Four Spartans Honored on Senior Night Against Penn State
The No. 1 Michigan State Spartans (22-6-4) honored their four senior skaters on Saturday night in their final regular season home game at Munn Ice Arena this season. Despite a tough 3-2 loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions (17-11-4), the seniors were honored accordingly for one of the programs' top teams.
Graduate senior defenseman Nicklas Andrews, forward Red Savage, defenseman David Gucciardi and forward Tanner Kelly were the four seniors honored this past weekend for their efforts and accomplishments over their Spartan careers.
Following the upset loss, Spartans head coach Adam Nightingale spoke about each senior and what they have meant to the program.
Andrews spent his first four collegiate seasons with Colorado College before making the move to East Lansing for his final year of eligibility. The Canton, Michigan native has totaled two goals and 14 assists this season, including one assist on Senior Night.
"I look at the job that Nick [Nicklas] Andrews did coming here," Nightingale said. "When you look at a Michigan kid, a chance to play at a school like Michigan State and come back home and share his college hockey experience with his family. He's added a ton of leadership to our group; he's obviously a heck of a hockey player."
Savage wore the green "C" on his jersey as the Spartans' captain this season, unfortunately ending his year early. Savage suffered an upper-body injury in late January that would sideline him for the rest of the season. He finished the year with five goals and six assists in 20 games.
"Savvy's [Savage] obviously our captain, right?" Nightingale said. "And that's a tough loss, for sure, and he's still our leader of our team, but him making that decision to trust our staff and come here, and he's been a huge part of it and still is a huge part of our team in transforming it.
Gucciardi is one of two Spartans who have spent their entire collegiate career in East Lansing. He has just 13 points this season but has meant more to this team than just his production. He has been the ultimate leader for this team over the past several seasons, and this team is lucky to have him.
"David Gucciardi, I [have] a ton of respect for him; I think Gucc has grown maybe the most off the ice and really understanding what it takes to be an elite player," Nightingale said. "And it starts in the classroom -- doing a better job; he's going to get his degree here, which is, this what this all about."
The final of the four seniors to be honored is Kelly, another four-year Spartan. He has put together a fabulous college hockey career with 65 total points in 155 games played. He has totaled nine goals and nine assists this year with a career-high four power play goals.
"I said to the guys after the game, I think when we go out and recruit, I'm always going to ask our guys to go find another Tanner Kelly," Nightingale said. "I'm not sure there's another one out there. He's relentless, he's low maintenance.
"I tell that story all the time -- he's a guy that played on every power play our first year when we took over. Second year, played on zero power plays. Scored nine even-strength goals.
"This year, back on the power play. Not one time in my office [saying] 'What do I got to do? Why am I not on the power play?' Not tripping over his lip; all he did is make his line great."
Each of the four Michigan State seniors were significant pieces to this in the last four years or just this season. They have helped build the Spartans to a national program that has been ranked No. 1 for a majority of the season and seeking a second-straight Big Ten title.
"Couldn't be happier about those four," Nightingale said. " ... Obviously, we want to win the game; frustrating, no doubt. But that's the most important thing, and that's what college athletics is about is setting guys up for their next step in life."
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