Mason proud of replacement: Athletic director led Spartans to their last NCAA title in 1986

ST. LOUIS - There were lots of happy people around the Michigan State dressing room Saturday night at the Scottrade Center.

Players, coaches, administrators and family members smiled, laughed, hugged and shared in the special moment - an NCAA championship.

And nobody was more proud and happy than MSU athletic director Ron Mason.

Six years ago, Mason stepped down as Spartan coach after 22 years to become athletic director and then hired Rick Comley - his good friend, former player and assistant - as his replacement.

In Comley's first three seasons, his teams were inconsistent, lacked good chemistry and never achieved the program's highest expectations. But Mason never wavered in his support for Comley, his staff and the players.

"I hired him because I knew what kind of person he was - I knew him as a student athlete,'' Mason said. "His record speaks for itself. You're not going to come to Michigan State and replace someone who's been there 23 seasons. No two people are alike.

"Now, it's Rick Comley's hockey program. It's not Ron Mason's. This puts the stamp on it. I'm so happy for him and these kids."

Comley's teams have played in the NCAA Tournament three times during his five-year tenure. His record at MSU is 117-73-19.

AMO IN THE HOUSE: Legendary Spartan coach Amo Bessone watched from the stands as MSU won its third NCAA title.

While the Spartans celebrated on the ice, MSU staffers passed a championship hat to the former coach, who is considered the "Godfather of Spartan Hockey.''

Bessone coached at MSU for 28 seasons (1951-1971) and guided the 1966 team to the school's first title. Mason won the second in 1986.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: The Spartans placed four players on the Frozen Four All-Tournament team: goalie Jeff Lerg, defenseman Tyler Howells and forwards Justin Abdelkader and Tim Kennedy.

Abdelkader, who had the game-winning goal and an assist Saturday and an assist Friday, was named the tournament's MVP.

MUELLER'S STREAK ALIVE: It took 59 minutes and 58 seconds, but junior center Chris Mueller scored into an empty net with two seconds left to clinch the Spartans' win over the Eagles. That means MSU was 14-0-0 when Mueller scored a goal.

GOODBYE SENIORS: Five Spartans ended their collegiate careers Saturday as national champs.

Next season, MSU will lose senior captain and left wing Chris Lawrence, forward Brandon Warner and defensemen Tyler Howells, Ethan Graham and Chris Snavely.

The five helped compile a record of 95-59-17, including a 51-25-11 mark the last two years.

BESTING TOP COACHES: Comley won NCAA duels this year against some of college hockey's best coaches.

MSU beat Boston University's Jack Parker and Notre Dame's Jeff Jackson in the regionals and Tim Whitehead of Maine and Jerry York of Boston College.

Comley, Parker and York are members of the 700-win club, while Jackson has the highest-winning percentage (.721) of all coaches and Whitehead has led the Black Bears to four Frozen Fours in six seasons.

EAST ROAST: The Spartans' title game win over Boston College was a continuation of their recent NCAA success against the best in Hockey East.

Last season, MSU defeated New Hampshire, but lost to Maine in the NCAA East Regional. This year, the Spartans were 3-0 - beating Boston University in the Midwest Regional and Maine and the Eagles in the Frozen Four.

DENVER AWAITS: The Spartans will start the 2007-2008 season with hopes of defending their championship at the Frozen Four at the Pepsi Center in Denver, from April 10-12, 2008.

Next season's regionals are in Madison, Wis., Colorado Springs, Colo., Worcester, Mass., and Albany, N.Y.

Future Frozen Fours: 2009 in Washington, D.C.; 2010 at Ford Field in Detroit; 2011 in St. Paul, Minn.; and 2012 in Tampa, Fla.