1965–66 Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey season

The 1965–66 Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey team represented Michigan State University in college ice hockey. In its 15th year under head coach Amo Bessone the team compiled a 16–13–0 record and reached the NCAA tournament for the second time in its history. The Spartans defeated Clarkson 6–1 in the championship game at the Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. as of 2018, the 1965–66 Michigan State team has the worst record of any national champion for Division I (or equivalent) ice hockey.

1965–66 Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey season
National Champion
WCHA Tournament, Co-Champion
1966 NCAA Tournament, Champion
Conference6th WCHA / 2nd Big Ten
Home iceDemonstration Hall
Record
Overall16–13–0
Conference9–11, 4–4
Home8–5
Road5–8
Neutral3–0
Coaches and Captains
Head CoachAmo Bessone
Captain(s)Mike Coppo[1]
Alternate captain(s)Don Heaphy
Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey seasons
« 1964–65 1966–67 »

Season

Coming off of their first winning season in 3 years, Michigan State began the 1965–66 season on a sour note, losing both games at Colorado College and then continued their losing streak with the first two games of a three-game series against ECAC Hockey opponents. The Spartans finally earned a win against St. Lawrence to finish their road trip 1–4. State opened their home schedule against North Dakota with a split which continued with the succeeding two series against Denver and CC. MSU met their first Big Ten opponent when Minnesota arrived in mid-January but after the Golden Gophers handed Amo Bessone's team two losses the Spartans were wallowing near the bottom of their conferece with a 3–7 record.

The only bright spot for MSU was that the WCHA had accepted Minnesota–Duluth into the conference and, as a result, changed the playoff format so all 8 teams would be included regardless of their records. MSU got back in the win column the following weekend against the Bulldogs, taking both games before travelling to Minneapolis to earn a split with the Gophers. MSU continued to slowly climb out of the cellar with two wins in their first home-and-home series with arch-rival Michigan and then extended their winning streak with two more wins against Wisconsin, bringing their all-time record against the Badgers to 6–0.[1]

With a home playoff game in sight Michigan State was stopped dead in their tracks by defending national champion Michigan Tech who took two contests from the Spartans. MSU ended their regular season against Michigan with another home-and-home series but could only manage a split, finishing the season in 6th-place in the WCHA standings. Part of the rearrangement of the playoff system for the WCHA came with dividing the eight teams into two regions (east and west) with MSU being joined by Minnesota–Duluth, Michigan and Michigan Tech. Because Michigan had finished ahead of the Spartans (due to winning the final regular season game 1–0 in overtime), Michigan State had to open the conference tournament on the road. Despite the hostile crowd MSU was able to win the game against the 5th-place Wolverines and, because of an odd arrangement for the second round, headed back home for a match against top-seeded Michigan Tech. With the Spartan faithful cheering them on, Michigan State upset the Huskies 4–3, winning their first WCHA Tournament (shared with Denver) and advanced to their second NCAA Tournament.

Despite having a worse record than Denver, Michigan State was slated to play lower-seeded Boston University in the opening round, a team who was only in the tournament because ECAC runner-up Cornell declined the invitation.[2] Michigan State's showed up in full force against the Terriers, holding BU to a single goal and winning a nail-biter 2–1 to advance to the title game. They met Clarkson for the championship, but unusually for an east-vs.-west matchup the two teams were familiar with one another with Clarkson having won a game early in the season. However, past was not prologue in this case and team captain Mike Coppo opened the scoring in the fifteenth minute of the opening frame. Clarkson tied the score just over three minutes later but that was the only goal they could get past Gaye Cooley and MSU began a string of five uninterrupted goals late in the second to win their first National Championship.

Brian McAndrew, Mike Coppo, Don Heaphy and Gaye Cooley were all named to the All-Tournament first team while Bob Brawley and Tom Mikkola made the second team. Cooley was named Tournament Most Outstanding Player and, because of his job shepherding the Spartans through early-season injury and ice trouble, Amo Bessone shared the Spencer Penrose Award for national coach of the year with Clakrson's Len Ceglarski, the only time in history the award was split (as of 2018). The team's leading scorer, Doug Volmar was the only Spartan to be named to the AHCA All-American West Team or the All-WCHA First Team while none made it onto the WCHA Second Team.[3]

Standings

1965–66 Big Ten standings
Conference Overall
GP W L T PTS GF GA GP W L T GF GA
Minnesota8530103429271611011794
Michigan State8440834322916130123111
Michigan8350625322814140125109
indicates conference regular season champion
Conference Overall
GP W L T PCT GF GA GP W L T GF GA
Michigan Tech201541.775774830236114182
North Dakota221390.59197853017121135115
Minnesota221390.5919276271611011794
Denver*201073.57581613218113137100
Michigan18990.50074722814140125109
Michigan State*209110.45088852916130123111
Colorado College184122.278519329918298147
Minnesota-Duluth203152.2006010028719296137
Championship: Michigan State, Denver
indicates conference regular season champion
* indicates conference tournament champion

