Michigan State University Athletics
Hockey Prepares To Meet BC In NCAA Tournament
3/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 20, 2000
#5 SPARTAN HOCKEY vs.
#4 BOSTON COLLEGE
Date & Time Friday, March 24, 8:30 p.m. CST
Site Mariucci Arena (9,700)
Tickets A limited number of tickets are available at the MSU Athletic Ticket Office. More are available by calling Minnesota at 800-U-GOPHER. Tickets are $50 each and cover all four games of the regional. Single-day tickets, if available, may go on sale later in the week.
Storyline #5 seed Michigan State looks to make a return trip to the NCAA Frozen Four, but has to beat Boston College and Wisconsin in the NCAA West Regional first.
Last Weekend Michigan State became the first team to shut out both its CCHA semifinal and final opponents, defeating Notre Dame, 4-0, and Nebraska Omaha, 6-0, en route to its ninth CCHA playoff title.
The Records
MSU: 27-10-4 (18-8-2 CCHA)
BC: 26-11-1 (15-8-1 HEA)
WIS: 31-8-1 (23-5-0 WCHA)
The Coaches
MSU: Ron Mason -- Overall: 864-364-74 (34th), MSU: 575-255-60 (21st)
BC: Jerry York -- Overall: 590-435-53 (28th), BC: 123-90-19 (sixth)
WIS: Jeff Sauer -- Overall: 617-497-48 (29th), WIS: 451-271-38 (38th)
On the air At least 24 Michigan State games will be shown on live TV this year. NCAA Productions will broadcast this weekend's games, with Sean Grande and Tom Reid calling the action. WKAR-TV 23 in East Lansing will pick up the broadcast live Friday night and, if MSU wins, Saturday as well. Midwest SportsChannel and FOX Sports New England will also carry both games this weekend.
RADIO UPDATE: FRIDAY'S SPARTAN GAME CAN BE HEARD ON WJIM-AM 1240, with Scott Moore calling the play-by-play. Volunteer assistant coach Jim Mullin provides analysis. That broadcast is also available free of charge on the web at http://www.broadcast.com/sports/ncaa/MichiganState
Note of the Night
No sense making it close - Michigan State won its record ninth CCHA Tournament in dominating fashion, outscoring opponents 21-3 in the four games (an average of 5.25 to 0.75) and recording the largest margin of victory in championship game history. MSU is the first team to shut out its opponents in the CCHA semifinals and final in the same year.
Five More Notes No Media Person Should Be Without
1. Streaking - Michigan State enters the NCAA Tournament with a five-game winning streak, a seven-game unbeaten streak (5-0-2) and a 9-1-2 record in its last 12 games. Only St. Lawrence (eight-game winning streak) and Maine (five-game winning streak, 12-game unbeaten streak) enter the NCAAs on as much of a roll as the Spartans.
2. Mr. Zero - Freshman goaltender Ryan Miller earned CCHA Tournament Most Valuable Player honors last weekend after posting his seventh and eighth shutouts of the season, the most of any goaltender in the history of the CCHA or WCHA. He has posted a shutout in more than one-third of his 23 starts and already ranks second on the MSU career shutout chart, trailing only Chad Alban's 12 from 1994-98. Miller is 4-0-0 in the postseason with a 0.75 goals-against average and a .964 save percentage.
3. Caution: explosive - Michigan State has had one period with at least three goals in each of its last five games.
4. Power surge - Michigan State is seventh in the nation and first in the CCHA in power play (22.8 percent). MSU has scored at least one power-play goal in 15 straight games (25.8 percent, 24-for-93 in that time), the longest streak with at least one PPG at MSU since a 24-game stretch from Nov. 23, 1991, to Feb. 22, 1992.
5. Natural born killers - Michigan State leads the nation in penalty killing (89.5 percent). The Spartans have killed off 16 straight short-handed situations, including all 15 in the CCHA Tournament, and have scored three short-handed goals in that time.
Who Needs the Frozen Four With These Three Teams Together?
Those are good teams - The bracket of Michigan State, Boston College and Wisconsin has combined for 84 wins this season, the most of any of the groups of three teams.
Half of Hobey - The Spartans' bracket includes half of the 10 Hobey Baker finalists in MSU's Shawn Horcoff, Wisconsin's Steve Reinprecht and BC's Jeff Farkas, Brian Gionta and Mike Mottau.
