Batovanja a finalist for Hines Unsung Hero Award

Senior Mike Batovanja of the Michigan Tech hockey team has been nominated for the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award, as announced by the Hockey Commissioners' Association (HCA).

The honor is named in memory of the former Army player who died courageously in combat in Afghanistan, and will be presented for the first time April 6 at the 2007 NCAA Men's Frozen Four.

"Although I never knew Derek Hines, I admire the lasting impression he left on those he touched," said fourth-year Huskies' head coach Jamie Russell. "Mike Batovanja would certainly honor Derek's memory as he possesses so many of the qualities Derek had."

Batovanja has been a mainstay in the Huskies lineup ever since transferring from the University of Findlay after his freshman campaign. Named to the College Hockey America All-Rookie Team with the Oilers in 2003-04, Batovanja chipped in 13 goals and 31 assists in 146 career games between the two programs. He racked up five points this season and led Michigan Tech in hits, despite missing three games due to numerous injuries.

A team co-captain this year, and an alternate captain in the 2005-06 slate, Batovanja owns a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average in business administration with a concentration in marketing. The winger was a three-time member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) All-Academic Team and was recognized as a WCHA Scholar-Athlete in his final collegiate season.

He also donated his time by working with the Copper Country Junior Hockey Association and reading in local elementary schools as part of the Koaches' Kids program.

"Mike has exemplified fearless leadership on and off the ice throughout his career at Michigan Tech," reflected Russell. "He played through excruciating pain this entire season and was a real inspiration for our team. Mike is a shining example of all that is good in our game. His unselfish and humble manner should make our team, university and community proud."

Each of the six NCAA Division I hockey conferences submitted a nominee for the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award to honor the nation's "consummate team player and team builder."

Hines, a former Army captain, was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan last September. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Black Knights, graduating in 2003 after serving as the team's co-captain in his senior season.

The Unsung Hero Award will go to the nominee who best personifies Derek's spirit and relentless commitment as defined by the following description.

"This award recognizes a fearless leader and beloved fan favorite who always places his team first," said HCA president Tom Anastos. "Displaying exemplary sportsmanship, he's supremely competitive, intelligent and extraordinarily conditioned with an unmatched work ethic. The contributions of this individual, on and off the ice, cannot be measured by statistics alone."

Nominees were judged by a panel comprised of the sports information directors from the six NCAA Division I conferences along with representatives of Army athletics and the Hines family.

Photo: Batovanja signing a poster at the annual Skate with the Huskies event - courtesy MTU Photo Services

MTU's Teslak, Russell garner WCHA honors

Michigan Tech head coach Jamie Russell has been recognized as Western Collegiate Hockey Association Co-Coach of the Year and sophomore goalie Michael-Lee Teslak has garnered All-WCHA Third Team accolades, as announced at the league's annual awards ceremony last week.

St. Cloud State's Bob Motzko shared the WCHA Coach of the Year honor with Russell.

Russell has guided his team to an 18-16-5 overall record and a sixth-place finish in the 2006-07 WCHA standings, marking its best conference showing since 1992-93. In his fourth year behind the Huskies' bench, Russell led his troops past Colorado College in the opening round of the WCHA playoffs which solidified Tech's first appearance at the WCHA Final Five since 1996.

With 18 wins, the Huskies have recorded their highest win total since the 1995-96 and are just two victories shy of their best mark since 1987-88. Under Russell's tutelage, Tech ranks among the nation's top five in shots allowed (24.6), penalty killing (87.6) and scoring defense (2.13). The Huskies broke a program record by compiling five shutouts this season, besting a mark set back in 1974-75. MTU owns a 16-9-3 record against teams in the top 20, and has posted a 10-4-3 mark in its last 17 games.

Teslak, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound goaltender, earned his first All-WCHA award after filing an 11-7-3 overall record, including an 8-2-2 mark in his last 12 contests. He is tied with Jim Warden (1975-75) for first all-time among Husky goaltenders for shutouts in a season after notching his fourth blanking of the campaign Mar. 11 at Colorado College. The owner of a 1.90 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage, Teslak leads the WCHA in goal against average and ranks fourth nationally in the same category. He was named WCHA co-Defensive Player of the Week Feb. 27 and has gained WCHA weekly honors four times in his two-year career.

NOTES:
Russell is the third MTU coach to be selected WCHA Coach of the Year and the first since Herb Boxer gained the award in the 1987-88 season … The legendary John MacInnes won the award six times (1960, 1962, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981) during his illustrious career in Houghton … Teslak is the first Husky to receive All-WCHA laurels since Colin Murphy earned All-WCHA First Team honors, Lars Helminen was selected to the Second Team and Cam Ellsworth was picked to the Third Team in the 2004-05 campaign.

