Hockey Sweeps CCHA Weekly Awards
2/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 23, 2004
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. - Michigan State hockey picked up a clean sweep for the Feb. 23 CCHA Player of the Week awards as three Spartans earned weekly honors after MSU posted 3-0 and 5-0 wins over Nebraska-Omaha (Feb. 20-21). Junior captain Jim Slater (Lapeer, Mich.) earned Offensive Player of the Week honors; freshman netminder Dominic Vicari (Clinton Township, Mich.) picked up Defensive Player of the Week accolades; and freshman forward Tommy Goebel (Parma, Ohio) was selected as the CCHA Rookie of the Week.
Slater finished with five points (one goal, four assists) in MSU's two-game sweep of UNO. He tallied a goal and an assist in Friday's 3-0 win, and set up MSU's second, third and fourth goals in Saturday's 5-0 victory. It marks the third time this season Slater has earned CCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors.
 Jim Slater  | |
For the season, Slater leads MSU and the CCHA in scoring with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists); including picking up 2-9-11 totals in the past six games. The Hobey Baker and All-America candidate ranks fifth in the nation in scoring with his 44 points.
Vicari posted back-to-back shutouts over UNO to become the first Spartan netminder since Ryan Miller (Nov. 16-17, 2001 vs. Miami) to record consecutive blankings. Vicari stopped 21 shots in Friday's 3-0 win en route to No. 3 star of the game honors. In Saturday's 5-0 victory, he stopped 35 shots, including 15 saves on the power play as UNO finished 0-for-5.
 Dominic Vicari | |
Vicari now has six shutouts this season to rank tied for fourth with Chad Alban (1997-98) on MSU's single-season chart. He also paces the nation in shutouts with six. Frank Doyle (Maine), David McKee (Cornell) and Al Montoya (Michigan) are tied for second with five. Overall, Vicari has a recorded a 12-11 record, along with a 2.12 goals-against average and a .924 saves percentage.
Goebel had a goal and assist in Friday's win over UNO and recorded his third multiple-goal game of the season, and first since Nov. 1 vs. Ferris State, in Saturday's 5-0 victory. He matched his career-best with three points (two goals, one assist) on Saturday.
 Tommy Goebel | |
Goebel has 14-13-27 totals in 29 games this season to rank fourth on MSU in scoring. He currently ranks tied for fifth in the nation in points per game among rookies at 0.93. In addition, his 14 goals tie him for third in the nation among rookies.
Michigan State (20-15-1 overall, 16-9-1 CCHA) enjoys a bye week before returning to the ice in two weeks, when it takes on the CCHA-leading Michigan on Friday, March 5, at 8:05 p.m. ET, at Munn Ice Arena. On Saturday, March 6, the series shifts to Joe Louis Arena for a 7:35 p.m. ET face-off.
