Jake Smith hit the big time in just his first year at Michigan State University.
The freshman fourth-line left wing from East Amherst, N.Y., skated a regular shift for the Spartans and assisted on their lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Big Ten Conference rival Minnesota at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 20, as part of the third annual Big Ten Super Saturday in Manhattan.
"It was unbelievable," said Smith. "It’s my number-one hockey memory to date so far."
He wound up playing with MSU top center Patrick Khodorenko and right wing Cody Milan that night, after starting right wing Mitchell Lewandowski was ejected four minutes into the contest for contact to the head of a Minnesota player and first-line left wing Taro Hirose was later sidelined by an injury.
