MSU Hockey Heads To 38th Annual Great Lakes Invitational
12/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 26, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
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THIS WEEK IN SPARTAN HOCKEYMichigan State (7-7-1, 4-5-0 CCHA)vs. No. 13 Boston University (9-6-2, 5-4 Hockey East)
38th Annual Great Lakes InvitationalSaturday, Dec. 28, 4:05 p.m. ESTJoe Louis Arena (20,053) * Detroit, Mich.
MSU-BU Series InformationMichigan State leads 7-6-0Last 10 games: Boston University leads 6-5First Meeting: Dec. 30, 1958 - MSU 3, BU 2Last Meeting: Oct. 10, 1997 - MSU 3, BU 1
Michigan State (7-7-1, 4-5-0 CCHA)vs. Michigan Tech (2-8-3, 0-6-2 WCHA)orvs. No. 9 Michigan (11-4-1, 6-3-1 CCHA)
38th Annual Great Lakes InvitationalThird-Place/Championship GameSunday, Dec. 29, 1:35/5:05 p.m. ESTJoe Louis Arena (20,053) * Detroit, Mich.
MSU-MTU Series InformationMichigan Tech leads 77-70-2Last 10 games: Michigan State leads 8-2First Meeting: Feb. 15, 1928 - MTU 5, MSU 0Last Meeting: Dec. 28, 2001 - MSU 4, MTU 1
MSU-UM Series InformationMichigan leads 123-108-10Last 10 games: Michigan State leads 5-2-3First Meeting: Jan. 11, 1922 - UM 5, MSU 1Last Meeting: March 17, 2002 - UM 3, MSU 2
Radio: WVFN 730-AM Saturday/WJIM 1240-AM Sunday(Scott Moore, Joe Blackburn)Television: Fox Sports Net Detroit(Matt Shepard, Fred Pletsch, Shireen Saski)
THIS WEEK'S ACTION
Following a 21-day break, Michigan State (7-7-1 overall, 4-5 CCHA) returns to the ice for the 38th annual Great Lakes Invitational. Michigan State meets No. 13 Boston University (9-6-2 overall, 5-4 overall) in game one of the GLI on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 4:05 p.m., while No. 9 Michigan and Michigan Tech will meet in game two, at 7:35 p.m. On Sunday, Dec. 29, the third-place game is set for 1:35 p.m., while the championship game is 5:05 p.m.
Saturday's game will be heard on WVFN 730-AM, while Sunday's contest will be on WJIM 1240-AM. Scott Moore serves up the play-by-play action, while Joe Blackburn handles the analyst. All four games of the Great Lakes Invitational will be televised by Fox Sports Net Detroit with Matt Shepard, Fred Pletsch and Shireen Saski.
LAST TIME OUT
Friday, Dec. 6 - Michigan State 6, Ferris State 2
Michigan State jumped out to a 4-0 lead on a pair of goals by Colton Fretter and single tallies by Kevin Estrada and Brad Fast as Michigan State knocked off CCHA leader Ferris State, 6-2, in Big Rapids. Mike Lalonde and David Booth also scored for the Spartans. MSU outshot the Bulldogs, 44-to-38 as sophomore netminder Matt Migliaccio stopped 36 shots to earn his sixth win of the season. Saturday, Dec. 7 - Ferris State 5, Michigan State 3
Two third-period goals by Ferris State broke a 3-3 deadlock and gave the Bulldogs a 5-3 win at Munn Arena on Dec. 7. MSU opened up a 2-1 lead on goals by Jim Slater and Brock Radunske after one period. Back-to-back goals by FSU gave the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead, before Ash Goldie scored his third goal of the season at the 17:33 mark of the second period to even the score at three. Matt Migliaccio stopped 35 shots in the loss, including 16 in the final stanza. FSU's Mike Brown finished with 20 stops, including 10 in the opening period.
THE 38TH ANNUAL GREAT LAKES INVITATIONAL
The 2002 season marks the 38th annual Great Lakes Invitational. This year's tournament will be staged Dec. 28-29 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit and features 2002 NCAA Tournament teams Boston University, Michigan and Michigan State along with WCHA foe Michigan Tech.
