MSU Hockey Travels To No. 8 Northern Michigan
12/5/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 5, 2001
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THIS WEEK
Central Collegiate Hockey Association leader Michigan State (10-3-2 overall, 8-3-1 CCHA) closes out the first half of the 2001-02 regular season with a key two-game conference series against Northern Michigan (8-3-1 overall, 6-3-1 CCHA), the nation's eighth-ranked team. Faceoff at the Berry Events Center is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EST both nights.
RADIO
Both games of this weekend's Northern Michigan series can be heard live on the home of Spartan hockey, WVFN-AM 730 "The Fan." Play-by-play man Scott Moore, in his fifth season as the radio voice of MSU hockey, will call the action. He's joined by former Spartan All-American goaltender Joe Blackburn, who 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
This weekend's games will not be televised in the greater Lansing area.
MSU INJURY UPDATE (as of Dec. 3)
The Spartans report no injuries heading into tonight's game vs. Northern Michigan.
MUNN ICE ARENA TICKET UPDATE
Standing-room tickets, priced at $9, are available for all remaining MSU home games. Reserved seating is available for three future games - Jan. 4-5 vs. Quinnipiac and March 2 vs. Ferris State. Cost is $18 for the general public and $8 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... Own a 10-3-2 record against Northern Michigan since the start of the 1997-98 season, the year the Wildcats rejoined the CCHA after a 13-year hiatus. Are 4-5-1 all-time against Northern Michigan in Marquette. The Wildcats are one of two CCHA teams boasting a winning home record against Michigan State. Michigan - 42-62-1 against MSU in Ann Arbor - is the other. Have allowed two or fewer goals in nine of their last 10 wins against Northern Michigan and have given up four or more goals in five of their last six losses to the Wildcats. Are averaging 4.1 goals per game in their 10 wins this season, 3.5 goals in their two ties and 1.67 goals in their three losses. Are 9-0-0 this season when leading after two periods. Since the start of the 1995-96 campaign, MSU is 143-3-8 when holding the lead after 40 minutes of play. Do not play at Munn Ice Arena until Jan. 4 against Quinnipiac and don't play another CCHA game in East Lansing until Jan. 11, when Western Michigan comes to Munn Ice Arena. It's a 39-day span between home games and a 54-day span between conference home games. MSU last hosted a CCHA game Nov. 17 vs. Miami. Are scheduled to play just four games this season on Olympic-sized (200-by-100 feet) ice surfaces - two contests last weekend at Alaska Fairbanks and two this weekend against Northern Michigan in Marquette. Do not venture outside of the Eastern Time Zone for the remainder of the regular-season. In fact, MSU leaves the state of Michigan just twice - going to Columbus to face Ohio State Feb. 1-2 and travelling to Oxford, Ohio for a two-game series against Miami Feb. 22-23.
THE WILDCATS... Rank second in the CCHA in scoring offense (3.50 goals per game) and scoring defense (2.08 gpg). Michigan State leads the conference in both categories. Boast the league's top power-play unit with a .255 (12-47) success rate. The Spartans enter the weekend with the CCHA's best penalty kill at .893 (50-56). Are the fifth ranked opponent the Spartans have faced this season. Michigan, Nebraska-Omaha, Miami and Minnesota are the others. Own a 5-1-1 home record this season with the lone blemishes being a 3-3 tie vs. Bowling Green Oct. 20 and a 5-4 loss to Notre Dame Nov. 2. Are led by sophomore goalie Craig Kowalski, who enters the MSU series with a 8-3-1 record, a .916 saves percentage, a 2.06 goals against average and two shutouts. The Clinton Towship, Mich., native ranks third in the CCHA in GAA and saves percentage, is tied for third in shutouts and is tied for fourth in wins. Have compiled an 8-3-1 record against opponents with a combined 32-45-12 (.427) record. The only teams with winning records Northern Michigan has faced prior to this weekend's series vs. the Spartans are Michigan and Ohio State. Incidentally, the combined record of MSU's opponents so far this season is 68-65-14 (.510). Are the second straight opponent to face the Spartans coming off a bye week. Alaska Fairbanks had two weeks to prepare for MSU prior to its series with the Spartans Nov. 30-Dec. 1.
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 618-264-70 (.686) mark since taking over for the legendary Amo Bessone in 1979. His overall record currently stands at 907-374-80 (.696), with win no. 900 coming Oct. 20 vs. Ferris State at Munn Ice Arena.
Mason guided MSU to its second NCAA hockey championship in 1986 and his 21 NCAA Tournament appearances are an all-time record. He 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 (638). 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 45 of his former MSU skaters move on to the NHL, the latest being Mike Weaver, who was called up by the Atlanta Thrashers from Chicago of the American Hockey League last week.