Yeah, but they've lost 1,296 - The Spartans' bracket features three coaches who have combined for 2,071 victories.
Looking out for No. 1 - The Spartans' bracket features the preseason No. 1 (Boston College) and the team which has been No. 1 for most of the year (Wisconsin).
Horcoff For Hobey
Senior center and Hobey Baker candidate Shawn Horcoff is second in the nation with 62 points and first with 49 assists. Some more Horcoff notes (visit www.msuspartans.com/shawnhorcoff for more):
. the only player in history to win five CCHA individual awards in one season
. has had a hand in 45.6 percent of MSU's goals, the highest percentage in the nation
. has a three-game goal-scoring streak and a 10-game point-scoring streak
. had 1-1-2 in both the CCHA semifinals and final, earning all-tournament honors
. has 62 points, the most at MSU in the last six years
. has been on the ice for 60.3 percent of MSU's goals (82 of 136)
. leads team in scoring by 24 points (62 to Adam Hall's 36), the largest margin at MSU since 1985-86 (when Mike Donnelly had 97 points and Kevin Miller had 71)
. he leads the team at +23 and was named the CCHA Best Defensive Forward
More of the Boys ...
Y ask y? - Junior right wing Rustyn Dolyny has 10 goals and nine assists (19 points) in his last 15 games, including at least a goal in each of the last five games. After scoring 12 of his first 14 goals this year in special-teams situations, he has scored each of his last three goals in five-on-five situations.
Second-half Hutch - Sophomore defenseman Andrew Hutchinson has 14 of his 15 points this year since Christmas, including 1-2-3 last weekend to earn all-tournament honors. He has 2-7-9 in his last eight games and is tied for the team lead in playoff scoring with 2-4-6 in four games.
Patch things up - JR LW Sean Patchell has a point in four of the last five games and is tied for fourth on the Spartans in playoff scoring (2-3-5). Patchell, with a career-high 19 points, has nearly quadrupled his point total from last season (3-2-5 in 40 games).
Hall of fame - SO RW Adam Hall leads the CCHA and is 10th nationally with 25 goals, including five in the last six games and one in each game last weekend. Hall has eight goals in nine career postseason games.
You'll be Glad you read this - FR LW Brian Maloney, who leads all Spartan rookies in goals (12) and points (30), has a seven-game point-scoring streak (1-8-9). He is enjoying his best offensive month in March and is third on the team in scoring with 0-8-8 in six games.
In good company - SR D Mike Weaver, two-time winner of the CCHA Best Defensive Defenseman award, is just MSU's fifth two-time first-team All-CCHA selection. He joins Ron Scott, three-time selection Don McSween, Kip Miller and Anson Carter.
Heroic Hodgey - In the seven games since SR D Mike Weaver was injured at Michigan Feb. 25 (although he has since returned to action), SR D Brad Hodgins has a +10 rating and three assists.
Post-it Notes
Natural born killers II - Michigan State (89.5 percent) and Boston College (89.3 percent) are the top two penalty killing teams in the country.
Go east, young men - Michigan State has not played against a Hockey East team yet this season. The Spartans were 1-1-0 against Hockey East programs last year, beating UMass-Amherst and falling to New Hampshire in the NCAA semifinals.
Commonality - Boston College and Michigan State do have two common opponents from this season in Bowling Green and Minnesota. MSU had a 3-0 record against those two teams, while BC was 2-1.
Not bubble boys - Mariucci Arena features an Olympic-sized ice surface, as MSU will make its fourth appearance of the season on a large ice surface Friday. The Spartans are 2-1 on big ice, losing the season opener at Colorado College and sweeping a pair at Alaska Fairbanks.
A classy class - Michigan State's senior class (Brody Brandstatter, Mike Gresl, Brad Hodgins, Shawn Horcoff and Mike Weaver) has assured itself of finishing with the fewest losses for one class in Michigan State history. MSU is 112-35-20 (.731) over the past four years, while the class of 1987 previously had the fewest losses in a four-year period with 37. The class of '87 is safe with the record of most wins in four years, however, with 139.
Three is the key - Michigan State is 25-1-1 when it scores at least three goals and 2-9-3 when it scores fewer than three goals.
