Off-Ice Officials
at Michigan State University

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    Rick Comley
    MSU Head Coach
    Fifth winningest coach in NCAA hockey; third among active coaches

    Winningest Coaches in NCAA Div. I Men's Ice Hockey
    (through 2007-08 season)
    Name Most Recent School Career Wins
    Ron Mason
    1966-2002
    Michigan State 924
    Jerry York
    1972 -
    Boston College 792
    Jack Parker
    1973 -
    Boston Univ 778
    Bob Peters
    1964-2001
    Bemidji State 744
    Rick Comley
    1973 -
    Michigan State 739

    In Memory

    Jerry Marshall was the public address announcer for MSU hockey for 36 years. He kept crowds well-informed of the status of the game, even in the days when the Spartans played at old Demonstration Hall. Jerry loved MSU and he loved Spartan hockey. Jerry died in June 2008 after suffering a stroke in late 2007. We will miss him as part of the Off-Ice Officials, and the fans will miss his signature, "Let's plaaaaaay hockey" to start each game.


    How We Started

    Amo Bessone came to Michigan State College as hockey coach in 1951. He quickly enlisted the help of students to keep the official score sheet, manage the penalty boxes and operate the game clock. Unfortunately, student commitment was lacking, so Bessone asked his friend Bill Burgess for help. At the time, Burgess was simply another spectator who loved watching Spartan hockey in Demonstration Hall (directly north of where Munn Ice Arena is today). Burgess quickly became someone Bessone could depend on when a student helper was absent. Burgess recognized the need for help on a consistent basis. He asked a few of his friends to help him with various game chores. Coach Bessone began to rely on Burgess and his hand-picked squad to manage the game, enabling Bessone to focus his attention on coaching. (When keeping score, Burgess worked on a little brown, wobbly wooden table that rested between the two team benches!) Burgess' squad of "minor officials" may not have worn skates, but their role was no less important.

    Burgess was also instrumental in generating fan support by organizing the MSU Blue Line Club and serving as its first president.

    Burgess died in 1999, proud of the assistance he was able to offer MSU, and of the squad he had formed 48 years earlier.

    The Burgess Hockey Connection - Barb Soper, Burgess' daughter, has been an MSU Off-Ice Official since 1985. Andrew Soper, Burgess' grandson, is now an NCAA official.


    Former Crew Members

    Bill Carter, Richard Boos, Phil Booth, Bill Burgess, Bob Foster, Art Fritz, Don Griffin, Marshall Haney, Fred Hawley, Ed Hodge, Harry Holmes, Dick Jandron, Paul Klein, Jerry Marshall, John Polomsky, Pete Schmidt, Jim Schulte, Don Shepard, Jerry Sutton, Brad Vandeventer

    Did we miss someone? Please let us know.


    Tom Anastos
    Commissioner
    Central Collegiate
    Hockey Association

    Cold War 2001

    Game Schedule

    60:00 Start clock
    55:00 Pre-game meeting w/Refs
    44:00 5-Min Warning to Refs
    43:00 5-Min Warning to teams
    39:00 Refs take ice for warm-up
    38:00 Teams take ice
    24:00 Referees meet w/Captains
    23:00 Teams & Refs leave ice
    11:00 3-Min Warning to Refs
    10:00 PA: 3-Min Warning to teams
    8:00 Referees take ice
    7:00 Teams take ice
    6:00 Teams line up
    5:00 Welcome; Starting line-ups
    3:00 National Anthem
    0:00 20-mins on clock; Face-off

    Intermissions (15-mins)
    5:00 4-Min Warning to Refs
    4:00 3-Min Warning to teams
    3:00 PA: 3-Min Warning to teams

    Munn Ice Arena

    MSU Women's Ice Hockey

    MSU Women's Ice Hockey

    Fox Sports Net Detroit

    This website is funded with private funds, and is intended for educational purposes only. It is not affiliated with nor endorsed by Michigan State University, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), or any other organization. Logos are registered trademarks, and remain the exclusive property of their respective organization.