Western Michigan loses Letestu to AHL

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed center Mark Letestu to an amateur tryout contract.

Letestu, 22, recently completed his freshman season with the Western Michigan Broncos, leading the team with 24 goals, five shorthanded goals and 46 points. He also ranked tied for first on the team with seven power play goals and three game-winning goals. He was named CCHA Rookie of the Year for his efforts.

The 5-foot-11, 195 pound native of Elk Point, Alberta, tied for sixth among all NCAA skaters in goals and tied for 14th in points, while his five shorthanded tallies led the entire nation. Letestu led all freshmen scorers across the NCAA in points.

Letestu played four seasons with the Bonneyville Pontiacs of the Albert Junior Hockey League, leading the league in scoring with 105 points (50g, 55a) in 58 games during the 2005-06 season. That performance led him to be named the AJHL Most Valuable Player.

Photo by Casey Spring

Spartans get another Lancers goaltender

Omaha Lancers' goaltender Drew Palmisano has committed to Michigan State University for the 2008-2009 season.

The Ann Arbor native has posted an 18-8-4 overall win-loss record thus far this season. He has a 2.84 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. He currently ranks eighth among USHL goaltenders.

“Drew has been one of the most instrumental players in turning our season around and we're happy for him to able to play at a university like Michigan State,” said Omaha head coach Mike Hastings. “Drew is excited about the opportunity to play so close to home.”

Palmisano is the third Lancer goaltender in recent years to sport the green and white for Michigan State. Dominic Vicari played for the Spartans during the 2003 - 2006 seasons and Jeff Lerg is currently the starting goaltender for the Spartans.

Eleven Spartans honored at MSU hockey banquet

Sophomore netminder Jeff Lerg captured the 2007 Spartan Hockey Most Valuable Player Award and 10 other players earned individual honors when the team held its annual banquet on Monday at the Kellogg Center.

Lerg, who has started all 38 games for Michigan State this season, currently boasts a .909 save percentage and a 2.53 goals-against average while playing 96.5 percent of the team's minutes - the second highest percentage in the nation. The Livonia native posted four shutouts this season, and allowed two or fewer goals on 22 occasions.

Lerg's cousin, junior forward Bryan Lerg, took home Outstanding Offensive Player honors. Bryan's eight game-winning goals not only led the nation, but also places him in a tie for first on the Spartans all-time list for game winners in a season along with Steve Beadle (1989-90) and Mitch Messier (1986-87). Lerg's 23 tallies leads the team, and his 35 points ranks second.

All three senior defenseman - Tyler Howells, Ethan Graham and Chris Snavely - garnered awards as well.

Howells was the recipient of the Amo Bessone Award, which honors athletic, scholastic and community participation. A food industry management major, Howells initiated a relationship with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Lansing, a team community project that he hopes will continue to grow long after he graduates in May. Thanks to Howells' efforts, the Spartan hockey team partnered with Big Brothers and Big Sisters Michigan Capital Region chapter this fall.

Graham, who has posted a career-high 10 assists in 2006-07, received the Dr. John Downs Outstanding Defensive Player Award. The Xenia, Ohio native has been a key cog on the Spartans blue line this year, posting 11 points while spending time on both the power play and penalty kill.

Snavely took home the 2007 Spartan Fitness Award, posting nine points (1g, 8a) in 23 points after having only six points in 30 games a year ago. The native of Lancaster, Pa., was durable down the stretch, scoring the game-winning goal and adding an assist for first-star honors in the Spartans final regular season victory at Bowling Green Feb. 23.

Classmate Brandon Warner was named the Blue Line Club President's Award Winner, presented to the top scholar-athlete in the senior class. A Kinesiology major, Warner boasts one of the highest grade point averages on the team, and is scheduled to graduate this spring. On the ice, Warner has doubled his career goals and points totals as a senior, posting two tallies and six points.

The Bill Burgess Outstanding Senior Award was given to captain Chris Lawrence for his leadership both on and off the ice. A gritty, hard-working winger, Lawrence was selected by the team last summer to wear the "C" in a unanimous vote. Playing in all but two contests this season, the Havertown, Pa., native has seven points (1g, 6a).

The Most Improved Player Award went to junior defenseman Daniel Vukovic on the heels of his two-goal, three-point, plus-four performance at the CCHA Championships last Saturday. After posting just a goal and five points in his first two varsity seasons combined, Vukovic has scored six goals and added four assists as a junior to add an offensive punch to his defensive game. As one of just four Spartans to appear in every contest so far in 2006-07, Vukovic paces the team in plus/minus with a plus-16 rating.

