EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State hockey runs in the family for goalie Ryan Miller.

He's the ninth family member to play for the Spartans and soon could be the second to win a national best player award.

"When he sat on my lap at a game, he focused on the goalie," said his father, Dean Miller, 44, who was a forward for the Spartans in 1976.

	Ryan Miller led Michigan State to the Frozen Four this season.

"I didn't want him to be a goalie," the elder Miller said. "I told him, `If you're going to be a goalie you've got to be the best.'"

His son took it to heart.

Miller is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which will be presented Friday during the NCAA hockey tournament. Michigan State plays in the semifinals Thursday.

The other finalists are: forwards Erik Anderson of St. Lawrence, Brian Gionta of Boston College, Jeff Hamilton of Yale, Dany Heatley of Wisconsin, Andy Hilbert of Michigan and Jeff Panzer of North Dakota; goalie Ty Conklin of New Hampshire; and defensemen Kent Huskins of Clarkson and Jordon Leopold of Minnesota.

The Spartans have been in the Final Four hockey tournament nine times since 1947, including championships in 1966 and 1986. Michigan State forward Kip Miller – Miller's cousin – won the Hobey Baker award in 1990.

If the team wins the championship this year, it will ease the pain of the Spartans' loss in the NCAA basketball tournament semifinals. And if Miller wins, it will confirm the sophomore is one of the country's top college hockey standouts.

"I've been fortunate to be on a team that rewards goaltending," Miller said, his jersey and pads mostly discarded following a recent late-afternoon practice. "We have a great defense, and I think we work well together."

Miller, 20, is pleased with his performance this year, but knows he can improve.

"I need to work on agility," he said. "I'm just starting to see the strength benefits from our off-ice program. And that's going to make me a quicker goaltender, to be able to cover plays in the NHL.

"It's an ongoing learning process. ... I'm still an amateur athlete."

Michigan State plays North Dakota on Thursday; the winner meets the winner of the Boston College-Michigan game on Saturday for the title.

Michigan State is 33-4-4 going into the semifinal; Miller is 31-4-4, with a goals-against average of 1.31 and 10 shutouts.

"Ryan, at times, makes the game look pretty easy because he uses his size (6-2, 160) and skills to his advantage," said Michigan State coach Ron Mason. "He's so tough to beat because he's always in position to make the first save and he doesn't give up rebounds. ... He covers a lot of the net and he's quick with his glove and in his lateral movement."

Philip Colvin, editor of Michigan Hockey magazine, also praised Miller.

"He is the best collegiate goaltender in America. I'm running out of superlatives," he said. "He's a big goaltender. You don't see much net. He's a quick, agile goaltender.

"No one has ever had a season like him at the college level."

Miller set the NCAA career record for shutouts – 18, eclipsing the hold record of 16 – in just two seasons. He holds several CCHA season records, including lowest goals-against average (1.24); most shutouts (nine); and best save percentage (.950).

Mike Harris, director of communications for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association – Michigan State's league – said that Miller is something special. He said hand-eye coordination, reaction, positioning and reading the game "are all things Ryan is very exceptional in."

"He is one of the more exciting players in college hockey," Harris said. "The past two years he's proven he's no flash in the pan."

Miller said his success is the result of careful planning.

"Instead of relying on instinct and feel and reaction, I've built my game to be more mechanical, so if I don't see the puck, I'm usually in position," he said. "I don't sit back like some other goaltenders might. And I try to control my rebounds. I take myself out of a lot of trouble."

Despite his family history, Miller said his hockey interest was not predestined.

"There was no real pressure in my family to play hockey," he said. "I grew up watching hockey, going to Michigan State games; everybody was really involved with it. So I grew to love hockey because my family was doing it. ...

"I think the biggest thing my family gave me ... was just sitting around and watching hockey games on TV with my dad or my grandpa or going to watch my cousins play gave me a really good feel for the game; I think I see it pretty well. I understand what is going on."

The elder Miller has little doubt about his son's future. For now, Ryan plans two more years at Michigan State; the Buffalo Sabres hold his NHL rights after selecting him in the fifth round of the 1999 Entry Draft.

"He'll play in the NHL" Dean Miller said. "He's still got some maturing to do, physically. I think Michigan State is giving him every opportunity to make it to the next level.

"Other than buying him equipment, I don't know what else I can teach him."