    Our thanks to Tim Potter for some of the photos that appear here, and to Dave Sutton of Sevenoaks Art for animating our CCHA puck and 2007 Frozen Four puck.

  • The off-ice officials (formerly called the "minor officials") at Michigan State University assist the referee and assistant referees in the management of men's varsity ice hockey matches. We do not assess penalties, award or disallow goals, or influence the outcome of the match. Each school has its own off-ice officials comprised of local residents, but each crew is responsible to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.


    MSU Off-Ice Officials with 2007 NCAA National Championship trophy
    (absent: Melinda Dickinson and Jerry Marshall)

    Off-Ice Officials at MSU

    Rob McCurdy
    1998; Crew Chief since 2008

    Tom Bodine
    1981

    Tony Coble
    2002

    Dennis Conway
    1981

    David Corrie
    1999

    Dr. Jim Constandt
    1976

    Melinda Dickinson
    1985

    Tim Fox
    2007

    Brian Keeney
    2000

    Joel Maatman
    2003

    Gene Murawski
    2003

    Bob Nelson
    2005

    Bill Sharp
    1981

    Gary Snellenberger
    2007

    Barb Soper
    1985
     

    Escort assures referees and visiting team take ice for warm-up and game as scheduled; secures referees' locker room.

    Joel Maatman escorts the visiting Wolverines to the ice.

    Goal Judge (one behind each goal) turns on goal light when puck enters goal and crosses entirely over goal line.

    Tom Bodine confirms a goal by turning on the red light. David Corrie (standing behind Tom) serves as Back-Up Timekeeper.

    Instant Replay Official operates video recording equipment; facilitates review by referee of activity in goal crease as requested by referee.

    Tony Coble operates a camera located above the goaltender to help the referee review a goal.

    Penalty Box Attendant (one for each team) assures penalized players remain in Penalty Box for duration of penalty.

    Bill Sharp logs the time a penalized player will be permitted to leave the opponent's Penalty Box.

    Plus-Minus Official maintains log of which MSU players were on ice when goals were scored, either for or against, thus creating Plus-Minus rating for each Spartan.

    Barb Soper tracks each Spartan on the ice when a goal is scored by either team.

    Public Address Announcer makes announcements over arena's public address system related to course of match.

    Jerry Marshall kept the crowd well informed for 36 years. Sadly, Jerry suffered a stroke in the fall of 2007, and passed away in 2008.

    Scorer records goals, assists, penalties, and related statistics; maintains official scoresheet.

    Rob McCurdy logs every penalty and every goal on the official scoresheet.

    Shot Chart Official maintains log of all shots and their results by period; provides shot data to print/broadcast media and to coaches of both teams after each period.

    Jim Constandt uses a diagram of the playing surface to chart every shot taken by either team.

    Timekeeper operates scoreboard clock and horn; posts goals and penalties (a Back-Up Timekeeper maintains back-up game clock in case scoreboard clock fails).

    Gene Murawski keeps accurate time on the scoreboard as directed by the on-ice officials.



    We gather in the lounge before each match
    to discuss the evening's assignments.


    We meet with the on-ice officials one hour before face-off
    to confirm procedures and review any rule changes.


    Center face-off circle at Munn Ice Arena


    Fox Sports Net/Detroit rinkside reporter Shireen Saski
    interviews Spartan alumnus and current NHL Atlanta Thrasher
    Jim Slater during a time-out at Munn Ice Arena.


    Senior Night honors those playing their last home game
    of the regular season.


