Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Continue CCHA Title Chase
2/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 19, 2002
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THIS WEEK
Michigan State plays its final road series of the 2001-02 regular season as the Spartans (21-6-5 overall, 15-5-4 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) meet Miami (11-17-2, 8-14-2 CCHA) in a two-game set at Goggin Ice Arena in Oxford, Ohio. Faceoff is set for 7:35 p.m. EST both nights.
RADIO
This weekend's games, and all MSU home and road contests, can be heard live on 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 as game analyst.
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
Neither game of this weekend's MSU-Miami series will be broadcast in the greater Lansing area.
TICKET UPDATE
Standing-room tickets, priced at $9, are available for MSU's lone remaining regular-season home game vs. Ferris State March 2.
Reserved seating is also available for the Spartans' first-round, best-of-three CCHA playoff series at Munn Ice Arena March 8-10 (Sunday's game will be played if necessary). Tickets are $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.
MSU INJURY UPDATE (as of Feb. 18)
The Spartans report no injuries heading into the weekend series vs. Miami.
THE SPARTANS... Have won six in a row vs. Miami entering the weekend. It's MSU's longest win streak against the RedHawks since the Spartans reeled off 14 consecutive victories from Jan. 9, 1988-Jan. 17, 1992. Come into the weekend set at Miami having posted four straight shutouts against the RedHawks (Jan. 19-20, 2001 and Nov. 16-17, 2001), marking the only time in school history the Spartans have blanked the same opponent four times in a row. Have recorded consecutive shutouts against the same foe 13 times in school history - five of which have come against Miami. Have given up 12 goals to the RedHawks in the last 14 meetings between the two teams dating back to the start of the 1997-98 season. MSU has scored 48 goals during that span. Were swept by the RedHawks in their last visit to Goggin Ice Arena Nov. 19-20, 1999. State has lost just six times in 29 visits to Oxford.
THE REDHAWKS... Enter the weekend series with the Spartans with a four-game losing streak in tow. The skid matches Miami's longest losing stretch of the season. Have lost six of their last seven and are 3-8-1 since the Christmas break. Miami has posted five wins in its 20 games, a span that started with a pair of shutouts against MSU at Munn Ice Arena Nov. 16-17. Have been on the short end of a school-record six shutouts this season. The previous school mark was four, set in 1995-96 and matched last season. Are 1-13-0 when trailing after two periods this season. The Spartans, meanwhile, are 20-0-2 when leading after 40 minutes of play in 2001-02. Are paced offensively by senior Jason Deskins, who has eight goals and 20 assists for 28 points in 30 games this season. The Warren, Mich., native has 123 career points - good for a 15th-place tie on Miami's all-time scoring list with current head coach Enrico Blasi.
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 629-267-69 (.688) mark since taking over for the legendary Amo Bessone in 1979. His overall record currently stands at 918-377-83 (.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 (648). 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.