Blue line=red light - Michigan State defensemen have combined for 27 goals this season after scoring 13 all of last year.
Buzzer beaters - Michigan State has outscored opponents 12-2 in the last minute of a period this year, including 6-0 in the four CCHA Tournament games.
Who said first one to one wins? - Michigan State is 4-3-2 in its last nine games when its opponent scores first (since Jan. 13) after starting the season 1-6-0 when its opponent scored first.
INJURY REPORT - Fr. F Pat Brush (left knee injury, out for the season), Fr. D Mike Porter (left shoulder injury, out for the season).
A win for the good guys - Ron's J.V., an intramural team made up of Spartan Hockey staff members, posted a dramatic, come-from-behind 8-7 victory over an unknown opponent Monday night. In a game that lasted until the early morning hours Tuesday, student equipment manager Bill Scott led the way with five goals, while student video coordinator Joe Ford added three. Videographer Dave Ellis owns one of the most impressive 7.00 goals-against averages you will ever see.
Fries at the bottom of the bag - MSU is 27-2-3 in games it has led at one point and 5-10-2 in games it has trailed at one point ... MSU is outscoring opponents 8-1 in four-on-four action this year ... 15 different players have combined for MSU's 27 game-winning goals ... Mike York (23 goals through Sunday), Anson Carter (22) and Bryan Smolinski (20) are the top three NHL goal scorers this season among former CCHA players ... MSU has been in the nation's top 10 for 66 consecutive weeks ... one of Hobart Amory Hare Baker's middle names is spelled incorrectly on his Hockey Hall of Fame plaque ("Amery") ... 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 title came when the Frozen Four was in Providence, R.I., as it is this season.
SERIES INFORMATION vs. BOSTON COLLEGE:
. 20th meeting: MSU leads, 14-4-1
. in NCAA Tournament: MSU leads, 7-1-0
. First meeting: MSU 6, BC 0 (12/28/58)
. Last meeting: BC 4, MSU 3 (10/25/96, MSU met BC in Chestnut Hill on Oct. 25, 1996, when this year's seniors were freshmen. Blake Bellefeuille's second goal of the game with 22 seconds remaining lifted BC to a 4-3 win)
. Last MSU win: MSU 5, BC 2 (10/13/95, Great Western Freeze-Out)
. Last NCAA meeting: MSU 5, BC 4 OT (3/26/89, MSU won the series two games to one at Munn Ice Arena)
. SR D Brad Hodgins scored his first collegiate goal against BC, the only current Spartan with a career point vs. the Eagles
vs. WISCONSIN
. MSU leads, 41-36-2
. NCAA Tournament: MSU trails, 0-1-0 (3/24/95, first round, 5-3 Wisconsin win in Madison, Badgers came back from 3-1 MSU lead early in the second period)
. In Minnesota: MSU leads, 2-0-0
. First meeting: MSU 9, WIS 2 (12/11/64)
. Last meeting: WIS 5, MSU 1 (11/26/99, Wisconsin handed MSU its worst loss of this season, 5-1, on Nov. 26 at Munn Arena. Dany Heatley had a hat trick to lead the Badgers.)
. MSU has won five of the last six and seven of the last nine meetings
NCAA Tournament Note of the Night
History lesson - Michigan State has faced Boston College eight times in the NCAA Tournament, more than any other team.
Five More NCAA Notes No Media Person Should Be Without
1. We'd like it to repeat itself - Michigan State owns a 7-1 record in NCAA Tournament games against Boston College. That's the second-best record for the Spartans among teams they have faced more than once (4-0 vs. Maine).
2. More history we like - Every time Michigan State has met Boston College in the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans have advanced to the Frozen Four (1959, '84, '86, '89). The 1959 meeting was already in the semifinals, while the '84 and '86 meetings were in two-game, total-goals series and the '89 meeting was a best-of-three first-round series.
3. Making advances - Michigan State has made the NCAA Tournament for the 20th time, the fifth-best total of any school. The Spartans have been in the tournament in 17 of the last 19 years and seven straight seasons, the second-best active streak and eighth-best all-time.
