Lighting the Lamp
Hockey reporter Alex DiFilippo and Sports Editor Matt Bishop take you inside both MSU hockey and professional hockey four times a week.
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Live from the Ice Breaker - MSU vs. UMass
Boston — A thought crossed my mind the other day when I was looking up the rankings of the teams MSU will be facing starting today in the Ice Breaker Tournament.
How high would the Spartans be ranked if they wouldn’t have lost Justin Abdelkader, Tim Kennedy, and Michael Rattchuk to the professional ranks?
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think the Spartans would have found themselves ranked somewhere in the top three schools in the country in the preseason polls.
Just think about it. Our first line would have been completely stacked. It would have been Abdelkader, Kennedy, and most likely senior Tim Crowder.
That first line just might have been considered the best lines in college hockey.
Last year, Abdelkader and Kennedy recorded the most points for the Spartans – putting up 78 points combined. Add Crowder’s 38 points to that mix, and you have a line that would wreak havoc offensively.
Plus all three could skate on the power play and the penalty kill – areas that will be a weak spot on this year’s team.
But what’s done is done. Abdelkader and Kennedy decided to go pro and I can’t say I really blame them. The ultimate goal is to get into the NHL and if you have the opportunity you’ve to take advantage of it.
I’m getting sidetracked. Back to the rankings.
So the Spartans are ranked No. 11 in the nation before they have even played a game. Ironically MSU also has 11 freshmen on its roster.
How could it possibly be that the Green and White are so highly ranked with such a young team? That’s an easy one. It’s because of Jeff Lerg.
Lerg is arguably the best goalie in the country – despite being the tiniest at 5-foot-6, 155 pounds. He’s undoubtedly the backbone of the young Spartans team and the player who has the ability to get the season started on the right foot while the young players find their place in the lineup.
But let’s see how the Spartans fare this afternoon against a solid Massachusetts team. It should be a good test before they play No. 5 Boston University tomorrow night in front of what is sure to be a packed crowd.
Roughly 30 minutes before game time – this should be an interesting one.
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