A few observations and opinions...
 
  *  Michigan State was the best team and deserved to win.
Congratulations to the Spartans on ending the UM streaks
of nine titles and 20 games.
 
  *  St Lawrence goaltender Eric Heffler was Superman on
Saturday, stopping 44 of 47 shots and literally almost stealing
a win for the Larries.  I'm glad to see that he was named All-
GLI goaltender.  (MSU's Chad Alban being the other contender.)
 
  *  In the championship game, the Spartans played better
defense, gave up fewer second chances and seemed to
move the puck better (more cleanly) in the neutral zone than
did the Wolverines.  (All part of being the better team.)
 
  *  If I had to point to one thing that tipped the game in MSU's
favor, I'd say UM's five-minute power play in the first period.
UM had a 1-0 lead with a chance to really blow things open.
Frankly, they looked lost with the man advantage.  Someone
near me commented that this wasn't the Michigan power play
of old...to which I thought, "Hell, this isn't the Kent power play
of old."  MSU drove two nails into the coffin by not only holding
off the Wolverines, but by generating a breakaway as their
man came out of the box...which resulted in the tying goal.
 
  *  Both teams had an apparent goal disallowed.  The timing
hurt UM more, but I've heard from folks who had the luxury of
seeing replays that both were good calls.  MSU's non-goal
came in the first, with UM leading 1-0, and was disallowed for
a man in the crease.  UM's came in third with MSU leading 4-3,
and was disallowed for being directed in by a skate.  That
seemed to deflate the Wolverines, who for a moment looked
to have come back from a 4-2 deficit.  (I imagine that coming
from two goals down on MSU is akin to doing the same on
the New Jersey Devils.  It's nearly impossible.)
 
  *  I thought the officiating was poor...but I wouldn't point to it as
costing UM the game.  One of the linesman whistled UM for too
many men on the ice.  I was clapping, because at the time of
the whistle their were seven(!) Spartan skaters on the ice.  Yet,
the call was on UM.  Moments later, MSU gained a good 60-
feet on a line change and had an extra skater on the ice for
several seconds but neither linesman was paying attention.
As for referee Steve Piotrowski, his style of calling the situation
rather than calling the game was very apparent.  During UM's
five-minute power play, an MSU defenseman blatantly took
the net off while UM was pressuring.  A textbook example of
delay of game that you could put on any officiating instructional
video.  But...Piotrowski refused to call it with MSU already down
a man.  Also, I'd like to see a replay of MSU's fifth goal...in
which UM goalie Marty Turco had already been taken into the
net by another MSU player.
 
  *  MSU netminder Chad Alban continues to roll, and will get
some All-America and possibly Hobey Baker consideration.
However, the real stars are the Spartan defense.  Alban has to
be the least tested 'tender in the NCAA this season.  Add this
luxury to the fact that Alban is indeed a fine stopper and you
come up with the miniscule numbers that he's posting.
 
  *  It should be noted that MSU won without their two big offensive
guns and UM was without freshman defenseman Mike Van Ryn.
Hard to believe how much a rookie blueliner means to a program
like Michigan, but the Wolverine defense just isn't the same
without him.  For most of the 1990's, depth was a Michigan trademark.
Those days are behind us now. :-)
 
  *  And, not on the GLI, but...MSU's wins in the Icebreaker should
count every bit as much as their wins in the GLI.  No if's, and's or
but's.  Just like Michigan's win over Minnesota in the Hall of Fame
game.  These games were NOT exhibitions.  From day one they've
been presented as regular-season non-conference contests that
were granted exemptions from the NCAA 34-game limit.  It will be
a travesty if the NCAA rules that these games "don't count."  As far
as I know, they have not yet made such a ruling and these games
should be included in the respective records of the teams when
polls and ratings are reported.  The cries of Jack Parker, Doug
Woog and others are reminiscent of Shawn Walsh not realizing
that taking money from the boosters while he was suspended was
wrong.  These are intelligent individuals.  Personally, I find their
feigning of ignorance/innocence quite appalling.
 
Happy Holidays...
 
 
John Haeussler
[log in to unmask]
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.