Michigan State University Athletics
Mason Aims For 900th Win This Week.
10/15/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 15, 2001
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THIS WEEK
The Michigan State hockey team closes out a four-game, season-opening homestand as the top-ranked Spartans (2-0-1 overall, 2-0-1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) welcome the Ferris State Bulldogs (2-0-0, 0-0-0 CCHA) to Munn Ice Arena for a single game. Faceoff for Saturday's contest is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT.
RADIO
The Ferris State game can be heard live on WJIM-AM 1240. Play-by-play man Scott Moore, in his fifth season as the radio voice of MSU hockey, will call the action. Former Spartan All-American goaltender Joe Blackburn provides color commentary.
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 Ferris State game will not be broadcast live in the greater Lansing area.
MSU INJURY UPDATE (AS OF OCT. 15)
The Spartans report no injuries heading into Saturday's game.
TICKET UPDATE
Only standing-room tickets remain for Saturday's game vs. Ferris State. However, seats are still available for MSU's game vs. Mass.-Amherst at Munn Ice Arena on Nov. 9. Price is $18 for the general public and $8 for MSU students with a valid ID.
A five-game ticket plan can also be purchased for the 2001-02 hockey season. The plan includes games vs. Wisconsin (Nov. 23), Minnesota (Nov. 25), Quinnipiac (Jan. 4-5) and Ferris State (March 2). Cost is $90 for the general public and $40 for MSU students with a valid ID.
For more information on Spartan hockey tickets, contact the MSU ticket office at (517) 355-1610 or 1-800-GO STATE.
THE SPARTANS...
* Would be off to their best start since the 1998-99 season with a win against Ferris State. MSU opened the '98-99 campaign iwith a 5-0-2 mark.
* Bring a 19-game home unbeaten streak into Saturday's game. MSU is 17-0-2 in East Lansing since Oct. 20, 2000.
* Are 24-2-6 in October since 1997.
* Have scored 14 goals in their first three games. It's MSU's best offensive output to start a season since 1996-97, when State notched 17 goals in its first three contests.
* Have 30 wins against the Bulldogs at Munn Ice Arena. The only CCHA teams the Spartans have beaten more in East Lansing are Michigan (52 wins) and Ohio State (33 wins).
* Play Ferris State four times this season. MSU travels to Big Rapids on Tuesday, Jan. 15 and Friday, March 1. The Bulldogs return to East Lansing for the regular-season finale on Saturday, March 2.
THE BULLDOGS...
* Enter Saturday's game with the Spartans with a 2-0-0 record. Ferris State swept Wayne State in a non-conference series last weekend.
* Join the Spartans as the only other CCHA team without a loss excluding Ohio State and Northern Michigan, who have yet to play a regular-season game.
* Have scored two or fewer goals against the Spartans 11 times in the last 12 meetings between the two teams.
* Skated to a scoreless tie with the Spartans in Big Rapids last season. It was the fifth 0-0 draw in MSU history and the third since the 1996-97 season.
* Are coached by Bob Daniels, a 1982 Michigan State graduate. Daniels enters the week with a 136-177-31 (.440) career record in nine-plus season at Ferris State.
THE MSU HEAD COACH
Ron Mason (St. Lawrence '64) is in his 23rd season with the Spartans and 36th year as a college coach. The winningest mentor in college hockey history, Mason has piloted the Spartans to a 610-261-65 (.686) mark since taking over for the legendary Amo Bessone in 1979. His overall record currently stands at 899-371-79 (.696). He guided MSU to its second NCAA hockey championship in 1986 and his 21 NCAA Tournament appearances are an all-time record. Mason also has taken eight teams to the NCAA Frozen Four, including seven Spartan squads.
Mason has more victories at one school than all but two coaches in NCAA hockey history. He's surpassed by only Bob Peters of Bemidji State (703 wins), who retired at the end of the 2000-01 season, and Jack Parker of Boston University (616). His number of wins with the Green and White are more than all but five coaches have during their collegiate careers.
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, 1999 and 2001. He's also guided MSU to CCHA playoff crowns in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1998, 2000 and 2001. The league honored Mason by renaming the CCHA playoff trophy in his honor last year.
Mason, who won the Spencer Penrose Award as national coach of the year in 1992, has coached 20 Spartans to All-American honors and seen 44 of his former MSU skaters move on to the NHL.
THE 4-1-1 ON 900
Mason needs one win to post his 900th career victory. Mason has compiled a 899-371-79 record in 35-plus seasons at Lake Superior State (1966-73), Bowling Green (1973-79) and Michigan State (1979-present). He won his 600th game behind the MSU bench last February.