MSU has been a regular part of the tournament field since 1979. The 2002 season marks MSU's 28th appearance in the GLI, where the Spartans have captured nine GLI titles including four in a row from 1982-85 and again from 1997-2000. The Spartans have finished as runner up, 10 times including in 2001 where State dropped a 5-4 overtime decision to North Dakota in the title game.
FOR STARTERS
* MSU will look to advance to its fifth straight GLI title game on Saturday. The Spartans were the GLI runner up in 2001 and won the tournament for four straight years from 1997 to 2000. As a whole, MSU has appeared in the title contest 19 times since the tournament's inception in 1965. Michigan and Michigan Tech lead the GLI with 20 title-game showings.
* Michigan State has compiled a 66-37-2 all-time mark in games played at Joe Louis Arena, including a 6-2 mark in its last eight games at the Joe.
* The Spartans are 4-2 on Saturdays this year.
* State ranks eighth in the CCHA in goals per game at 3.07 and eighth in goals allowed per game at 3.33. In 2001-02, Michigan State averaged 3.15 goals per game, while allowing just 1.78 goals.
* Michigan State is 4-2 in one-goal games this season, recording victories over Colgate (2-1), Lake Superior State (3-2), Niagara (5-4 in overtime) and Wisconsin (2-1 in overtime). By comparison, the Spartans were 5-6 in one-goal games in 2001-02.
SPARTAN QUICK HITS
* MSU carries a 7-7-1 overall and a 4-5 CCHA slate into the Great Lakes Invitational. The Spartans have been off since Dec. 6-7, when MSU split a two-game set with Ferris State (W, 6-2 in Big Rapids on Dec. 6 and L, 5-3 in East Lansing on Dec. 7).
* Sophomore forward Jim Slater (6-8--14) paces Michigan State in scoring with 14 points, while senior defenseman Brad Fast (7-6-13) and freshman forward David Booth (6-7--13) are tied for second with 13 points.
* Senior defenseman John-Michael Liles (3-8--11) and sophomore forward Mike Lalonde (3-8--11) round out the top five scorers with 11 points a piece.
* Sophomore netminder Matt Migliaccio paces the Spartans with a 6-4-1 record, along with a .922 saves percentage and a 2.44 goals-against average. He ranks third in the CCHA in saves percentage and fifth in GAA.
BOSTON UNIVERSITY QUICK HITS
* Boston University, who has won two straight games (3-1 vs. UMass and 4-1 at RPI), carries a 9-6-2 overall mark into GLI play. The Terriers are ranked 13th in the USA Today/American Hockey Magazine poll and 14th in the USCHO.com poll.
* Sophomore forward Justin Maiser leads the Terriers in scoring with 6-7--13 totals. Maiser has three power play markers and two game-winning tallies among his six goals.
* BU will be without sophomore forward Brian McConnell (16 gp; 6-6--12), the team's second-leading scorer, and sophomore defenseman Ryan Whitney (14 gp; 1-2--3). Both players will represent Team USA at the World Junior Championships in Nova Scotia.
* Junior Sean Fields has played in 15 games in net for BU, posting an 8-5-2 mark along with a 2.84 goals-against average and a .899 saves percentage.
* The Terriers are averaging 3.2 goals per game, while allowing 3.1 goals.
MICHIGAN TECH QUICK HITS
* Michigan Tech carries a 3-8-3 overall mark into the GLI. MTU has won back-to-back games, a 7-4 victory over Wayne State (Nov. 30) and a 3-2 win at Northern Michigan (Dec. 13) prior to the holiday break.
* The Huskies are led by freshman forward Chris Conner and junior forward Brett Engelhardt. Conner paces the squad in scoring with 5-11--16 totals, while Engelhardt has 9-6--15 totals in 14 games.
* Sophomore netminder Cam Ellsworth, the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week after stopping 29 shots at NMU, carries a 3-8-2 mark, along with a 3.63 goals-against average and a .893 saves percentage.
* The Huskies are averaging 2.9 goals-per-game, while allowing 3.9 goals.
