In another rare Thursday night CCHA affair, the Michigan State Spartans will
travel up US 131 to Big Rapids to face the first of two big hurdles in their
drive to reach the NC$$ Tournament when they visit Ewigleben Ice Arena to
play the Ferris State Bulldogs, a team who has won four straight vs. the
Green and White.
 
MSU pretty much finds itself in a "must-win" situation.  Considering the
overall strength of the WCHA this year, it is extremely unlikely that the
NC$$ is going to invite four CCHA teams to the Big Dance.  Thus, it becomes
imperative that the Spartans find a way to finish third in the conference
AND make it to the CCHA final game in Detroit.  The easiest way for them to
finish third is to win their final two.  Without two victories, the Spartans
need help (esp. from UIC and OSU).  A fourth or fifth place finish puts them
in the same half of the draw as Michigan, which actually isn't too bad, con-
sidering that the Spartans have played well against UM this year (we just
suck against teams like Ferris and Western).  But, they would almost have to
win the CCHA tournament to get into the Dance.  For a team that has been
referred to as the Otis Team (they're up and down more often than your average
elevator [Ken Landau]), this would be a tough task.  Not impossible, but
extremely difficult.
 
Ferris in recent times has appeared to have MSU's number.  As someone stated
once (probably on Hockey-L, but I forget who it was, so don't get too P.O.'ed
if I don't give the proper credit), Craig Lisko must sleep with a picture of
Ron Mason over his head.  The Bulldogs at times appear to be playing out the
string until the next MSU game comes up (Western used to do this too, but has
played well in other games this year besides against us).  Evidence: after
Friday's win at Munn, the Bulldogs went back to Big Rapids only to get blasted
by Notre Dame 8-3 (ND's first win in 10 games).  No offense intended to Ferris,
but the MSU games are their Super Bowl and Stanley Cup final all rolled into
one.  After MSU, the Bulldogs get a day off before travelling to Ann Arbor
to play (I don't want to use the word "slumping" but I can't think of a better
word to describe them at the moment) the slumping Michigan Wolverines.  Ferris
is guaranteed of a seventh-place finish in the conference, which means that
they will travel to the fifth-place finisher for a 3-game set in the first
round of the CCHA playoffs (unless a higher seeded team takes UAF, then Ferris
would go to the sixth-place finisher).  At the moment, given a choice between
playing Ferris or UAF in the CCHA's, MSU might have to flip a coin.
 
The Spartans have had, according to Mason, "good practices" this week.  (Oh,
I bet they just LOOOOOVED that 6am'er on Saturday.)  One can only hope that
they play Ferris like the Bulldogs were wearing Maize and Blue.
 
G. M. Finniss
Michigan State University
WVU '87, UTenn '92, MSU who the hell knows when?
 
P. S.  For those of you at MSU who have followed the "TA Union" debate, the
        "This is blatant stupidity" quote was mine.  TA UNIONS SUCK!!!!!!!!