Both MSU and No. 14 Michigan have 17 players from the state of Michigan on their respective rosters.
With such a strong recruiting base for both teams in Michigan, it’s no surprise that many players on both sides are familiar with each other.
Icers set friendships aside for rivalry weekend
Sophomore forward Andrew Rowe is pushed into the boards by Miami defenseman Kevin Roeder during the first period of Saturday’s game at Munn Ice Arena. The Spartans were defeated by the Redhawks 3-1.
But senior forward Kurt Kivisto said friendships are left at the front door when the teams take the ice.
“You want to beat them because you don’t want them to have the last laugh when you see them in the summer,” Kivisto said. “It does mean more when you know guys on the team. You just want to beat them … to have a little edge on them.”
Senior goaltender Jeff Lerg spends time training with some of the Wolverines during the offseason. He said he is looking forward to seeing how his team matches up.
“They are good hockey players and at some point or another, a lot of us have been teammates with those guys,” Lerg said. “We know how they play and we know they are good, skilled players. It’s just a fun challenge to go out and play for pride with your school name on the line.”
The two winningest head coaches in the CCHA, MSU’s Rick Comley and U-M’s Red Berenson, even have a close relationship.
“It’s a good friendship,” Comley said. “It’s one of respect. If I need something, I don’t hesitate to call him and I know it’s the same for him.”
With both teams struggling so far this season, senior forward Dan Sturges realizes how important this weekend series will be to the standings and the off-ice friendships.
“There is so much riding on each game with the league standings and bragging rights,” Sturges said. “From the drop of the puck until the end, it’s intense all the way through.”
New faces for rivalry
For the 11 freshmen on the Spartans roster, the weekend series against the Wolverines will be their first taste of the bitter rivalry.
Ontario native Daultan Leveille is one freshman who hasn’t experienced the intrastate rivalry, but he’s learning quick.
“I’ve just heard that it’s going to be crazy,” Leveille said. “It’s a big rivalry and you just want to do your best and hopefully come out with two wins.”
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Sturges has been emptying his brain to give the freshmen all the insight he can muster to help them prepare for the weekend series.
“I think these guys will learn about it as the week goes on and once we get into Yost (Ice Arena) because it’s one of the toughest buildings to play in,” Sturges said.
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