Michigan State University Athletics
Miller Finalist For Hobey Baker Award
3/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 14, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State goaltender Ryan Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) is one of 10 finalists for the 2002 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, presented annually to college hockey's top player. The group of finalists, determined by a ballot of all 60 Division I college hockey coaches and by a fan vote, was announced Thursday by Hobey Baker Award Committee officials in St. Paul, Minn.
The junior netminder enters this week's CCHA "Super Six" Championship with a 25-7-5 record, a 1.75 goals against average, a .937 saves percentage and eight shutouts, extending his NCAA record for career whitewashes to 26 in the process. He leads the nation's netminders in wins and shutouts and ranks third in goals against average, saves percentage and minutes played. In CCHA play, Miller was 18-6-4 and led the league with a 1.64 goals against average and a .941 saves percentage, and his eight blankings of conference foes in 2001-02 is one short of the conference record for shutouts in a season he set last year.
Miller became the second goaltender and second Spartan to win the Hobey Baker Award in 2001 after posting a 31-5-4 record, a 1.32 goals against average, a .950 saves percentage and 10 shutouts. His cousin, Kip, earned the Hobey in 1990. MSU has had at least one Hobey Baker finalist in each of the last five seasons - Chad Alban (1998), Mike York (1998 and 1999), Shawn Horcoff (2000) and Miller (2001 and 2002).
Other Hobey Baker Award finalists in addition to Miller are Minnesota defenseman Jordan Leopold, New Hampshire forward Darren Haydar, St. Cloud State forward Mark Hartigan, forward Rob Collins from Ferris State, Iona forward Ryan Carter, forward Marc Cavosie of Rensselaer, Denver goaltender Wade Dubielewicz, Northeastern defenseman Jim Fahey and defenseman Doug Murray of Cornell.
The list of finalists will be pared to three by the 24 members of the Hobey Baker Selection Committee and by a fan vote at www.voteforhobey.com March 26. The 2002 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner will be announced April 5 in St. Paul, Minn.
