MSU Spartans
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Jan. 30, 1998

Spartan Hockey Takes on Miami

  • No. 1 SPARTAN HOCKEY VS. NO. 5 MIAMI
  • Date Jan. 30
  • Site Munn Ice Arena

    Note of the Night
    Summit meeting - Michigan State goes up against a ranked team for the fifth time this season and just the second time at home. The Spartans are 4-0 against teams that were ranked at the time of the game so far this year, posting wins over Boston University, Michigan, Wisconsin and Michigan (again). Meanwhile, Miami is 3-0 against ranked teams (all ranked above the RedHawks), including last weekend,s sweep of Michigan.

    Five More Notes No Media Person Should Be Without
    1. Get the sensation - Junior center Mike York has been outstanding since his return from the World Junior Championship, totaling 8-3-11 during his five-game goal-scoring streak, including four consecutive multiple-point games. Friday marks York,s 100th career game played, and he has 49 goals and 72 assists (121 points) in that time (1.22 points per game). This season, he leads the Spartans with 19-16-35 and has scored 10 of his 19 goals in the first period.

    2. Builder of leads - Senior goaltender Chad Alban has not allowed a first-period goal in nearly a month, since Jan. 3. Alban has a .952 save percentage and a 0.88 goals-against average in the first period of games this season.

    3. Powerless - Michigan State, which boasts the nation,s No. 3 penalty-killing unit (89.6%), has held its last four opponents scoreless on the power play (0-for-14). Miami is the league,s best power-play team.

    4. Homeward bound - Last year, the road team won each of the three regular-season meetings between MSU and Miami. Miami is 6-2-1 in the last nine games between the two schools at Munn Ice Arena.

    5. Center of attention - Centers Sean Berens and Mike York have both been in the lineup in each of the last four games, and have combined for 13 goals and a 32.5% shooting percentage in that span.

    Did You Know?
    Home sweet home - Michigan State started the season 0-1-2 at home, but since then holds a 9-1-1 record at Munn Ice Arena. Saturday Munn, which has welcomed 89,371 fans this year, should surpass the 100,000 attendance mark for the 17th consecutive year.

    Looking out for ... - Michigan State is the consensus No. 1 team in the nation this week. The Spartans held down the No. 1 spot for three weeks earlier this season in November and December before losing to Bowling Green, 1-0, Dec. 7. That No. 1 ranking represented the first time Michigan State had ascended to No. 1 since the final poll of the 1989-90 regular season.

    Comparing Chad - How Chad Alban's season stacks up against the only goaltender ever to win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, Minnesota,s Robb Stauber (1987-88): 

           
    GP                                   W-L-T   WIN %    MIN       GA   GAA     SV      SV%    SO      
    CHAD ALBAN (1997-98)    24          19-2-3  .854     1437:41    40  1.67     442    .917     4
    Robb Stauber, Minn. (1987-88)   44  34-10-0 .773     2621      119  2.72    1243    .913     5

    Amazing Alban - Senior goaltender and Hobey Baker candidate Chad Alban has four shutouts this season, tying a 39-year-old Michigan State record. Other Alban tidbits:

  • ranks among the NCAA leaders in goals-against average (2nd, 1.68), save percentage (5th, .917) and winning percentage (2nd, .857)

  • called by Ron Mason the greatest puck-handling and decision-making goaltender he has ever coached or ever will coach, he touches the puck over 30 times a game (not including saves)

  • leads the CCHA in overall GAA and save percentage

  • third in all-time wins at MSU (76) and just seven shy of the record held by Jason Muzzatti

  • ranks among MSU career leaders in GAA (1st, 2.61), shutouts (1st, 10), save percentage (5th, .892), games played (2nd, 116), saves (7th, 2,379)

    NCAA leaders - Where the Spartans rank among the NCAA stat leaders (as of 1/25). Note that NCAA stats do not recognize games in the Ice Breaker Invitational or vs. Canadian teams, but do recognize non-conference schools such as Fairfield and Canisius. 

        Category                    Team/Individual Rank      Figure
    Scoring Offense             Michigan State  12th     3.75 goals/game    
    Scoring Defense             Michigan State   1st     1.71 goals/game    
    Scoring Margin              Michigan State   3rd     2.04 goals/game    
    Winning Percentage          Michigan State   1st      .833  
    Penalty-Killing Percentage  Michigan State   3rd      .904  
    Power-Play Percentage       Michigan State   9th      .215  
    Points Per Game             Mike York        T-17th  1.50/game      
                                Sean Berens      20th    1.41/game
    Goals Per Game              Sean Berens      4th     0.95/game      
                                Mike York        9th     0.85/game
    Power-Play Goals            Sean Berens      T-3rd     8
    Goals-Against Average       Chad Alban       2nd     1.68   
    Save Percentage             Chad Alban       5th      .917
    Goalie Winning Percentage   Chad Alban       2nd      .857

    Follow the leader - Senior defenseman and three-year captain Tyler Harlton plays close to 30 minutes a game and in every vital defensive situation. He leads the CCHA in plus/minus at +23.

