FSN Detroit will rebroadcast the historic Cold War Hockey Game between Michigan State and Michigan on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004, from 8-10 p.m. The outdoor hockey game, which was originally held on Oct. 6, 2001, saw a world-record 74,554 people jam Spartan Stadium to watch the Spartans and Wolverines skate to a 3-3 overtime draw. … Read more
It doesn’t get much bigger than this matchup of CCHA powers.
As Michigan State gets ready for another meeting with archrival Michigan, I sat down with Spartans’ head coach Rick Comley in his office in East Lansing to just talk about coaching. This is the first in a series of talks with college hockey’s great coaches. Comley is in his third year at Michigan State and … Read more
Finally, this team belongs to Rick Comley. With the departure of Brock Radunske (7-6-13) and Lee Falardeau (2-4-6) and the return of the league’s genuine superstar, Jim Slater (10-21-31), Comley can feel pretty confident that the Spartans are all on the same page. “Our hockey team will be a pretty good team,” says Comley, a … Read more
Michigan State defenseman A.J. Thelen put to rest any speculation that he might leave school for the pros, telling reporters in Minnesota that he would return to East Lansing for his sophomore season. Thelen was the 12th overall pick in this past June’s NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild. Thelen is a native of Minnesota, … Read more
The day the [nl]Minnesota North Stars bolted his home state for Texas was the day a young A.J. Thelen stopped worrying about where he might play some day in the NHL. All he began to care about was getting there. “I have no real favorite now,” said Thelen, a standout defenseman for Michigan State. “Once … Read more
Three schools each have a pair of players among the six freshmen named to the 2003-04 CCHA All-Rookie Team by vote of the conference head coaches. At least one Wolverine has been honored in 12 of the 16 years since the team was created. The team will be honored at the 2004 CCHA Awards on … Read more
U.S. hockey took a stunning step forward with Monday’s gold at the World Juniors: three Spartans were part of the celebration.
The Great Lakes Invitational has compiled a fair amount of recognition in its 39 years, building the reputation of a tournament that players watch and yearn to play in. But for some, the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, taking place in Finland this year, presents an even better opportunity. Seven players from three … Read more
Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Dec. 27-28 Boston College vs. Michigan, 2:30 ET Saturday Michigan Tech vs. Michigan State, 6:05 ET Saturday Consolation, 12:35 ET Sunday Championship, 4:05 ET Sunday Television: All games on Fox Sports Detroit (DirecTV Ch. 636). Boston College Players to Watch: F Ben Eaves, Sr. (3-18–21); F Tony Voce, Sr. (14-6–20); G … Read more
Maine goalie Jimmy Howard and Harvard defenseman Dylan Reese will miss the upcoming World Junior tournament because of injury, as will Dustin Brown, a first-round draft pick last June from Ithaca, N.Y., who now plays for the Los Angeles Kings. Brown’s spot was filled by North Dakota forward Drew Stafford. Michigan defenseman Matt Hunwick will … Read more
It’s impossible to think of Rick Comley as a sophomore coach. After 26 years behind the bench as Northern Michigan’s first head coach, Comley is seventh on the NCAA’s all-time win list. As he follows in the footsteps of his mentor, the legendary Ron Mason, Comley is poised to add to his own legend at … Read more
Michigan, the reigning conference tournament champion, was tabbed as the preseason league favorite in both polls at the CCHA’s 2003-04 Media Day.
The WCHA and CCHA led the way with three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award each, and Colorado College has two of the 10 that will be considered for college hockey’s top individual award. Also, the CHA has its first Hobey finalist, Niagara forward Joe Tallari. Colorado College junior forward Peter Sejna and senior defenseman … Read more
With a triumphant sweep over in-state rival Denver, Colorado College captured the majority of the first-place votes in this week’s USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll. The Tigers finished first with 593 points and enters next weekend with the No. 1 seed in the WCHA playoffs and will face Alaska-Anchorage. Colorado College is also first in … Read more
Former Wisconsin and Colorado College coach Jeff Sauer was named winner of the 2003 John “Snooks” Kelley Founders Award, one of six awards announced today by the American Hockey Coaches Association. Sauer won 655 games (4th all-time) in 31 seasons as head coach at Colorado College (1971-1982) and Wisconsin (1982-2002), before retiring from coaching. He … Read more
After a confusing week, Michigan State defenseman Duncan Keith made his debut with Kelowna of the Western Hockey League Friday night, almost certainly denoting the end of his college hockey career. Keith signed a contract last week with the Rockets of the WHL, a Canadian major junior league, rendering him ineligible in the eyes of … Read more
Here’s a riddle for you. What happens when the winningest coach in college hockey history steps aside, and you lose the best goaltender the CCHA has ever seen? Why, continued success, of course — if the new head coach has a track record like Rick Comley’s. Denial: Not Just A River In Egypt If you’re … Read more
Ryan Miller, one of just two goalies ever to win the Hobey Baker Award, will forgo his senior season at Michigan State after agreeing to a two-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.
Ryan Miller is ready to forego his senior year to sign with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.