MICHIGAN QUICK HITS
* Michigan, who is ranked No. 9 in the USA Today/American Hockey Magazine and No. 10 in USCHO.com polls, brings an 11-4-1 overall mark into the GLI. U-M has been off since a pair of losses at Northern Michigan (L, 2-5 and 1-4) on Dec. 6-7.
* The Wolverines will be without the services of sophomore forwards Dwight Helminen (16 gp; 6-9--15) and Eric Nystrom (16 gp; 5-5--10) as the duo will represent Team USA at the World Junior Championships in Nova Scotia. Helminen is the team's leading scorer, while Nystrom has accounted for a team-best four power play goals.
* Freshman Al Montoya mans the nets for the Wolverines. Montoya spots an 11-4-1 record, along with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .924 saves percentage.
* The Wolverines are averaging 3.6 goals-per-game, while allowing 2.1 goals.
WHAT A BREAK ...
The Spartans return to the ice following a 21-day break, which ties the record for the longest layoff in school history. It is the team's longest layoff between games since the 1996-97 season when the Spartans also enjoyed a 21-day break between games. MSU has enjoyed a 20-day break between games on four occasions (1995-96, 1997-98, 2000-01 and 2001-02).
FRETTER NAMED CCHA ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Freshman forward Colton Fretter was selected as the CCHA Rookie of the Week following his four-point weekend in a split with Ferris State (Dec. 6-7). Fretter's selection marked the second-consecutive week that Michigan State has won the CCHA Rookie of the Week award as David Booth was the winner the previous week.
Fretter, who was named the No. 1 star of the game in Friday's 6-2 State victory, scored a pair of goals to spark the Spartan attack. Fretter registered his first collegiate goal with 10.5 seconds left in the first period and scored his second goal at the 1:53 mark of the second period as MSU opened up a 2-0 lead. He finished the game with a +4 rating. On Saturday, he added a pair of assists in a 5-3 loss to the Bulldogs.
The Harrow, Ont., native, who missed the first four games of the season while recovering from mononucleosis, has played in 10 games, posting 2-3--5 totals.
CONTINUING TO CLICK
MSU's top line of David Booth (LW), Jim Slater (C) and Mike Lalonde (RW) continues to roll for the Spartans. The trio accounted for three goals and four assists in a two-game split with Ferris State. Lalonde posted a goal and an assist, while Booth tallied his sixth goal of the season and Slater registered his 13th assist of the year in a 6-2 win at FSU. In the 5-3 loss, Slater scored the game's first goal with assists to Lalonde and Booth.
Over the past four games, this group has scored seven goals and eight assists for 15 points. They accounted for seven (three goals, four assists) of MSU's 13 points vs. Minnesota (Nov. 29).
CLOSING ON IN
Senior defenseman John-Michael Liles needs just one more point to reach the century mark. He enters the BU game with 31 goals and 68 assists for 99 points in 138 contests.
He is tied fourth on the team in scoring with 3-8--11 totals this year. As a junior in 2001-02, Liles led the Spartans in scoring with 13-22--35 totals in 41 games. He had 25 points (7-18) as a sophomore in 2000-01 and recorded 28 points (8-20) as a freshman in 1999-2000.
Liles was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the fifth round (No. 159 overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.
TALE OF TWO GAMES
It has been a tale of two games this season for Michigan State. In MSU's seven losses, the Spartans have scored just 13 goals (1.86 gpg) while giving up 34 markers (4.86 gpg). MSU registered two goals or fewer in five of those losses.
On the other hand, State has lit the lamp for 28 goals in its seven victories (4.0 gpg) while giving up only 11 markers (1.57 gpg).
IT'S ALL ACADEMIC
The Spartan hockey team finished the fall semester with a combined 3.01 cumulative grade-point average. All told, four Spartans made the Dean's List (with a 3.5 GPA or above) and 11 players had a semester GPA of 3.0 or better. In addition, 13 members of the hockey team carry a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
WHO'S HOT?
* Freshman forward David Booth carries a five-game point streak into the BU game. Booth has tallied 4-3--7 totals during this stretch.
* Freshman forward Colton Fretter has 2-3--5 totals in his last four games.
