Future Spotlight
12/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 12, 2002
By Stuart McComish
East Lansing, Michigan - It's an old axiom in sports that you can't teach size, and in the case of Rangers forward prospect Lee Falardeau, that's an area that he won't need much instruction in.
Falardeau, a 6'4.5", 211-pound sophomore from Michigan State, was the Rangers' second round pick, 33rd overall, in last June's NHL Draft.
"The first thing you look at is his size," says Spartan assistant coach Tom Newton. "He definitely is a physical presence in the game and when he is most effective he is a player that works very hard at closing gaps and finishing checks. He is very tough on loose pucks and he can be a tough guy to play against. He is a tough, in-your-face defensive centerman."
"I think my size helps me a lot, especially down in the corners and in my own end," says the 19-year-old Midland, Michigan native. "It gives me a chance to overpower guys and outposition them for the puck. My reach helps me quite a bit, especially killing penalties. I think one of my strongest suits is my work on the penalty kill."
Falardeau has scored two goals and four points in 15 games this season for the Spartans, who have a 4-5-0 record in conference play and an overall record of 7-7-1. "Things are going pretty well so far," he says. "We struggled at the beginning, but we are starting to come together."
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