Tropp to return to Michigan State

Sioux Falls Stampede Press Release

The Sioux Falls Stampede announced yesterday that forward Corey Tropp has decided to return to Michigan State University and will not play for the Stampede this season.

When Tropp came to Sioux Falls last week, Michigan State officials told him it was within his rights to play for the Stampede. However, after compliance staff at Michigan State and the NCAA discussed the situation, they were unsure if he could retain his college eligibility if he would have played one game with the Stampede. Because Tropp had already enrolled in spring semester, the NCAA said Tropp would become ineligible if he played with any other team, potentially jeopardizing his college eligibility for the rest of his career.

With this new information, Tropp, his family, and family advisor felt it was in the best interest of Corey to return to campus at Michigan State and finish his spring semester. He will then reevaluate his situation at the end of the school year. Tropp's advisors told Stampede officials that Corey's college eligibility is the most important issue at this time.

“Corey informed me tonight that he had a conversation with Michigan State head coach Rick Comley prior to Stampede practice (Monday) and was told he would be reinstated once his suspension is served,” said Stampede CEO Gary Weckwerth. "Corey added that the change in heart came after some of his Michigan State teammates met with Comley and asked them to reconsider Corey's situation. This is the right thing for Corey. We are very happy for him and that he can start putting this incident behind him."

USHL officials had scheduled a hearing to discuss Tropp's pending league suspension for Tuesday morning in Sioux Falls. That meeting has been canceled. Tropp was suspended by Michigan State nine days ago after an on-ice incident occurred against the University of Michigan.

Tropp back with USHL's Stampede

The Sioux Falls Stampede announced today that forward Corey Tropp has been added to their roster and will join the team immediately.

Tropp played with the Stampede from 2005 to 2007 and was an integral part of the Stampede’s first Anderson Cup and Clark Cup championships. He led the team in scoring with 62 points (26g, 36a) in 54 games during the 2006-07 season and was the league’s leading scorer in the playoffs with 13 points (4g, 9a) in eight games. He was also named MVP of the USHL All-Star Game in Waterloo that season.

Tropp has spent the last year-and-a-half playing collegiate hockey at Michigan State University where he tallied 28 points (9g, 19a) in 63 games. He re-joins the Stampede after being dismissed from the team for the remainder of the season due to an on-ice incident against the University of Michigan last weekend.

At the end of the Wolverines' 5-3 win Saturday night, Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer was knocked into the boards by Andrew Conboy. Tropp then skated in and swung his stick while Kampfer was down on the ice. Tropp and Conboy were retaliating after Tropp was kneed by Kampfer, but play went on. Tropp will retain his scholarship and continue to take online courses through the remainder of the school year.

"We are excited to have Corey back with us, but at the same time saddened it's under these unfortunate circumstances,” said Stampede CEO Gary Weckwerth. “I have reviewed the tape from the game and our staff has had many conversations with Corey, his family and officials at Michigan State about the situation. While Corey apologized for his actions, it's my opinion that he is a victim of other circumstances off the ice that do not reflect on Corey's true character. In his two years with our franchise Corey played the game within the rules and spirit that hockey is. He is a good person who knows he is family with the Stampede. We know what Corey is about and are saddened that the entire situation even took place. We welcome him back. We want hockey to be fun for Corey again.”

The Grosse Pointe native was a third-round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres during the 2007 NHL Draft and attended their rookie camp this past summer. His last game with the Stampede was the 2007 Clark Cup championship game in Waterloo which the Herd downed the Black Hawks 3-0 to claim their first ever Clark Cup title. Tropp is expected to be in the lineup Friday night when the Herd travel to Waterloo to face the Black Hawks.

Conboy withdraws from Michigan State

After being suspended for the duration of the Michigan State hockey season, freshman forward Andrew Conboy has withdrawn from MSU.

MSU head coach Rick Comley said he wasn’t surprised with Conboy’s decision to leave the university after Comley kicked both he and MSU sophomore Corey Tropp off the team Monday night.

Comley said he doesn’t know if Tropp will follow Conboy’s path or if he will continue his studies at the university.

The rest from the State News HERE

MSU's Tropp, Conboy done for season

Michigan State Press Release

Michigan State hockey coach Rick Comley has announced that sophomore Corey Tropp and freshman Andrew Conboy have been suspended from the team for the remainder of the 2008-09 hockey season.

Tropp and Conboy were involved in an on-ice incident in last Saturday’s game at Michigan in the final minute of play.

“What happened near the end of the game this weekend is not the way in which we want our hockey program represented,” noted Comley. “We cannot condone their actions. We felt that we had to send a strong message that this behavior will not be tolerated.

“However, one thing needs to be clear - this was an incident that was an emotional, split-second action, for which these players are being punished. I do not want this to be portrayed that this was anything pre-meditated, or that any single player was ‘targeted.' Their reaction, while inappropriate, was a split-second response that I know that they wish they could have back.”