* Sophomore forward Brock Radunske has registered 1-3--4 totals in his last four games.
* Sophomore forward Jim Slater has recorded 5-6--11 totals in his last eight games.
* Sophomore forward Mike Lalonde has 3-4--7 totals in his last seven games.
* Freshman forward Nenad Gajic has an assist in three of his last five contests.
* Senior forward Brian Maloney with 0-3--3 totals in his last two games.
* Senior defenseman Brad Fast has posted 1-2--3 totals in his last three games, including 1-1--2 totals vs. Ferris State (Dec. 6).
MSU HEAD COACH RICK COMLEY
A new face is on the Spartan bench this season as veteran Rick Comley takes over the reigns. Comley, who was selected as the fifth head coach in MSU hockey history on April 25, 2002, replaces the legendary Ron Mason, who stepped down to become MSU's athletics director.
Comley arrived at MSU after spending the past 26 years as the head coach at Northern Michigan. The first head coach in NMU hockey history, he compiled a 538-429-68 (.533) mark behind the Wildcat bench to become one of just 10 coaches to post 500 victories at the same institution.
The Stratford, Ontario, native guided NMU to the 1991 National Championship, a thrilling 8-7 triple overtime victory over Boston University. He also led Northern Michigan to CCHA regular-season championships in 1980 and 1981. Comley piloted the Wildcats to the 1991 WCHA regular-season crown and three WCHA playoff championships. He is one of three individuals (Bill Selman and George Gwozdecky) to have coached regular-season champions in the WCHA and CCHA.
He enters the GLI with a career mark of 604-482-72 (.553). His 604 career wins ranks seventh on the NCAA career wins list. In addition, his 604 career victories ranks third among active NCAA coaches, behind Boston University's Jack Parker (664 wins) and Boston College's Jerry York (651 wins).
MALONEY PICKS IT UP
Senior forward Brian Maloney enters the GLI with a two-game point streak. It is his longest streak of the season. Maloney, who snapped a five-game scoreless streak with an assist at Ferris State (Dec. 6), also added a pair of assists in a 5-3 loss to Ferris State (Dec. 7).
Maloney, who has 1-5--6 totals in the first 15 games, will be asked to provide an even great offensive spark in the second half. The Bassano, Alta., native has tallied at least 30 points in each of his first three seasons, including 38 points (15-23) in 2000-01 and 33 points (17-16) in 2001-02.
Maloney has appeared in 136 career contests and is the lone Spartan with triple digit career totals at 45-63--108. Among his 45 markers are 18 career power-play tallies.
BOOTH ROLLS ON
Freshman forward David Booth continues to roll for State. He enters the GLI with a five-game point streak, where he has posted 4-3--7 totals, including a goal at Ferris State (Dec. 6) and an assist vs. Ferris State (Dec. 7). He had a career-best three-point night at Minnesota (Nov. 29) as he tallied a pair of goals and added an assist. He followed that up with MSU's first goal in a 2-1 overtime victory at Wisconsin (Nov. 30).
For the season, the Washington, Mich., native is tied for second on the Spartans in scoring with 6-7--13 totals. His 13 points tops MSU freshmen in scoring and ranks 23rd among rookies in the nation in points per game.
SPARTAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Freshman forward Colton Fretter has been selected as the Spartan Player of the Week following his performance in a two-game split with league leader Ferris State. Fretter, who was named the No. 1 star of the game in Friday's 6-2 State victory, scored a pair of goals to spark the Spartan attack. Fretter registered his first collegiate goal with 10.5 seconds left in the first period and scored his second goal at the 1:53 mark of the second period as MSU opened up a 2-0 lead. He finished the game with a +4 rating. On Saturday, he added a pair of assists in a 5-3 loss to the Bulldogs.
The Spartan coaching staff will select a Spartan Player of the Week following the conclusion of play each week.
SHOTS ON GOAL
Michigan State had a season-best 44 shots on goal en route to a 6-2 victory at Ferris State (Dec. 6). It marked just the fifth time this season that the Spartans had more shots on goal than its opponent. In Dec. 7 contest, a 5-3 loss to Ferris State, the Spartans were outshot, 40-to-23.
