Michigan State University Athletics
Spartan Hockey Readies For Western Michigan
1/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 9, 2002
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THIS WEEK
Michigan State (15-4-2 overall, 10-3-1 CCHA) returns to league play as the Spartans take on Western Michigan in a two-game, home-and-home series. Friday's game will be played in East Lansing with Saturday's rematch set for Kalamazoo. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EST both nights.
RADIO
Both of this week's 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
Friday's game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Net Detroit beginning at 7 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. 7)
The Spartans report no injuries heading into this weekend's series vs. Western Michigan.
TICKET UPDATE
Standing-room tickets, priced at $9, are available for all remaining MSU home games. For more information on Spartan hockey tickets, contact the MSU ticket office at (517) 355-1610 or 1-800-GO STATE.
THE SPARTANS... Are in the midst of a 29-game home unbeaten streak (26-0-3) which started Oct. 21, 2000, with a 4-1 win vs. Nebraska-Omaha. It matches the longest home unbeaten streak in school history first set from from Jan. 9, 1998-March 5, 1999, when MSU went 24-0-5 at Munn Ice Arena. Don't lose to the Broncos at Munn Ice Arena too often. MSU is 25-4-5 against WMU in East Lansing. Excluding league newcomer Nebraska-Omaha, only two CCHA schools - Alaska Fairbanks and Ohio State - have fewer wins at Munn. Haven't dropped a home game to Western Michigan since Dec. 11, 1993. MSU is 9-0-3 in their last 12 at Munn Ice Arena against the Broncos. Need one win for their 50th all-time victory against Western Michigan. State has 50 or more wins against six current CCHA members - Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State, Miami, Michigan and Ohio State. MSU has 49 wins vs. WMU and 48 victories against Notre Dame. Have a better chance of beating the Broncos if they can hold Western Michigan under two goals. In the last 20 games between the two teams, MSU is 8-0-1 when giving up less than two goals to WMU and 3-5-3 when allowing two or more goals. Have struggled against the Broncos at Lawson Ice Arena over the past decade or so. MSU is 5-11-1 (.324) against Western Michigan in Kalamazoo since the start of the 1990-91 season.
THE BRONCOS... Enter the weekend series with a 11-6-3 overall record, but are 6-1-2 in non-conference games. The lone loss came against Providence in the first round of the Mariucci Classic in Minneapolis last month. Like the Spartans, will spent a lot of time away from home during the second half of the season. Western Michigan closes the season on with nine of 14 games away from home, including trips to Alaska Fairbanks and Nebraska-Omaha. The Broncos started the year with 13 of its first 16 contests at Lawson Ice Arena. Are 8-0-2 this season when scoring more than four goals. Feature one of the conference's leading scorers in senior forward Mike Bishai. The Edmonton, Alberta, product has 8-16--24 in 18 games and ranks tied for seventh in the CCHA in points. He was third in the nation in scoring last season with in 23-45--68 in 39 games. Boast two local products in junior defenseman and Haslett native Josh Akright and sophomore center Lucas Drake, who hails from Holt. Are the only CCHA team Spartan goaltender Ryan Miller has not beaten or shut out in his two-plus seasons at MSU. Miller is 0-1-2 against Western Michigan with a 2.54 goals against average and a .901 saves percentage.
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 623-265-66 (.688) mark since taking over for the legendary Amo Bessone in 1979. His overall record currently stands at 912-375-80 (.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 (642). 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 National Hockey League.