4. Planting seeds - Michigan State is a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, despite winning the CCHA Tournament and posting the best winning percentage and RPI in the conference. Some other seeding notes:
. only one other time has a major conference (CCHA, ECAC, Hockey East, WCHA) had their regular season and playoff champion both seeded lower than fourth (fifth-seeded Yale and sixth-seeded Princeton from the ECAC in 1998)
. only one other time has a playoff champion from a major conference with at least 27 wins been seeded lower than third (fourth-seeded Bowling Green in 1988)
. the CCHA has the second-best record as a conference (29-23, .558), trailing only Hockey East (29-20, .592) since the regional, single-elimination format was adopted in 1992
. the CCHA is the only conference with at least one semifinalist every year since 1992
5. Did somebody break a mirror that day? - Last year's dramatic victory over Colorado College which sent MSU to its first Frozen Four since 1992 came seven years to the day after the Spartans' last NCAA Tournament victory, a 3-2 decision over Maine on March 28, 1992.
Did You Know?
More seed stuff - Michigan State is 2-3 in its first-round game as a No. 5 seed.
Who is the dean here? - Ron Mason is making his 20th appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a head coach, the most all-time. He is second in all-time tournament victories with 21, two shy of Boston University's Jack Parker.
Twin cities memories - Michigan State is 3-3 all-time in NCAA Tournament games played in Minneapolis or St. Paul, Minn., including capturing the national championship in 1966.
Hoops on fire - Last year Michigan State became just the second school to have its men's basketball team reach the Final Four and hockey team reach the Frozen Four in the same season. Michigan is the only other school to do it, and the Wolverines accomplished it on three occasions (1964, '92 and '93). No school has ever had its men's basketball team and hockey team reach the NCAA championship game in the same season.
This note stinks - Michigan State is 0-5 in NCAA Tournament games played on March 24.
SEASON NOTES
(If you've been with us all season, you've probably seen these notes...if not, we hope they help)
Three years at the top - Michigan State has had more All-Americans in 1997-98 and '98-99 (seven) than any other team in college hockey. The Spartans also have the best record in college hockey over the last three years:
1. Michigan State 89-22-16 (.764) 2. North Dakota 90-26-8 (.758) 3. New Hampshire 79-27-10 (.724) 4. Michigan 85-31-11 (.713) 5. Boston College 81-32-10 (.699)
Terrific tandem - JR Joe Blackburn (11-6-1) and FR Ryan Miller (16-4-3) are only the second MSU goaltending tandem to both win 10 games in a season. Bob Essensa and Norm Foster each won over 10 games in each of their four seasons at MSU (1983-87).
Shutout city - Michigan State has posted nine shutouts on the year as a team (eight by Ryan Miller, one by Joe Blackburn). That shatters the old school record of six set by the 1997-98 team. MSU has also set a CCHA record with six shutouts in league games, snapping a mark set by three teams with five each.
Balancing act - Twelve Spartans are in double-figures in scoring, one more than last season.
Gentlemen, please remove your hats - Michigan State players have combined for 34 career two-goal games, but no current Spartan has a collegiate hat trick to his credit.
Lap of luxury - In January Munn Ice Arena, home of 253 consecutive regular-season sellouts, completed its biggest renovation since opening in 1974. Luxury boxes, club seating and a new press box were added to the facility. Fourteen luxury suites (eight 12-seat suites, six eight-seat suites) are above the north concourse, while a 150-seat club seating area and the new press box are above the south concourse.
Guiding goalies - Since MSU joined the CCHA in 1981-82, every one of Ron Mason's regular starting goaltenders (including both this season) has earned first- or second-team all-league honors at some point during their career. MSU has had nine All-American goaltenders since 1959.
Everybody's All-Americans - JR G Joe Blackburn and SR D Mike Weaver are the only two returning All-Americans in the CCHA or WCHA. Blackburn was a first-team All-America last year after establishing school and conference records for goals-against average and save percentage. Weaver was a second-team All-America selection.
Pro producer - Bryan Adams (Atlanta Thrashers) recently became the 42nd former Spartan who has played under Ron Mason to reach the NHL.
Start me up - Michigan State's 10-game winning streak to open the CCHA season was its best conference start all-time. MSU trailed for a total of seven minutes, 36 seconds in the 10 games.
We need goals - Michigan State has been held to two goals or fewer in nine of its 10 losses this year.
