Sports: Icers Musters 3rd Place in CCHA
In his second season behind the Spartan bench, Rick Comley faced ups and downs as the Spartans finished 23-17-2 overall, 17-9-2 in conference play for third place, just two points out of the top spot. MSU made the NCAAs for the 23rd time in school history.
Early on the Spartans struggled with consistency, opening the season with a 1-3 record. MSU’s lone victory, spurred by a Jim Slater hat trick, was a 5-4 win over eventual NCAA finalist Minnesota-Duluth. But MSU regrouped and swept both Western Michigan and Ferris State. MSU then earned three points against Notre Dame and rolled thorough October and into November on a six-game unbeaten-streak. But then the Spartans split series with Miami and Wayne State before losing to Minnesota and Wisconsin.
In its split with Michigan, it became clear why Dominic Vicari won the starting goaltending job. He stopped 29 shots as MSU blanked the Wolverines 2-0. Vicari closed out the year at 15-13-1, along with a 2.31 goals-against average and a .916 saves percentage, and eventually was named the CCHA’s best goaltender with a 1.88 GAA in conference play.
Inconsistency continued to plague MSU. Playing without some starters, MSU beat Michigan Tech but lost to Boston College at the Great Lakes Invitational tournament in Joe Louis Arena. State then split its first three series, swept Ohios State in Columbus, but lost two home games against Miami before closing the season with five wins and a tie—taking three of four points from Michigan (4-4 overtime tie at Munn and a 1-0 blanking at Joe Louis Arena).
With their third-place conference finish, Michigan State earned home-ice advantage for the first-round of the CCHA playoffs. The Spartans beat defending CCHA champions Ferris State, but in the CCHA Super Six Championships, history repeated itself as the Spartans were stopped by Northern Michigan again. MSU did make the NCAAs, but lost 5-0 against Minnesota-Duluth at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Boding well for the future, however, was this year’s freshmen class. Defenseman A.J. Thelen earned All-America Second-Team honors as well as the CCHA’s Best Offensive Defenseman Award. Vicari earned National Defensive Player of the Week as well as CCHA Defensive Player of the Week honors after posting back-to-back blankings of Nebraska-Omaha in February.
Junior captain Jim Slaterled the Spartans in overall points with 48 (19 goals, 29 assists)—tops in the CCHA lead and 10th in the nation. Slater was named to the All-CCHA First Team, the All-America Second Team, and as a finalist for the 2004 Hobey Baker Memorial Award.