Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Hockey Readies For Key Game With Michigan
1/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
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Michigan State closes out its current three-game road swing as the Spartans (17-5-2 overall, 12-4-1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) travel to Ann Arbor to face Michigan (13-7-4 overall, 10-4-3 CCHA) in a key conference match Saturday. Faceoff at Yost Ice Arena is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. EST.
RADIO
The game vs. Michigan - and all MSU hockey games - 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
The MSU-Michigan game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Net Detroit beginning at 7:30 p.m. Ken Daniels will handle play-by-play duties and is joined by analyst Fred Pletsch and rinkside reporter Shireen Saski.
MSU INJURY UPDATE (as of Jan. 16)
OUT: Lee Falardeau (sprained left knee, out 2-3 weeks)
Steve Jackson (sprained left thumb, out 2-4 weeks)
MAN-GAMES LOST TO INJURY: 2
THE SPARTANS... Enter the game at Michigan with a four-game unbeaten streak against the Wolverines (3-0-1). MSU hasn't gone five straight games vs. UM without a loss since Dec. 11, 1988-Dec. 10, 1989, when the Spartans reeled off five victories in a row. Have won just three times in their last 10 trips to Yost Ice Arena dating back to Nov. 9, 1990. State is 3-7-0 in Ann Arbor during that span. Blanked the Wolverines 1-0 in their last visit to Yost Ice Arena on Nov. 4, 2000. Ryan Miller turned aside all 33 shots he faced en route to his first shutout of the 2000-01 season and the first MSU whitewash of Michigan in Ann Arbor since Dec. 9, 1988. Need a win at Michigan to get above the .500 mark on the road for the first time this season. MSU comes into the game with a 4-4-0 record on the road. Are 11-2-0 when holding the Wolverines to two or fewer goals since the start of the 1996-97 season. MSU is 2-4-3 against UM during that same span when allowing three or more goals. Are in the midst of a stretch during which they play eight straight games against teams with records at or better than .500 - Western Michigan, Ferris State, Michigan and Ohio State. Notre Dame (currently 8-9-5) and Miami (9-11-2) could be above the Mendoza Line when MSU plays them next month.
THE WOLVERINES... Enter the MSU game as the nation's eighth-ranked team according to the most recent U.S. College Hockey Online and USA Today/American Hockey Magazine polls with a 13-7-4 overall record an a 10-4-3 mark in conference play, but are 3-2-2 in their last seven. Are 4-4-1 at home this season including two losses to Northern Michigan in October, a series split vs. Alaska Fairbanks last weekend and single victories against Ferris State and Western Michigan. Close the regular-season with 10 home games and just two road contests - at Lake Superior State (Jan. 31) and at Western Michigan (March 2). Michigan also plays neutral-site games vs. Lake Superior State (Feb. 1) and Michigan State (Feb. 16) at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Have gotten at least seven points from eight of the 11 freshmen on their roster this season. The Spartans, meanwhile, have had seven of eight newcomers pick up at least seven points with the lone exception being goaltender Matt Migliaccio. May be in the enviable position of playing NCAA Tournament games in their own barn. Yost Ice Arena is the site of the 2002 and 2003 NCAA West Regional. This year's West Regional is set for March 22 and 23. The 2002 NCAA East Regional takes place in Worcester, Mass. March 23 and 24