    Shooting stars - Michigan State is outshooting opponents by an average of 31.2-20.3. The Spartans have not allowed 30 shots on goal in a game yet this season while MSU has fired at least 30 shots on goal 15 times.

    Head start - Michigan State has outscored its opponents 31-8 in the first period and has scored first in 20 of its 27 games.

    NHL prospects - The following MSU players are ranked among the top draft-eligible North Americans in the latest evaluations released by the NHL,s Central Scouting Bureau: Shawn Horcoff (70th, 3rd round), John Nail (211th, 8th round), Andrew Bogle (218th, 9th round), Joe Blackburn (23rd among goaltenders).

    The fries at the bottom of the bag - MSU alum Mike Watt recently became the 38th player to play for Ron Mason at Michigan State to reach the NHL ... The Spartans are 8-0-1 when they have more penalties than their opponent ... MSU is 12-1-0 on the road ... former Spartans Steve Guolla and Peter White will play in the AHL All-Star game... fifteen former Spartans have appeared in the NHL this season, the most of any college...Rod Brind,Amour (Canada) will become the ninth Spartan to play in the Olympics in Nagano.

    Say This About Our Players . . .

    2 - Jon Gaskins (Sr., LW)

  • a defenseman for his first 85 career games, he is playing forward this year for the first time since youth hockey

    3 - Brody Brandstatter (R-Fr., D)

  • the ninth East Lansing native to play for MSU

    4 - Chris Bogas (Jr., D)

  • has led the team in plus/minus rating each of his two seasons and is +52 for his career
  • has the GWG in both games he has scored in this year

    5 - Mike Weaver (So., D)

  • leading all MSU defensemen with 4-13-17, 10 points more than he had all of last year
  • has points in eight of the last 11 games

    6 - Tyler Harlton (Sr., D)

  • in his third year as a team captain
  • one of five finalists for the Humanitarian Award, given to college hockey,s finest citizen
  • last season,s CCHA Best Defensive Defenseman and an all-league choice
  • earned numerous academic distinctions for his 3.75 GPA in Political Theory and Consitutional Democracy
  • had a perfect 4.0 GPA this fall
  • leading the CCHA with +23 rating and has had only two games with minus ratings
  • MSU is 24-2 all-time when he scores a point
  • has matched up against two All-America candidates this year (Chris Drury, Bill Muckalt - 10/25) and not allowed either a point while he was on the ice

    7 - Brad Hodgins (Fr., D)

  • has a career-best three-game point-scoring streak

    9 - Sean Patchell (Fr., W)

  • second among MSU freshmen with 6-7-13

    10 - Shawn Horcoff (So., C)

  • has scored 11 of his 20 career goals in the third period
  • 11 of his career goals are PPGs

    12 - Kevin O,Keefe (Sr., RW)

  • has more than doubled last year,s goal total
  • a high school classmate of Sean Berens

    14 - Damon Whitten (Fr., LW)

  • has not had a minus rating in a game all year

    16 - Bryan Adams (Jr., LW)

  • made a triumphant return from a shoulder injury to score the GWG in his first game back vs. LSSU
  • plays LW on Mike York,s line
  • had surgery on his back in the off-season

    18 - Sean Berens (Sr., C)

  • has 12-4-16 totals in the last six games, including a hat trick and a four-goal game
  • the last MSU skater to net consecutive three-goal games was Kip Miller in 1989-90
  • leading the team with 21 goals and second in scoring with 21-11-32
  • third in the nation with eight PPGs

    19 - Rustyn Dolyny (Fr., RW)

  • leading MSU freshmen in scoring and third on the team (11-13-24)
  • named to the GLI all-tournament team after totaling 1-3-4 in two games

    22 - Andrew Bogle (Fr., C)

  • moved to RW on Mike York,s line for the last game and had 1-1-2 totals
  • the youngest player in the CCHA and third-youngest in Division I (18; 12/22/79)

    27 - Jeff Kozakowski (Jr., D)

  • had a recent four-game assist streak

    29 - Chad Alban (Sr., G)

  • owns best-ever career GAA at MSU (2.61)
  • second in career wins (76) at MSU and within seven wins of Jason Muzzatti's all-time record
  • tied with Ken Dryden and Norm Foster for ninth all-time in victories in the NCAA
  • among the nation,s leaders in GAA (2nd), save percentage (5th) and winning pct. (2nd)
  • terrific stickhandler who plays the puck over 30 times a game (not counting saves)
  • College Hockey Showcase Most Valuable Player

    30 - Joe Blackburn (Fr., G)

  • has a 1.32 GAA and a .930 save percentage

    61 - Mike York (Jr., C)

