Lansing Sun

The 1976-77 Michigan State hockey team, under the guidance of Head Coach Amo Bessone, concluded their season with an overall record of 14 wins, 21 losses, and one tie. In the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), they achieved a record of 11 wins, 20 losses, and one tie, tying for eighth place in the league standings.

The team showcased several notable performances throughout the season. They began their campaign with back-to-back victories against Ohio State on October 22 and October 23, securing wins with scores of 8-1 and 8-4 respectively. The team also recorded significant victories over Michigan Tech on November 5 with a close score of 4-3 and again on February 18 by defeating them 5-3.

Despite these successes, the Spartans faced challenges against strong opponents such as Notre Dame and Wisconsin. On October 29, they suffered a loss to Notre Dame with a score of 3-7 but managed to bounce back the following day to win against them with a scoreline of 7-5. However, encounters against Wisconsin proved difficult; after winning their first match-up on November 19 by a score of 5-2, they were defeated in subsequent games including an overwhelming loss on November 20 where they failed to score.

The roster included key players like Captain Dave Kelly along with John Sztykiel and Joe Mallen among others. Assistant Coach Alex Terpay supported Head Coach Amo Bessone alongside Equipment Manager Ed Belloli and Manager Ron Nawojczyk.

As the season progressed into early March, Michigan State faced Michigan twice but could not secure victories in these matches which ended their season run.