Michigan State University Athletics
Liles, Fast and Slater Named To All-CCHA First Team
3/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 12, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Senior defensemen John-Michael Liles (Zionsville, Ind.) and Brad Fast (Fort St. John, B.C.) and sophomore forward Jim Slater (Lapeer, Mich.) were Michigan State's representatives on the 2003 All-CCHA First Team, as announced by the league today. The league's 12 coaches vote for the All-CCHA teams.
Liles, who also was an All-CCHA First Team selection in 2002 and an All-CCHA Second Team honoree in 2001, paces CCHA rearguards in scoring with 16 goals and 29 assists for 45 points in 36 games. His 45 points leads the Spartans in scoring and ranked tied for fourth in the CCHA overall scoring race. In addition, he leads the nation in points per game by a blueliner (1.25). In his last 11 contests, Liles has posted seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points, an average of 1.7 points per game. He is the quarterback of the Spartan power play and paces the team with 25 power play points, including a team-best eight power play markers.
"It's an honor to be selected to the All-CCHA team, but I have to give credit to my teammates," said Liles. "Without them, I definitely would not have had a chance to receive an honor like this. (Brad) Fast and I play very well together and he has helped me bring my game to another level. It's nice to get individual awards, but it is a team effort to earn them."
 Senior captain Brad Fast earned CCHA First Team honors for the first time in his career. Fast ranks second on MSU in scoring with 11-30--41 totals.  | |
Fast, who earned All-CCHA honorable mention honors in 2002, carries a career-best 11-game point streak (2-16-18) into Friday's first-round playoff game against Alaska Fairbanks. He currently ranks second on the team in scoring with 11 goals and 30 assists for 41 points in 36 contests. He is seventh in the CCHA in scoring and second among CCHA blueliners in total points behind teammate John-Michael Liles. In addition, he ranks third in the nation in points per game among defensemen (1.14). MSU's team captain ranks second on the squad in power play points with 22, including five power play markers.
"It's an honor and I'm very thrilled to be named to the All-CCHA first team, especially to be named with (John-Michael) Liles," said Fast. "I thought we put up some pretty good numbers and really helped our team turn things around in the second half. To be named to a team like this is just a bonus of our team's second-half success."
"John-Michael and Brad are both critical components of this hockey program," commented MSU head coach Rick Comley. "Since Christmas, they have really settled down and the quality of their play has really gone up. I think in the first half of the year they were really trying to do too much. Their ice time has really increased in the second half and that has clamed them down.
"Both players are having outstanding years. John-Michael is a good as anyone in the country, offensively and Brad Fast is tremendous captain for us. They are one of the best pairs of defensemen that I have ever coached."
Fast and Liles selection to the All-CCHA First Team marks just the fourth time in the league's history and the first time since the 1984-85 season that the two defensemen from the same school earned all-league first team honors. MSU was the last team to accomplish that feat with Gary Haight and Don McSween both earning all-league first-team honors.
 Sophomore forward Jim Slater, who ranks third on MSU in scoring with 40 points, was selected to the All-CCHA First Team. | |
Slater, who was a member of the 2002 CCHA All-Rookie Team, is making his first appearance on the all-league team. He is third on the team in scoring with 16 goals and 24 assists for 40 points in 34 games. His 40 points rank eighth in the CCHA overall scoring race. He registered his first career hat trick last Saturday (March 8) in MSU's 8-5 victory over Western Michigan. In addition, he became the first player since 1996 to tally five points in a game when he added a goal and four assists in a 7-0 shutout of Nebraska-Omaha on Jan. 18, 2003.
"It's a tremendous honor to be placed in that category with the other players in our league," said Slater. "It's great for the league and great for Michigan State to have three players named to the first team. I'm very happy for Brad Fast and John-Michael Liles - I think they deserved it more than anyone. It's a well-respected honor and one that I am going to take with me, but our team needs to focus on the playoffs right now. I want to thank my coaches, my teammates, the training and equipment staffs - I would not have been able to do it without them."
"Jim Slater has played very well all season," said Comley. "He is one of our most dangerous forwards as he has speed, size, toughness and plays with a great amount of intensity. He is very determined and can play in a lot of different situations, and that makes him a very special player."
Liles (45 points), Fast (41 points) and Slater (40 points) have all hit the 40-point plateau for the season, becoming the first Spartan players to score 40 or more points in a season since 1997-98 when Mike York (27-34-61), Sean Berens (36-19-55) and Rustyn Dolyny (20-24-44) each surpassed that mark.
It marks the first time since the 1997-98 season that Michigan State had three first-team selections when goalie Chad Alban, defenseman Tyler Harlton and forward Sean Berens earned that distinction.
Sophomore netminder Matt Migliaccio (Wyandotte, Mich.) was among the other players who received votes. Migliaccio, who leads the CCHA with five shutouts, has posted a 19-9-2 overall mark along with a 2.58 goals-against average and a .914 saves percentage.
No. 15 Michigan State (21-13-2 overall, 17-10-1) opens the first round of the CCHA playoffs with a best of three home series vs. Alaska Fairbanks this Friday (March 14).
2002-03 CCHA All-Conference Teams
First TeamPosition Name, Year, School First TotalsForward Chris Kunitz, SR, Ferris State 11 55Forward R.J. Umberger, JR, Ohio State 11 55Forward Jim Slater, SO, Michigan State 5 38Defense Brad Fast, SR, Michigan State 10 53Defense John-Michael Liles, SR, MSU 10 53Goaltender Mike Brown, SO, Ferris State 9 48
Second TeamPosition Name, Year, School First TotalsForward Jeff Legue, SO, Ferris State 3 35Forward Mike Kompon, JR, Miami 2 26Forward Jeff Tambellini, FR, Michigan 1 22Defense Troy Milam, SR, Ferris State 3 37Defense Simon Mangos, JR, Ferris State 1 18Goaltender Mike Betz, JR, Ohio State 3 30
Vote Values: 1st place = 5, 2nd place = 3, 3rd place = 1
Honorable Mention (next six point totals, regardless of position with first team votes in parentheses): Chris Gobert, SR, F, Northern Michigan, 17; Derek Nesbitt, SO, F, Ferris State, 17; Dave Cousineau, SR, D, Western Michigan, 17; Greg Zanon, SR, D, Nebraska-Omaha, 14; Dana Lattery, JR, F, Western Michigan, (1) 13; Mike Stutzel, SR, F, Northern Michigan, (1) 13; Al Montoya, FR, G, Michigan, 11.
Others receiving votes: Forwards - Jed Ortmeyer, SR, Michigan, 9; Scott May, JR, Ohio State, (1) 6; Rob Globke, JR, Notre Dame, 5; David Brisson, SR, Nebraska-Omaha, 3; Greg Hogeboom, JR, Miami, 3; Ryan Kesler, FR, Ohio State, 3; John Wroblewski, SR, ND, 3; Ryan Campbell, JR, Alaska Fairbanks, 1. Defense - Evan Nielsen, SR, Notre Dame, 6; Neil Komadoski, JR, Notre Dame, 6; Brandon Rogers, SO, Michigan, 5; Kevin Bieksa, JR, Bowling Green, 3; Felipe Larranaga, JR, Alaska Fairbanks, 3; Mike Jarmuth, JR, Western Michigan, 1. Goaltenders - Jordan Sigalet, SO, Bowling Green, 7; Matt Migliaccio, SO, Michigan State, 5; Craig Kowalski, JR, Northern Michigan, 4; Matt Violin, SO, Lake Superior, 3.