    2007 National Champions
    Coached by Rick Comley


    1986 National Champions
    Coached by Ron Mason


    1966 National Champions
    Coached by Amo Bessone

    NCAA National Champions
    Year
    Champion
    Runner-up
    Score Location
    2012 Tampa, FL
    2011 St. Paul, MN
    2010 Detroit, MI
    2009 Washington, DC
    2008 Boston College Notre Dame 4-1 Denver, CO
    2007 Michigan State Boston College 3-1 St. Louis, MO
    2006 Wisconsin Boston College 2-1 Milwaukee, WI
    2005 Denver North Dakota 4-1 Columbus, OH
    2004 Denver Maine 1-0 Boston, MA
    2003 Minnesota New Hampshire 5-1 Buffalo, NY
    2002 Minnesota Maine 4-3 (OT) St. Paul, MN
    2001 Boston College North Dakota 3-2 (OT) Albany, NY
    2000 North Dakota Boston College 4-2 Providence, RI
    1999 Maine New Hampshire 3-2 (OT) Anaheim, CA
    1998 Michigan Boston College 3-2 (OT) Boston, MA
    1997 North Dakota Boston Univ 6-4 Milwaukee, WI
    1996 Michigan Colorado College 3-2 (OT) Cincinnati, OH
    1995 Boston Univ Maine 6-2 Providence, RI
    1994 Lake Superior Boston Univ 9-1 St. Paul, MN
    1993 Maine Lake Superior 5-4 Milwaukee, WI
    1992 Lake Superior Wisconsin 4-2 Albany, NY
    1991 Northern Michigan Boston Univ 8-7 (3OT) St. Paul, MN
    1990 Wisconsin Colgate 7-3 Detroit, MI
    1989 Harvard Minnesota 4-3 (OT) St. Paul, MN
    1988 Lake Superior St. Lawrence 4-3 (OT) Lake Placid, NY
    1987 North Dakota Michigan State 5-3 Detroit, MI
    1986 Michigan State Harvard 6-5 Providence, RI
    1985 Rensselaer Providence 2-1 Detroit, MI
    1984 Bowling Green Minnesota-Duluth 5-4 (4OT) Lake Placid, NY
    1983 Wisconsin Harvard 6-2 Grand Forks, ND
    1982 North Dakota Wisconsin 5-2 Providence, RI
    1981 Wisconsin Minnesota 6-3 Duluth, MN
    1980 North Dakota Northern Michigan 5-2 Providence, RI
    1979 Minnesota North Dakota 4-3 Detroit, MI
    1978 Boston Univ Boston College 5-3 Providence, RI
    1977 Wisconsin Michigan 6-5 (OT) Detroit, MI
    1976 Minnesota Michigan Tech 6-4 Denver, CO
    1975 Michigan Tech Minnesota 6-1 St. Louis, MO
    1974 Minnesota Michigan Tech 4-2 Boston, MA
    1973 Wisconsin Denver 4-2 Boston, MA
    1972 Boston Univ Cornell 4-0 Boston, MA
    1971 Boston Univ Minnesota 4-2 Syracuse, NY
    1970 Cornell Clarkson 6-4 Lake Placid, NY
    1969 Denver Cornell 4-3 Colo. Springs, CO
    1968 Denver North Dakota 4-0 Duluth, MN
    1967 Cornell Boston Univ 4-1 Syracuse, NY
    1966 Michigan State Clarkson 6-1 Minneapolis, MN
    1965 Michigan Tech Boston College 8-2 Providence, RI
    1964 Michigan Denver 6-3 Denver, CO
    1963 North Dakota Denver 6-5 Chestnut Hill, MA
    1962 Michigan Tech Clarkson 7-1 Utica, NY
    1961 Denver St. Lawrence 12-2 Denver, CO
    1960 Denver Michigan Tech 5-3 Boston, MA
    1959 North Dakota Michigan State 4-3 (OT) Troy, NY
    1958 Denver North Dakota 6-2 Minneapolis, MN
    1957 Colorado College Michigan 13-6 Colo. Springs, CO
    1956 Michigan Michigan Tech 7-5 Colo. Springs, CO
    1955 Michigan Colorado College 5-3 Colo. Springs, CO
    1954 Rensselaer Minnesota 5-4 (OT) Colo. Springs, CO
    1953 Michigan Minnesota 7-3 Colo. Springs, CO
    1952 Michigan Colorado College 4-1 Colo. Springs, CO
    1951 Michigan Brown 7-1 Colo. Springs, CO
    1950 Colorado College Boston Univ 13-4 Colo. Springs, CO
    1949 Boston College Dartmouth 4-3 Colo. Springs, CO
    1948 Michigan Dartmouth 8-4 Colo. Springs, CO