The Central Michigan Roller Hockey team defeated Michigan State University 1-0 to win the Midwest College Roller Hockey League (MCRHL) Division I Regional Championship in a game played on Sunday, 3/6/11, at the Hat Tricky Hockey Arena in Palatine, IL.  Senior Jay Yokubison’s power play goal at 4:13 of the first period was the lone goal as freshman goalie Mason Henige thwarted the Spartan attack with 34 saves.  The 1-0 final score was a shock for a regional tournament where previous contests averaged over ten goals a game.

 

With the victory, CMU was awarded an automatic bid to the National College Roller Hockey Association (NCRHA) DI National Championship at the Capitol Ice Arena in Middleton, WI, April 5, 2011, through April 9, 2011.

 

The CMU win also avenged an earlier regional 8-4 loss to MSU and ended season-long frustration for the CMU squad.  MSU had pulled out a last minute win and tie in the two regular season contests between the two teams.  The Spartans wiped out a 4-2 Chippewa with three goals in the last thirty-one seconds in a 6-4 victory and overcame a three-goal deficit by scoring the game-tying goal with three seconds in the other.  But, CMU prevailed in the most important game of the season.

 

The CMU roster includes Danny Bara (Northville, MI), Evan Crank (Macomb, MI), Currie DeArmit (Memphis, MI), Mason Henige (Sterling Heights, MI), Tim Henige (Sterling Heights, MI), Mike Kowalski (Plymouth, MI), Kyle Siciliano (Clinton Township, MI), Chad Spezia (Clinton Township, MI), Jay Yokubison (Novi, MI).  The coach is Bob Henige.

 

The following MCRHL teams received at-large invitations to the NCRHA Nationals: Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, and Ohio State University.