  • has goals in five straight games (8-3-11)
  • was the first sophomore to lead MSU in scoring since Craig Simpson (1984-85)
  • was just the 11th American to play in three World Junior Championships
  • averaging 1.22 pts. per game in his career * leads all CCHA forwards at +21
  • has scored MSU,s first goal 19 times in his career (18 times the last two years)
  • nine of his 18 goals have come in the first period

    SERIES INFORMATION VS. MIAMI:

  • MSU leads, 44-12-3
  • In East Lansing: MSU leads, 22-8-2
  • Last meeting: MSU 4, Miami 3 OT (3/14/97 at Joe Louis Arena in the CCHA semifinals; MSU came back from 3-0 deficit to win in OT)
  • First meeting: MSU 4, Miami 4 OT (12/5/80)
  • Last year's series: MSU won, 3-1-0
  • MSU is 7-1-0 in the last eight meetings
  • The visiting team won each regular-season game last year
  • Miami is 6-2-1 in the last nine at Munn 

    MSU CAREER LEADERS vs. MIAMI
Player          (Yr., Pos.)  GP,  G-A-P
Mike York       (Jr., C)    7 GP, 3-8-11
Kevin O,Keefe   (Sr., RW)   7 GP, 4-1-5
Sean Berens     (Sr., C)    9 GP, 2-3-5
Shawn Horcoff   (So., C)    4 GP, 1-3-4
Chris Bogas     (Jr., D)    3 GP, 3-0-3
Goalie          (Yr.)        GP,   GA,    Sv%
Chad Alban      (Sr., G)    9 GP, 21 GA, .910
SPARTAN CAREER STATS
Player           GP  G-A-P      Pen/Min
Sean Berens     146 69-66-135    53/136
Mike York        99 49-72-121    40/92
Bryan Adams      88 16-31-47     31/92
Jeff Kozakowski 106  9-37-46     41/96
Chris Bogas     106 11-33-44     76/163
Shawn Horcoff    65 20-22-42     25/58
Kevin O,Keefe    63 11-19-30      8/16
at Ill.-Chicago  68 18-12-30     15/30
Tyler Harlton   144  5-25-30    107/229
Rustyn Dolyny    27 11-13-24     10/20
Mike Weaver      66  4-20-24     39/86
Brad Hodgins     65  3-20-23     43/124
Mark Loeding     90 14-6-20      49/125
Jon Gaskins     112  3-16-19     20/40
Sean Patchell    25  6-7-13      12/24
Curtis Gemmel    54  6-3-9        9/18
Mike Ford        92  4-4-8        8/16
Andrew Bogle     27  2-6-8        8/16
Chad Alban      116  0-7-7       10/31
Damon Whitten    26  1-6-7       12/35
John Nail        26  1-2-3        6/12
Matt Kruzich     12  1-0-1        5/10
B. Brandstatter  17  0-1-1        2/4
Mike Jalaba      13  0-0-0        2/4
Joe Blackburn     4  0-0-0        0/0
Mike Gresl        4  0-0-0        0/0
Dan Zaluski       3  0-0-0        0/0
Goalie      GP   W-L-T    GAA    Svs.    Sv. %
Alban      116  76-28-8   2.61  2,379   .892
Blackburn    4   2-1-0    1.32  53      .930
Gresl        4   0-1-0    5.07  32      .821
1997-98 MULTI-POINT GAMES (52)
Mike York       (10; MR: 1/24 vs. LSSU)
Sean Berens     (8; MR: 1/16 vs. UAF)
Rustyn Dolyny   (7; MR: 1/17 vs. FSU)
Bryan Adams     (6; MR: 11/15 vs. Mank.)
Kevin O,Keefe   (5; MR: 1/17 vs. FSU)
Shawn Horcoff   (4; MR: 1/2 vs. UAF)
Andrew Bogle    (3; MR: 1/24 vs. LSSU)
Jeff Kozakowski (2; MR: 1/17 vs. FSU)
Chris Bogas     (2; MR: 11/22 vs. BG)
5 players with 1 each: Brad Hodgins, Mike Weaver, Tyler Harlton, Damon Whitten, John Nail
1997-98 MULTI-GOAL GAMES (16)
Sean Berens     (5; MR: 1/10 vs. NMU)
Mike York       (4; MR: 1/17 vs. FSU)
Rustyn Dolyny   (2; MR: 1/17 vs. FSU)
Kevin O,Keefe   (2; MR: 10/28 vs. Ferris)
3 players with 1 each: Shawn Horcoff, Mike Weaver, Chris Bogas 
CURRENT POINT-SCORING STREAKS
(Two games or more)
7 games: Sean Berens (12-4-16)
5 games: Mike York (8-3-11)
4 games: Mike Weaver (0-4-4)
3 games: Kevin O,Keefe (2-2-4)
2 games: Andrew Bogle (1-2-3)
    		•

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