Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Miami (CCHA Finals)
Spartan Hockey Claims CCHA Tournament Title
3/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 18, 2006
DETROIT - Michigan State got a second-period goal from David Booth (Washington, Mich.) and held Miami to just six third-period shots to defeat the RedHawks, 2-1, to capture 2006 CCHA Playoff title and Mason Cup in front of 16,234 fans at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday evening. Freshman goaltender Jeff Lerg (Livonia, Mich.) earned Most Valuable Player honors behind 22 saves in the final, allowing just two goals in the two-game Championship weekend. Michigan State earns its 11th CCHA Playoff Championship title in program history and the first since 2001. The Spartans improve to 24-11-8 on the season, while Miami, which was the top seed in the tournament after earning the regular-season title, is 26-8-4.
"It means a lot to win this because of the players," said Comley. "These kids have worked so hard and they've had to overcome adversity throughout the season."
Booth's game-winning tally came at 5:52 of the middle frame. Drew Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) initiated the play from the neutral zone, feeding Jim McKenzie (Warroad, Minn.) as he broke over the blueline. Zatkoff made the save on McKenzie's wrister at the far post, leaving the entire left side of the net open. The rebound went into the left circle, with plenty of room for Booth to skate in and deposit his 13th goal of the season.
The early part of the game featured end-to-end action and quality saves by both goaltenders. The two teams put goals on the board 30 seconds apart, starting with an outstanding individual effort by freshman Tim Crowder (Victoria, BC). With the Spartans on the power play, blueliner Corey Potter rifled the puck around the endboards, with four players converging on it at the left halfwall. The puck squirted out into the circle, and Crowder dove at it and managed to get a stick on it, sending it at Miami goaltender Jeff Zatkoff. The freshman backstop made the save, but Justin Abdelkader (Muskegon, Mich.) followed the play and put the rebound over the goalie's left leg for his tenth goal of the season.
Miami countered at 14:33. The RedHawks initial shot came from blueliner Alec Martinez at the far point, which Ryan Jones knocked out of the air at the goalmouth with what could have been a high stick. Jeff Lerg made the save, but the puck laid in front of the goalie, and Jones crashed the net and poked it five-hole for his 22nd goal of the season. The goal stood up after a review, and the two teams took the 1-1 score into the intermission.
Despite pulling Zatkoff with :35 remaining and calling a timeout with :22 remaining, the RedHawks were unable to generate a quality scoring chance in the final seconds. As the final horn sounded the Spartans mobbed their goaltender, throwing their sticks, gloves, and helmets to the side all over the Joe Louis ice.
Following the celebration Miller, Crowder, and Jeff Lerg were named to the All-Tournament team and Jeff Lerg was presented with the Bill Beagan trophy as tournament Most Valuable Player.
The title also gives the Spartans the CCHA's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. MSU will learn their destination and opponent during the NCAA selection show, which will air on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.
Spartan Notebook
• Michigan State was making its CCHA-record 15th championship game appearance. The Spartans are the Tournament's winningest team (76-21), and also own the most titles (11) and semifinal appearances (21).
• Michigan State will likely earn a #1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The selections will be announced on Sunday morning.
• Rick Comley now owns three CCHA Tournament titles, two with Northern Michigan (1980, 1981) and now this one with MSU. This was the first trip to the CCHA Finals for Michigan State during Comley's coaching tenure with the Spartans.
• MSU has scored at least one power play goal in each of its last nine games, and 12 of the last 13.
• Justin Abdelkader's first-period tally made him the tenth Spartan this season to hit ten goals on the season. He had waited eight games to hit double digits, as his last goal had come against Ohio State on Feb. 9.
• Michigan State's been big in the second period in the playoffs, as Booth's goal was the ninth in the middle frame in the last five games.
• Booth has scored at least a point in each of MSU's five playoff games this season.
• Drew Miller added to his CCHA-leading playoff points total with an assist on Booth's second-period tally. The junior winger had four goals and four assists in five games.
• Tim Crowder was the tournament's top-scoring freshman (3-3-6).