Not just a hockey school - For the first time in school history, Michigan State's hockey, basketball and football teams were all ranked in the top 10 in the nation from November to January.
Not just a hockey school II - Every Michigan State hockey, basketball and football regular-season home game was sold out in the 1999-2000 school year.
SAY THIS ABOUT OUR PLAYERS ...
2 . Jon Insana (So., D) . a strong defensive defenseman who has played with Mike Weaver for two years . MSU's Most Improved Player a year ago
4 . John-Michael Liles (Fr., D) . leads MSU defensemen with 7-19-26 . selected for the U.S. National Junior Team, but missed the tournament with an injury . has 19 of his 26 points at home . twice has had 3 points in a period
5 . Mike Weaver (Sr., D) . just the 5th 2-time 1st-team All-CCHA pick in MSU history . 2-time CCHA Best Defensive Defenseman . suffered a right knee sprain Feb. 25 at Michigan and missed 4 games
7 . Brad Hodgins (Sr., D) . leader among MSU defensemen in career points with 15-55-70 . 5 of 7 goals and 12 of 17 points have come at home . 10th in career penalty minutes at MSU
9 . Sean Patchell (Jr., W) . has nearly quadrupled last year's point total (3-2-5) with 9-10-19 through 41 games . 17 of his 19 points have come in the 1st or 2nd period
10 . Shawn Horcoff (Sr., C) . won an unprecedented five individual CCHA awards . 2nd in nation in points (62) and 1st in assists (49), he has a hand in 45.6% of MSU's goals (62 of 136) . leads team in scoring by 24 points, the biggest margin since 1985-86, when Mike Donnelly had 97 and Kevin Miller had 71 . leads team with +23 rating
12 . Steve Jackson (Fr., RW) . joined team in January and scored first goal in his second game
14 . Damon Whitten (Jr., LW) . 5th on team with career-high 10 goals . 22 of 24 points in the 1st or 2nd period . MSU is 15-1-1 when he has a point and 0-3-0 without him in the lineup
16 . Kris Koski (Fr., W) . 1st career goal was the game-winner in the Great Lakes Invitational title game
17 . Troy Ferguson (Fr., C) . scored 3 goals in CCHA 1st round after totaling 2 goals in the regular season
18 . Adam Hall (So., RW) . 1st in the CCHA and 10th nationally with 25 goals . has 31 goals in last 44 games . has eight goals in nine career postseason games . captained the U.S. National Junior Team . has scored MSU's first goal team-high 7 times and the GWG a CCHA-high 6 times
19 . Rustyn Dolyny (Jr., C/RW) . has 10-9-19 in last 15 games . has had 26 of his 36 points and 12 of his 17 goals on special teams . has scored 1st goal of the game a team-high five times . 2nd on team with 18 1st-period points
20 . Brian Maloney (Fr., LW) . leads MSU rookies with 12 goals and 30 points and has 2-9-11 in last 10 games . CCHA Rookie of the Week March 13
21 . John Nail (Jr., RW) . enjoying best offensive season (4-9-13)
22 . Andrew Bogle (Jr., C) . had his 5th goal of year in CCHA finals
24 . Andrew Hutchinson (So., D) . has 14 of his 15 points since Dec. 28
26 . Joe Goodenow (So., C/LW) . returned Jan. 29 after a hip injury . 6th on team with 1-3-4 in the playoffs
27 . Brad Fast (Fr., D) . 3rd among MSU d-men with 5-9-14 . 1-2-3 (with GWG) vs. BGSU Nov. 13
30 . Joe Blackburn (Jr., G) . returning 1st-team All-American who has split time with rookie Ryan Miller . set CCHA and MSU single-season records in GAA and save pct. last year . owns the best career GAA (1.81) and save percentage (.918) in MSU history . has four career shutouts (one this year)
39 . Ryan Miller (Fr., G) . has split time in net with Blackburn, with NCAA-leading 1.36 GAA . CCHA Tourney MVP (two shutouts) . tied Blackburn's CCHA GAA record (.934) and broke record for save pct. (.941) . first MSU goalie ever to post three straight shutouts and broke Ron Scott' s school-record shutout streak (Miller's record: 191:54) . set MSU shutout record (eight) and tied the CCHA record (five) . cousin of Kelly, Kevin and Kip Miller