“We feel strongly that our student-athletes should have respect for the game, respect for their opponent, and a commitment to fair play,” added MSU athletics director Mark Hollis. “After conversations over the last two days with Rick Comley and CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos and his staff, I fully support Coach’s decision. I agree with Coach Comley that these were spontaneous, emotional actions carried out during a highly-competitive game, but their actions were completely inappropriate and reflect poorly on our program.

“Michigan State University provides a positive environment for students to learn and engage in new experiences. Along with this opportunity, come the expectations that individuals will act appropriately and make positive contributions to our campus and community. Those individuals who stray from this responsibility are held accountable.”

CCHA Press Release

The CCHA, upon review of the on-ice incidents in the Jan. 24th game between Michigan and Michigan State , fully supports the decision of Michigan State ’s athletic administration to suspend the playing privileges of players Corey Tropp and Andrew Conboy for the remainder of the season, including playoffs.

“We feel that the measures taken by Michigan State are appropriate and consistent with the parameters of the sanctions that were being contemplated by the league,” stated CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos.

Michigan sweeps MSU, Kampfer hurt

By Matt Mackinder/Michigan Beat Writer

Apparently, Michigan State feels that if you can't beat 'em, well, beat 'em.

At the end of the third period in the Wolverines' 5-3 win over MSU Saturday night, Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer was decked from behind by Andrew Conboy, who then knocked Kampfer to the ice. As Kampfer fell, MSU's Corey Tropp appeared to slash him in the neck or head area.

As Kampfer lay motionless face-first on the ice, a fight ensued among players and Tropp was given a slashing penalty and two game disqualifications and Conboy received two roughing penalties.

Kampfer, who returned to action at the Great Lakes Invitational last month after suffering a fractured skull during an on-campus assault by Michigan football player Michael Milano in October, was helped off the ice by teammates Chad Langlais and David Wohlberg.

After the game, UM head coach Red Berenson talked of emotion in a rivalry such as the one between Michigan and Michigan State.

"When you talk about a rivalry, there has to be emotion," said Berenson. "You could see that tonight. But then there also has to be controlled emotion. Whether that was entirely true depends on whose eyes you're looking through. I just told our team that I liked the emotion, but I do not want anyone to put themselves before the team or taking a penalty that will cost the team. We have a big weekend coming up and I thought our team handled this weekend well."

Brandon Burlon and Matt Rust each had a goal and an assist for No. 8 Michigan and Aaron Palushaj added three assists.

Captain Chris Summers, Travis Turnbull and Carl Hagelin also scored for the Wolverines (18-8-0, 12-6-0 CCHA), who got an 18-save performance from goaltender Bryan Hogan.

Andrew Rowe, Matt Schepke and Adam Henderson (first NCAA goal) scored for the Spartans and Drew Palmisano finished with a career-high 46 saves.

“It’s maybe the most resilient we’ve been all year,” said Michigan State head coach Rick Comley. “We fought hard and got back in it.”

According to USCHO, Comley said that he would deal with his players (reagrding the Kampfer incident) and that "a parent" had entered the Spartans' locker room after the game and that security had to be called.

Kampfer left Yost Arena on a stretcher and was taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure. He was released Sunday.

“I have a strained neck right now,” Kampfer said in a phone interview with the Detroit Free Press on Sunday. “I had no relapse of what happened earlier. Hopefully, I’ll be back this weekend.”

Kampfer didn't blame Tropp for the attack, but chose his words carefully.

“It’s not like people didn’t know I had that injury,” Kampfer said in the same interview. “If that was his true intention, that’s uncalled for. I don’t know what (Tropp) was thinking at the time. Obviously, I’m disappointed.”

Michigan now has five wins against MSU in a single season for the first time in series history.

"I think it feels great," said Summers. "To me, you cannot beat those guys enough; you can't score enough goals on them. Just the history since I have been here the past two years, we haven't ever had that much success against them. It has always been a very, very even series. I think that although this year it was obviously lopsided, these games mean something to us -- especially to the upperclassmen where we only have a couple of years or one year left. It's the seniors' last series against Michigan State, so it means something to us individually, but more importantly, as a team."

Michigan State (7-16-3, 4-12-2-2 CCHA) travels to Sault Ste. Marie next weekend for a pair of contests against Lake Superior State. Michigan takes on top-ranked Notre Dame in a home-and-home set starting in South Bend Friday night. Saturday's game at Yost will be on Fox Sports Detroit starting at 7:35 p.m.

Wolverines' Kampfer seriously injured

It's not been a good year so far for Michigan defensemen who also happen to be draft picks of the Anaheim Ducks.

First, in last Friday's game against St. Lawrence, senior captain Mark Mitera injured his knee and could be out for the rest of the season. He was Anaheim's top pick in 2007.

Then, early Sunday morning, junior Steve Kampfer was reportedly assaulted by a member of the Wolverines' football team. According to the Michigan Daily, Kampfer, a fourth-round selection by the Ducks in 2007, will be out for an extended period of time after being thrown head-first into the sidewalk during an altercation.

"I can't tell you that (Kampfer) did anything bad," Michigan coach Red Berenson told the paper. "He just was a victim."

More on Kampfer here.