Neil's Notebook: Perlini's Skill, Will Helps Lead Spartans
10/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 7, 2011
EAST LANSING -- - Brett Perlini was Michigan State's top goal scorer last season with 18 in 38 games as a junior.
He's eager to do even better in his final season as a Spartan.
"I've worked hard all summer. I'm ready for the challenge,'' said Perlini, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound center from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. "I think we have a lot of guys capable of scoring. It's a matter of playing with confidence, stepping up and producing.''
Perlini also had 12 assists in 2010-2011 for 30 points, second to sophomore left wing Derek Grant (8-25-33). Grant turned pro last April, signing with the Ottawa Senators.
MSU first-year coach Tom Anastos believes Perlini has the potential to make a big splash as a senior.
"I think he's a big-time player. He can be an all-conference and all-America type of player,'' Anastos said. "He's a big body, has high-end skill and a quick release with his shot.
"He's embraced his role as a senior. He's hungry and wants to be a pro. He made a commitment to his fitness level.''
Perlini, who had just two goals and three points in 26 games as a freshman, was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the seventh round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
"I've been impressed with his play in practice and in the exhibition game,'' Anastos said. "With his skill, I think he can play in a lot of different situations. He has that will to be more than a power-play specialist.
"He's interested in in being a penalty killer and a leader on this team. He's willing to do different things. I like having guys who have that kind of reach, that can skate that well with a big body. That makes them hard to play against.''
Perlini and the Spartans make their 2011-12 season debut this weekend in the Ice Breaker Classic in Grand Forks, N.D. MSU faces No. 5 Boston College at 5 p.m. on Friday, while No. 3 North Dakota faces Air Force at 8:30 p.m.
On Saturday, the Fighting Sioux will play at 8:30 p.m., whether they're in the title game or the third-place game. The first game starts at 5 p.m.
Perlini, 21, has been one of MSU's most dangerous scorers since the middle of his sophomore season when he earned regular playing time after playing in just one of the Spartans' first 19 games in 2009-2010. He played in the final 19 games and had seven goals and five assists for 12 points.
During a six-game stretch, Perlini had five goals and four assists, as the Spartans finished second in the CCHA. He played a key role in MSU winning the Great Lakes Invitational with three goals and five points and was named the GLI most valuable player.
Perlini had a strong start last season with a goal in the each of MSU's first two games against Maine and had eight goals and 13 points in his first 11 games. After the season, Perlini was named MSU's most outstanding offensive player.
It was fitting that Perlini opened the scoring in the first period of MSU's 6-1 exhibition victory over Western Ontario on Tuesday at Munn Arena. A loose puck landed on his stick in the slot and he quickly fired it into the net.
"I was on the bench and said to someone, `The puck just follows Perls around all the time,' '' Spartans junior defenseman and captain Torey Krug said. "It seems like he gets the puck in prime scoring areas. He's in the slot and the puck just comes to him.''
Krug and the Spartans hope the puck winds up on Perlini's stick quite often this season, because there's a good chance it'll end up in the back of the net.
"You see Brett at the rink and you notice that he brings a pro mentality and a hard work ethic every day. He's here to get better and things like that are contagious,'' Krug said. "He's going to score some big goals for us.
"Everyone's main focus is on winning. I've had a countless number of talks about how bad we want to win this season.''
Perlini's father, Fred, played eight games with the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, four years in the American Hockey League and 10 seasons in England. In his last year of junior hockey in 1981-82, Fred Perlini had 47 goals and 64 assists for 111 points for the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey League.
Brett Perlini has high expectations for his team and himself in the season ahead.
"We're not a young team. We have seniors and juniors with experience and we know what it takes. We just have to make a commitment to work harder and improve to get to a higher level,'' he said.
"Since I've been here, we haven't won a playoff game. That's a starting point. We want to make a run at the league championship. On a personal level, I want to be one of the elite players in the country. If I can do that, we can have a very good team and season.''
FOND MEMORY: It's been four years since MSU and Boston College have met on the ice. It was April 7, 2007, in St. Louis and it turned out to be one of the greatest victories in Spartan history. MSU rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the third period and earned a dramatic 3-1 victory over the Eagles to win the 2007 NCAA championship.
Justin Abdelkader, set up by a perfect pass from Tim Kennedy, broke a 1-1 tie with the game-winner with 18.9 seconds left. Goalie Jeff Lerg was named the tournament MVP.
Boston College, however, has done just fine since that heartbreaking defeat. The Eagles won NCAA titles in 2008 and 2010 and were the No. 3 seed in last season's tournament, but were upset in the West Regional by Colorado College.
The Spartans lead the series 16-6-1 and are 7-2 vs. Boston College at neutral sites.
RECORD IN JEOPARDY: Former Spartan coach Ron Mason is still college hockey's victories leader with 924 over 36 seasons. But Mason's record may only last for one more season. Boston College's Jerry York heads into the 2011-12 season, his 40th as a head coach, with 880 wins, just 45 away from surpassing Mason's mark.
York, 66, is in good health and expects to be coaching the Eagles for a few more seasons. If Boston College wins 25 games this season, York would need only 20 next season to become the all-time winningest coach.
York, a 1967 Boston College graduate and an All-American forward as a senior, also has coached at Clarkson and Bowling Green. When Mason left Bowling Green to take over at MSU in 1979, York left Clarkson and replaced him as the Falcons' coach.
OTHER TOP GAMES: The Ice Breaker, featuring two teams ranked in the top five, has arguably the most attractive games during college hockey's opening weekend. But there's another prominent series on the schedule.
Notre Dame, ranked No. 1 in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) poll and No. 2 by USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine, plays at No. 8/10 Minnesota-Duluth in a non-conference series on Friday and Saturday.
The Bulldogs defeated the Irish, 4-3, in last season's NCAA semifinals, en route to the NCAA title with a 3-2 overtime victory over Michigan in the championship game. It was UMD's first national title.