Prior to the Dec. 6 FSU contest, MSU has been outshot in five straight contests by an average of 12.6 shots. Spartan opponents have averaged 38.0 shots on goal, while MSU has averaged just 25.4 shots. Included in this total is Minnesota, who had 51 shots on goal on Nov. 29, which were the most shots the Spartans have allowed since Feb. 20, 1981, when Wisconsin had 54 shots.
The Spartans have been held to 26 shots on goal or less on eight occasions, including a season-low 20 shots, three times (vs. Northern Michigan, Oct. 19 and vs. Ohio State, Nov. 15-16).
FAST AND HIS GOALS
Senior defenseman Brad Fast scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season at Ferris State (Dec. 6). The goal was the first marker since the Oct. 25 Lake Superior State contest - a span of eight games. He also added an assist for his team-leading fifth multiple-point game of the year.
Fast has appeared in 15 games and has 7-6--13 totals.
THE ROAD WELL TRAVELED
It's been a long stretch on the road for the Spartans. Prior to the holiday break, Michigan State played 10 of its first 15 games on the road. Included in this total is a six-game road trip where the Spartans compiled a 2-3-1 record. State dropped a two-game set at Ohio State (5-2 and 4-1) on Nov. 15-16; lost 3-2 in overtime at Bowling Green (Nov. 22); skated to a 5-5 overtime tie at Minnesota (Nov. 29); beat Wisconsin 2-1 in overtime (Nov. 30) and picked up a 6-2 victory at Ferris State (Dec. 6).
MSU's five home games included a two-game set with Lake Superior State (Oct. 24-25), a two-game set with Niagara (Nov. 8-9) and a single contest vs. Ferris State (Dec. 7).
State hits the road for four more contests - at the Great Lakes Invitational in Detroit (Dec. 28-29) and Lake Superior State (Jan. 3-4) - before finally returning to Munn Arena for four straight contests (Jan. 10-11 vs. Alaska Fairbanks and Jan. 17-18 vs. Nebraska-Omaha).
THE OFFENSE CLICKS
Michigan State's six goal outburst at Ferris State (Dec. 6) marked the team's second-highest goal output of the season. The team's best offensive total of 2002-03 to date is seven goals against Lake Superior State on Oct. 24. MSU is 3-0-1 when scoring five or more goals.
The Spartans have picked up their offensive production over the past four games, averaging 4.0 goals per game and compiling a 2-1-1 record. MSU scored five goals at Minnesota (Nov. 29) and six goals at Ferris State (Dec. 6).
A FIRST TIMER
Sophomore forward Kevin Estrada scored his first goal of the 2002-03 campaign at Ferris State (Dec. 6). Estrada's marker, at the 5:17 mark of the second period, was also the game-winning goal. He has played in 11 games to date, posting 1-1--2 totals.
As a freshman in 2001-02, Estrada tallied four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 40 outings.
SPARTAN NOTEBOOK
* Freshman defenseman Corey Potter is expected back for the GLI. Potter, who has missed the last three contests after suffering a shoulder injury at Minnesota (Nov. 29), has played in 11 games to date with a pair of goals.
* Sophomore defenseman Joe Markusen has already registered a career-best in points with six this season. Marksusen tied his career high with a pair of assists at Ferris State (Dec. 6).
* Sophomore forward Ash Goldie registered his first point with a goal vs. Ferris State (Dec. 7) since scoring a goal at Minnesota (Nov. 29).
* Sophomore forward Brock Radunske had a career-best two assists in a 6-2 win at FSU (Dec. 6).
* Michigan State's roster leads the CCHA with nine NHL draft picks.
* The Spartans are 3-2-1 this season in games following a loss.
THE RICK COMLEY RADIO SHOW
The Rick Comley Radio Show will run throughout the season, on Wednesday's, at 6 p.m., on WVFN-AM 730. The hour-long show originates from Reno's East Sports Bar in East Lansing. Jerry Marshall serves as the host of the program.
UP NEXT
Michigan State continues its road swing and returns to CCHA action at Lake Superior State on Jan. 3-4. Face-off is set for 7:05 p.m. both nights at Taffy Abel Arena.
