Jan. 23, 2006
Farmington Hills, Mich. - Michigan State freshman Jeff Lerg has been named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Goaltender of the Week after stopping 103 of 109 shots, good for a .945 save percentage, and leading the Spartans to a 2-1-0 record over the past week. Lerg has started seven games in a row, boasting a 1.29 goals against average and a .955 save percentage in that span. It is the second week in a row n MSU freshman has earned CCHA weekly honors.
The Livonia, Mich., native opened the week with a 31 save performance, a 2-0 blanking of archrival Michigan, on Tuesday, Jan. 17. This past weekend, Lerg returned to Omaha, Neb., where he was a junior hockey standout for the past two seasons, and kicked aside 72 Maverick shots - including a career-best 41 saves in a dramatic overtime victory on Friday - as the Green and White split a weekend series with UNO.
In 13 starts and 15 appearances this season, the rookie netminder has posted a 1.98 GAA and a .929 save percentage en route to a 7-3-3 record on the season.
Lerg is the second Spartan goalie to earn Goaltender of the Week honors this season; junior Dominic Vicari (Clinton Township, Mich.) took home the award following a superb performance at the Lefty McFadden Invitational on Oct. 8-9, allowing just one goal on 40 shots, as Michigan State captured the tournament title. Sophomore forward Bryan Lerg (Offensive Player of the Week) and freshman forward Tim Kennedy (Freshman of the Week) have also won CCHA awards in 2005-06.
The Spartans host Ferris State in a midweek conference game on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7:05 p.m., before opening up a weekend series at home with Michigan on Friday, Jan. 27 beginning at 8:00 p.m. and airing on CSTV. Saturday's rematch at Joe Louis Arena will be broadcast live on FSN Detroit starting at 7:35 p.m.
