{"id":80598,"date":"2025-08-13T21:45:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T21:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/80598\/"},"modified":"2025-08-13T21:45:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T21:45:09","slug":"michigan-states-jonathan-smith-suits-up-at-goalie-to-face-nhl-first-round-pick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/80598\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan State\u2019s Jonathan Smith suits up at goalie to face NHL first-round pick"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jonathan Smith challenged his team to push through the dog days of fall camp, calling this a separation week<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean the second-year Michigan State coach won\u2019t have a little fun at the same time.<\/p>\n

In an interesting collaboration between the Spartans\u2019 football and hockey programs, Smith put on full goalie gear to face a few shots on the indoor practice turf on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Video shared on social media by the programs and offensive lineman Andrew Dennis \u2013 a former hockey player himself<\/a> \u2013 showed players chanting Smith\u2019s name before he strapped on all the goalie gear and received brief instructions. Freshman forward Ryker Lee, who was picked in the first round of the 2025 NHL draft, fired tennis balls at Smith, who squatted between a pair of blocking pads while surrounded by players and staff.<\/p>\n

Smith, a former star quarterback at Oregon State, stopped Lee\u2019s first shot before getting beat the following two. Lee went five-hole on his third and final attempt as Smith couldn\u2019t get his glove or stick down to stop it.<\/p>\n

Michigan State football is coming off a 5-7 record in Smith\u2019s first season and hosts Western Michigan in the Aug. 29 opener. The Spartans\u2019 hockey program won back-to-back Big Ten titles and will be among the favorites to claim the national championship this season.<\/p>\n

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