Lansing Sun

The 1964-65 Michigan State hockey team, under the leadership of Head Coach Amo Bessone, concluded their season with a record of 17 wins and 12 losses. The team finished fourth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) with an 8-8 conference record.

Throughout the season, the Spartans demonstrated both resilience and skill on the ice. Notable victories included a decisive win against Ohio University on December 4th with a score of 12-0, followed by another commanding victory against the same team the next day at 13-1. They also secured back-to-back wins against Wisconsin on December 11th and 12th, scoring 9-2 and 9-0 respectively.

Despite these successes, the team faced challenges in some matchups. Losses were recorded against teams such as Brown on January 1st with a score of 2-6 and Providence in double overtime on January 2nd, ending at 5-6. Their performance in the WCHA playoffs saw them lose to North Dakota on March 5th but bounce back to win against them on March 6th with a score of 6-4.

Key players for the season included James Wherley, Albert Checco, Thomas Boucher, Edward Ozybko, Andre LaCoste, James Atack, Tom Mustonen, Robert Kempf, John Chandik in the front row; along with Claude Fournel, Gary Panks, Robert Doyle, Ron Ross, Gustave Hendrickson, Jim Bystrom, Martin Quirk among others in the back row.

Trainer Duke LaRue and managers Alan Friedman and Ken Zacks supported Coach Bessone throughout this challenging yet rewarding season.