Lansing Sun

The 1972-73 Michigan State Hockey Team, under the leadership of Head Coach Amo Bessone, had a noteworthy season with an overall record of 23 wins, 12 losses, and one tie. The team secured fourth place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) with a conference record of 16-9-1. Their performance earned them victories at both the Flint IMA Hockey Tournament and the Cleveland Hockey Festival.

The roster included Co-Captains Bill Sipola and Gilles Gagnon, along with players like Norm Barnes, Mark Calder, John Garvey, Frank DeMarco, Michel Chaurest, Uve Drews, Mike Nowakowski, Bob Boyd in the front row; Darl Bolton, Doug Gordon, Mike Miller among others in the middle row; and Rick Cregg, Jack Redwood leading from the back row.

Their season featured a series of competitive matches. They faced Ohio State early on but suffered losses on November 3rd and 4th. However, they bounced back with consecutive wins against Minnesota-Duluth on November 10th and 11th. A notable highlight was their victory over Michigan Tech on December 1st and 2nd.

Michigan State showed resilience throughout January by defeating teams like Air Force twice and overcoming Minnesota once again. Despite facing defeats against Notre Dame later that month, they managed to secure important wins against Michigan in February.

As they moved into March's WCHA playoffs against Michigan Tech on March 5th and 6th, they experienced mixed results with a loss followed by a win.

Coach Bessone’s guidance was pivotal for the team's success during this challenging season.