Sports: Spartan Icers Bounce Back
After last year’s disappointing season, MSU bounces back to finish second in the league.
MSU’s second place finish in the CCHA ranks as the all-time best jump in conference history by any team from one season to the next.
Last season, the Spartans finished in a tie for 10th and were seeded 11th for the league playoffs. MSU jumped eight spots in its league standing this season and finished 19-11-6 overall, and 14-8-6-2 (the last number indicates the number of shootout wins after tie games) in the CCHA, one point ahead of third place Ferris State. It was a dramatic achievement for Rick Comley, in his eighth season as MSU head coach.
“There were a variety of factors,” says Comley of the turnaround. “I credit the determination of a group of kids to regain the program’s pride and identity. This was a very determined group.
“Also we had a very good group of freshmen.”
Comley adds that MSU’s success was partly helped by the propitious returns of forwards Nick Sucharski, a five-year senior who was injured most of last season, and Junior Corey Tropp, who was reinstated from his suspension last year and emerged as one of the top point producers in the nation. Tropp’s 20 goals and 21 assists led the CCHA.
Some hockey fans believe that coaching had an impact as well, since MSU changed its style of play to one that he calls “more uptempo, a more fun team for the fans to watch.”
Some fans have compared the new style to that of the Detroit Red Wings. “We really increased our pursuit,” says Comley. “We were improved on defense, and we were much improved on offense.”
Last but not least, says Comley, “Drew Palmisano did a real good job of replacing (All American) Jeff Lerg at goal.” The sophomore netminder mustered .922 in saves percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average, and has maintained an MSU tradition of outstanding goaltending.
The Spartan icers have clearly solved last season’s scoring woes, averaging 3.1 goals per game in 34 games—way up from last year’s 1.63 average, which ranked dead last in Division I hockey. MSU scored four goals or more in 11 of its 34 games. Besides Tropp, several icers stepped up with offensive productivity. Freshman Derek Grant (11-18-29) and Junior Andy Rowe (15-11-26) were proficient point-getters, as was Junior Defenseman Jeff Petry, who tallied four goals and 22 assists for 26 points. Sophomore Forward Daultan Leveille added 29 points.
On defense, Freshman Torey Krug earned CCHA Rookie of the Month honors in both December and January, only the second freshman in league history to achieve the honor back-to-back. Krug leads the team with 67 blocked shots, followed by Petry with 54.
Late in the season, MSU ranked 10th in the PairWise Ranking, a tool used by the NCAA to select the tournament field. Not bad for a team picked eighth and ninth in the CCHA by pre-season polls.
“We’re very, very encouraged by the season,” says Comley. “This is a very young team, so the future is very bright.”