Lansing Sun

The 1961-62 Michigan State University (MSU) hockey team, under the leadership of Head Coach Amo Bessone, concluded their season with a record of 13 wins, 11 losses, and one tie. In the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), they achieved a fourth-place finish with a conference record of six wins, nine losses, and one tie. The team also claimed victory at the Boston Invitational.

The roster featured notable players such as Captain Frank Silka and other key contributors including Claude Fournel, Gustave Hendrickson, Robert Kempf, Real Turcotte, Patrick Baldwin, and John Chandik. Supporting them were Harry Woolf and trainer Duke LaRue among others.

Throughout the season, MSU secured several significant victories. They won against St. Lawrence on November 23rd with a score of 3-2 and again in overtime on November 25th with another 3-2 win. On December 1st and 22nd, they defeated North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth respectively. Their performance was highlighted by a high-scoring game against Northeastern on December 26th where they emerged victorious in overtime with a score of 13-4.

Despite these successes, the team faced challenges in matches against Michigan Tech and Denver towards the end of the season. However, they managed to secure an overtime win against Denver on March 2nd during the WCHA Playoffs held in Ann Arbor.

Coach Bessone's guidance was instrumental throughout the season as he led a diverse group of athletes who demonstrated resilience across various matchups.