Schedule

Date Opponent# Rank# Site Result Record
Regular Season
November 19 at Colorado College Broadmoor World ArenaColorado Springs, Colorado L 0–4  0–1 (0–1)
November 20 at Colorado College Broadmoor World ArenaColorado Springs, Colorado L 3–4 OT 0–2 (0–2)
November 25 at St. Lawrence* Appleton ArenaCanton, New York L 3–5  0–3 (0–2)
November 26 at Clarkson* Walker ArenaPotsdam, New York L 3–6  0–4 (0–2)
November 27 at St. Lawrence* Appleton ArenaCanton, New York W 6–4  1–4 (0–2)
December 3 vs. North Dakota Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan W 11–5  2–4 (1–2)
December 4 vs. North Dakota Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan L 3–5  2–5 (1–3)
December 10 vs. Denver Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan L 6–8  2–6 (1–4)
December 11 vs. Denver Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan W 4–1  3–6 (2–4)
January 7 vs. Colorado College Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan L 4–5 OT 3–7 (2–5)
January 8 vs. Colorado College Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan W 6–2  4–7 (3–5)
January 14 vs. Minnesota Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan L 5–7  4–8 (3–6, 0–1)
January 15 vs. Minnesota Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan L 1–5  4–9 (3–7, 0–2)
January 21 vs. Minnesota–Duluth Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan W 6–5 OT 5–9 (4–7, 0–2)
January 22 vs. Minnesota–Duluth Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan W 5–2  6–9 (5–7, 0–2)
January 28 vs. Minnesota Williams ArenaMinneapolis, Minnesota L 5–6 OT 6–10 (5–8, 0–3)
January 29 vs. Minnesota Williams ArenaMinneapolis, Minnesota W 4–3  7–10 (6–8, 1–3)
February 4 vs. Michigan Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan W 8–7  8–10 (7–8, 2–3)
February 5 at Michigan Weinberg ColiseumAnn Arbor, Michigan W 4–2  9–10 (8–8, 3–3)
February 11 vs. Wisconsin* Milwaukee ArenaMilwaukee, Wisconsin W 3–1  10–10 (8–8, 3–3)
February 12 at Wisconsin* Hartmeyer Ice ArenaMadison, Wisconsin W 5–3  11–10 (8–8, 3–3)
February 18 at Michigan Tech Dee StadiumHoughton, Michigan L 4–8  11–11 (8–9, 3–3)
February 19 at Michigan Tech Dee StadiumHoughton, Michigan L 2–4  11–12 (8–10, 3–3)
February 25 vs. Michigan Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan W 7–1  12–12 (9–10, 4–3)
February 26 at Michigan Weinberg ColiseumAnn Arbor, Michigan L 0–1 OT 12–13 (9–11, 4–4)
WCHA Tournament
March 3 at Michigan* Weinberg ColiseumAnn Arbor, Michigan (WCHA First Round) W 3–2  13–13 (9–11, 4–4)
March 5 vs. Michigan Tech* Demonstration HallEast Lansing, Michigan (WCHA Second Round) W 6–4  14–13 (9–11, 4–4)
NCAA Tournament
March 18 vs. Boston University* Williams ArenaMinneapolis, Minnesota (National Semifinal) W 2–1  15–13 (9–11, 4–4)
March 19 vs. Clarkson* Williams ArenaMinneapolis, Minnesota (National Championship) W 6–1  16–13 (9–11, 4–4)
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from USCHO.com Poll.
Source:

[1]

Roster and scoring statistics

No.NameYearPositionHometownS/P/CGamesGoalsAssistsPtsPIM
9Doug VolmarJuniorFCleveland Heights, OH2926285457
7Mike CoppoSeniorFHancock, MI2921214232
12Brian McAndrewJuniorFCopper Cliff, ON2914233720
20Tom MikkolaJuniorFCopper Cliff, ON2910233318
8Bill FauntJuniorFSault Ste. Marie, ON29823316
10Mike JacobsonJuniorFCopper Cliff, ON241392222
16Bob FallatSophomoreFEspanola, ON291151636
4Don HeaphySeniorDCopper Cliff, ON293101344
15Wayne DuffettSophomoreFKirkland Lake, ON29571214
14Nino CristofoliSophomoreFTrail, BC29571212
5Tom PurdoJuniorDDetroit, MI2817857
3Dick BoisSophomoreDEspanola, ON2723550
11Matt MulcahySeniorFDearborn, MI292354
2Bob BrawleyJuniorDSault Ste. Marie, ON2214546
6Doug FrenchSophomoreDEspanola, ON2214520
21John SchusterJuniorFWyandotte, MI230110
18Ron RothJuniorDSaint Paul, MN70114
22Larry RocheSophomoreGHoughton, MI20000
1Jerry FisherJuniorGDetroit, MI120002
23Gaye CooleySophomoreGNorth Bay, ON180000
19Dainis VedejsSeniorDGrand Rapids, MI0----
Total123179302454

[1]

Goaltending statistics

No.NameGamesMinutesWinsLossesTiesGoals AgainstSavesShut OutsSV %GAA
22Larry Roche20.8892.5
23Gaye Cooley180.9033.1
1Jerry Fisher120.8684.0
Total29161301110

1966 Championship Game

(E2) Clarkson vs. (W2) Michigan State

Scoring summary
Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score
1st MSU Mike Coppo Heaphy 14:31 1–0 MSU
CLK Andrew Hamilton McLennan and Hurley 17:54 1–1
2nd MSU Bob BrawleyGW McAndrew and Heaphy 34:31 2–1 MSU
3rd MSU Mike Coppo Faunt 40:17 3–1 MSU
MSU Bob Fallat McAndrew 43:38 4–1 MSU
MSU Doug Volmar Faunt 52:12 5–1 MSU
MSU Bill Faunt unassisted 59:32 6–1 MSU

References

  1. "Michigan State Spartans 2018-19 Hockey Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State Spartans. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  2. "Cornell Men's Hockey Media Guide Pages 59-88 (History and Records)" (PDF). Cornell Big Red. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  3. "WCHA All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  4. "Michigan State 2013-14 Hockey History" (PDF). Michigan State Spartans. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
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