Fellow defenseman Mike Ratchuk earned the Outstanding Rookie Award, pacing the team among full-time blueliners with 12 points (4g, 8a) in 36 games. The Buffalo, N.Y., native also was a CCHA All-Rookie Team Honorable Mention selection.

For the third consecutive season, junior Zak McClellan was the recipient of the team's Goofus Award, given annually to the team humorist. McClellan has appeared 25 games thus far for the Spartans, collecting a pair of assists, his claim to fame has become "In the Box with Zak McClellan," the weekly talk show he hosts online at msuspartans.com. Having also claimed the award in his first two seasons, he joins current Spartan volunteer assistant coach Rob Woodward (1991-93) and Chris Bogas (1997-99) as the only three-time winners.

Mike Donnelly (1982-86), the NCAA record holder for goals in a season (59), was honored as the Distinguished Alumnus. A native of Livonia, Donnelly was a four-year letterwinner at MSU, helping his teams combine for a 136-38-3 record in his four years (1983-86). During that span, the Spartans captured three CCHA Tournament titles and two regular-season crowns in addition to the 1986 national title. Donnelly went on to a fruitful NHL career, and skated with the LA Kings in the 1993 Stanley Cup playoffs. He retired as a player in 1998, and is currently employed by the Kings as an amateur scout.

Michigan, Michigan State off to NCAA Tournament

Both Michigan and Michigan State snagged at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament that starts this weekend with four regionals.

Third-seeded MSU will play second-seeded Boston University in the first round of the Midwest Regional. The teams will face off on Friday at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids at 8:30 p.m. The winner of this game plays the winner of the No. 1 Notre Dame-No. 4 Alabama-Huntsville game Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

In the West Regional, Michigan is the No. 2 seed and will face No. 3 seed North Dakota Saturday at the Pepsi Center in Denver at 7:30 p.m. MDT. The Michigan-North Dakota winner will advance to play the winner of No. 1 seed and No. 4 seed Air Force Sunday at 6 p.m. MDT.

The Frozen Four is April 5 and April 7 in St. Louis.

Notre Dame takes CCHA championship

Notre Dame topped Michigan, 2-1, Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena to win the Mason Cup and CCHA playoff championship.

With the victory, the Fighting Irish earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Kevin Porter gave the Wolverines a 1-0 lead at 19:54 of the first period, but Notre Dame rallied with goals from Michigan natives Erik Condra (Livonia) and Jason Paige (Saginaw) in the second and third periods.

Billy Sauer stopped 35 shots for Michigan (26-13-1) and Hobey Baker favorite David Brown made 31 saves for the Irish (31-6-3).

"It was a game that took different directions," Michigan head coach Red Berenson said. "I liked our first period, I thought we had some good chances, even though we killed some penalties and they got us on our heels. But, the second period was all Notre Dame. And in the third period, it was anyone’s game. It was a close game. Notre Dame is a hard-working team, and a good defensive team. The goals we can score against them are very precious in a game like this."

Porter and T.J. Hensick joined Condra as the forwards named to the All-CCHA Tournament team. Jack Johnson and the Irish’s Wes O’Neill made up the defensive pairing, and Brown completed the team in net.

In the consolation game earlier Saturday, Tyler Howells' overtime winner gave Michigan State a 7-6 win over Lake Superior State.

Nathan Perkovich and Trent Campbell scored extra-attacker goals in the final 90 seconds of regulation for LSSU to send the game to overtime, where Howells won it at 3:37 on a power play.

"I saw (Daniel) Vukovic wind up and I thought there might be a big rebound, so I headed towards the net," Howells said. "The puck ended up right on my stick and all I had to do was push it in there."

Vukovic scored twice for MSU (22-13-3) along with singles from Bryan Lerg, Jim McKenzie, Chris Mueller and Matt Schepke. Perkovich had a hat trick for the Lakers and Steve Oleksy scored a pair.

"I guess it was an entertaining game," LSSU head coach Jim Roque said. "There were lots of goals and lots of action. It's a tough way to lose a game in overtime, on a power-play goal. I thought we weren't mentally sharp at times, but I thought our effort was great and our guys never quit. We could have quit at any time during that game but our guys wanted to put on a good show for our fans that made the trip."

Jeff Lerg finished with 40 stops for MSU, while Jeff Jakaitis wrapped up his collegiate career with a 29-save outing for the Lakers (21-19-3).

Photo courtesy CCHA.com