In his summary of the Western Michigan-Michigan St. series over the weekend,
Riley Whearty said that both nights had "playoff-type hockey."  While I can't
vouch for Friday's game, Saturday's game was cretainly not an example of
"playoff hockey," FROM EITHER TEAM.  Western's two goals came on a 5-on-3
to open the third (:15 after MSU had managed to clear their zone, something
that should NEVER happen in a 5-on-3) and on a mad scramble in front of the
net midway through the period.
 
While I am not criticizing Western's play (they played well enough to win),
they played a team who, except for the recent home sweep against Kent and
the pre-Thanksgiving win over Lake Superior St., has had a lot of trouble
scoring (e.g. scoring with :04 left against Miami to preserve a 1-1 tie on
19 Nov and twice within a 3-minute span late in the third against Bowling
Green to preserve a 2-2 tie the next night).  Even the games where we have
scored a lot of goals have come primarily from individual efforts (Anson
Carter's 4 vs. Lake St. and Steve Guolla's 3 vs. Kent in the second game).
 
The primary reason that MSU is 9-5-3 and still within some reasonable distance
of U-M (though that will probably change after U-M sweeps UIC at Ann Arbor
this weekend) has been the defense, and particularly Mike Buzak.  Buzak may
be the best goaltender in the CCHA (bar none, especially if you consider the
minutes that he has played this season) but we begin to wonder how long he can
hold out if he's playing every night (our other goaltender, Eric Kruze, has
started only once this season, vs. Guelph (Ont.)).  Unfortunately, with the GLI
coming up and the home-and home vs. U-M in late January, Buzak does'nt look
like he's going to get a rest anytime soon.
 
So while I do congratulate Western on the sweep, please note that this is also
the same team that U-M blew out last weekend (and U-M only counts for three of
WMU's six losses).  Until Western can play consistent hockey night after night
against the UIC's and the Kent's of the CCHA, then they're not going to go far
in the CCHA playoffs (e.g. last year).  And 2-1 and 2-0 wins over a team that
can't score if its life depended on it right now are not going to win you any
poll votes.
 
G. M. Finniss
Michigan St. Univ.
And, despite it all, LET'S GO STATE!