence '64) is in his 22nd season with the Spartans and 35th year as a college hockey mentor. The winningest coach in college hockey history, Mason, who coached in his 900th game at MSU Nov. 10 vs. Northern Michigan, has piloted the Spartans to a 586-257-63 (.682) mark since taking over for the legendary Amo Bessone in 1979. His overall record currently stands at 875-367-77 (.693).
Mason guided MSU to its second NCAA hockey championship in 1986 and his 20 NCAA Tournament appearances are an all-time record. The seven-time Central Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year led the Spartans to league regular-season titles in 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1998 and 1999 and CCHA playoff crowns in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1998 and 2000.
Mason, who won the Spencer Penrose Award as national coach of the year in 1992, has coached 19 Spartans to All-American honors and seen 43 of his former MSU skaters move on to the NHL.
FERRIS STATE AT A GLANCE (3-8-3 overall, 1-7-2 CCHA
THE COACH: Ferris State coach Bob Daniels (Michigan State '82) is in his ninth year as the Bulldogs' head coach. The winningest coach in Ferris State hockey history, Daniels brings a 124-165-29 (.436) into the weekend series with MSU. A 1982 Michigan State graduate, Daniels has coached at three CCHA schools as an assistant - Ferris State (1989-92), Illinois-Chicago (1987-89) and Miami (1986-87).
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS: For the second straight week, MSU plays a team that is winless in its last four outings. Bowling Green entered last weekend's series with the Spartans 0-2-2 in its last four contests. Ferris State comes into this week's set 0-3-1 in its last four games. And while the Falcons were the CCHA's worst offensive team, the Bulldogs are the league's most porous defense, allowing 3.93 goals per game.
The Bulldogs are paced offensively by center Kevin Swider. The senior from Livonia, Mich., leads Ferris State in goals (eight), assists (nine) and points (17) and ranks tied for seventh in the CCHA in scoring entering the weekend. Sophomore forward Chris Kunitz is the only other Ferris State skater who has reached double figures in points this season. He has 5-5--10 in 14 games. Three Bulldogs - wingers Rob Collins (6-3--9) and Phil Lewandowski (2-7--9) and defenseman Jim Dube (1-8--9) - have scored nine points apiece.
Senior goaltender Vince Owen has made 11 starts in goal for Ferris State this season and owns a 3-6-2 record. He enters the weekend series with MSU ranked last in the CCHA in both goals against average (4.08) and saves percentage (.856). Junior Phil Osaer has made three starts and is 0-2-1 with a 3.25 goals against average and a .896 saves percentage.
THE SERIES VS. THE BULLDOGS:
Overall: The Spartans lead the all-time series against Ferris State 49-21-11 (.673).
At Big Rapids: The Spartans are 19-8-6 (.667) all-time vs. FSU at Ewigleben Ice Arena.
At East Lansing: MSU holds a 29-12-4 (.689) edge against the Bulldogs at Munn.
Current Streak: MSU enters Friday's game with a two-game win streak vs. FSU.
Longest MSU Win Streak vs. FSU: 5, three times, MR: Oct. 28, 1997-March, 14, 1998
Longest MSU Unbeaten Streak vs. FSU: 11, (10-0-1), March 10, 1996-March. 5, 1999
Longest MSU Losing Streak vs. FSU: 4, Feb. 20, 1993-Feb. 25, 1994
Longest MSU Winless Streak vs. FSU: 4, twice, MR: (0-4-0), Feb. 20, 1993-Feb. 25, 1994
First Meetings: Dec. 7-8, 1979 - The Bulldogs captured both ends of a home-and-home series with the Spartans. Ferris State won in East Lansing by a 6-3 score before beating MSU in Big Rapids, 4-3, in overtime the next night.
Last Meetings: Oct 29-30, 1999 - The Spartans earned a home-and-home sweep over Ferris State with 4-1 and 4-0 victories.
MSU-FERRIS STATE SERIES NOTES:
* The Spartans are undefeated in their last 13 outings at Ferris State and bring a 10-0-3 mark into Friday's game vs. the Bulldogs in Big Rapids. MSU has not lost at Ewigleben Ice Arena since Oct. 30, 1990, when FSU handed the Spartans a 4-2 defeat.
* MSU is 10-1-2 against Ferris State since the start of the 1996-97 season. During that span, the Spartans have outscored the Bulldogs 54-19 and have held FSU to two or fewer goals in 10 of those meetings, including the last seven straight.
* Ferris State's only two wins against MSU since 1995-96 have come at Munn Ice Arena. The Bulldogs limited the Spartans to just one goal in both of those games.
* Neither current MSU goaltender - Ryan Miller or Joe Blackburn - has lost to Ferris State in their careers. Blackburn is 2-0-1 lifetime against the Bulldogs with a 0.73 goals against average and a .949 saves percentage while Miller blanked FSU, 4-0, at Ewigleben Ice Arena in his third career start on Oct. 30, 1999.
* FSU is one of three CCHA teams against which Spartan captain Rustyn Dolyny is averaging a point per game or better. Dolyny has 7-4--11 in 11 career games against the Bulldogs. He's also better than a point per contest vs. both Alaska-Fairbanks and Northern Michigan.
