Know Thy Enemy: Notre Dame

Before the normal glance at this weekend's opponent - if you haven't seen the Spartan Hockey All Access from earlier this week, I would highly recommend it (focuses on the Michigan series):

Spartan Hockey All-Access - Michigan Series

Here Come the Irish:

Football isn't the only thing in South Bend that has been successful this year. The hockey team is having a pretty good year as well. 
 
Michigan State hopes to rebound after a frustrating weekend at home, but things won't be easy for the Spartans as they travel to #4/5 ranked Notre Dame. The Spartans haven't won in four games (0-3-1) scoring only three goals in those games. Michigan State is now tied for 9th place with Northern Michigan.

Notre Dame comes into the weekend in second place in the CCHA with a 7-1-0-0 CCHA and 11-4-0 overall mark. They are only one point behind league leading Miami with two games on hand. The Irish have won three in a row and five of their last six games. The good news for Spartan fans is three of their four losses have been at home (Minnesota-Duluth, Western Michigan, and North Dakota).

Notre Dame has a bit of an odd schedule, as the Irish play Michigan State in four of their next six games. The two teams play again in East Lansing on January 11th and 12th.

Michigan State holds a 60-39-4 edge in the all-time series.

Notre Dame now holds a 25-22-7 edge in South Bend.

At one point Notre Dame held an 11 game unbeaten streak against MSU that started in January of 2008. The streak (0-8-3) ending last February as Michigan State won 4-2 in South Bend.

Highlights From The Last Meeting, a 4-2 Michigan State Victory

MSU's four game winless streak is the longest such streak under Tom Anastos.

If you aren't to the point that you don't like the Irish - I present you exhibit 'A' to dislike them, it isn't the Notre Dame victory march, it isn't Rudy, it isn't Brian Kelly, or the fact that you think they are going to get rolled by Alabama - it's for someone producing this:

Sorry.

 

National TV

Friday's game will be on national TV on the NBC Sports Network starting at 7:05 pm. Saturday's game can be seen on Comcast (Channel 900) at 7:05 pm. Both games can be heard on 1240 am or on The Spartan Sports Network.   

Notre Dame Leading Scorers

Andres Lee    10 goals, 15 points
Jeff Costello    5 goals, 12 points
Robbie Russo  4 goals, 12 points
Bryan Rust      4 goals,  12 points
T.J. Tynan       3 goals,   10 points

Notre Dame Goalies

Steven Summerhays    9-4-0, 1.57 GAA, .936 save %
Mike Johnson   2-0-0, 1.91 GAA, .929 save %

The Irish power play is 11 for 70 (15.7%)
The Irish penalty kill is 53 for 58 (91.4%), and they are only penalized on average 12.5 minutes a game.

The Spartan power play is ranked 11th in the country, but it'll be tested this weekend against a very tough and experienced Notre Dame team. The penalty kill has killed off 18 straight power plays. The Spartan PK is ranked 11th in the country as well. 

Notre Dame has outscored teams 28-10 this year in the first and third periods combined. The second period they have only managed to outscore teams 18-15. The Irish are 7-2 this year when scoring the first goal, and they are 7-0 when leading after the first period.

Final Thoughts

The Spartans are looking to find some offense. Case in point, Jake Hildebrand ranks second in the CCHA with a .942 save % (fourth nationally) - and in his four losses this year, MSU has scored a total of one goal.

Enter one of the best defensive teams in the country as well as one of the most experienced teams in the league. It won't be easy, but the Spartans are going to have to limit their mistakes in order to come away with some points in this series. The effort should be there, it usually is, but Notre Dame will take advantage of any potential breakdowns on offense or on defense (much like Ohio State did last weekend).

It's going to be tough for Michigan State, but scoring first is crucial in this series. Force Notre Dame to play from behind, which might force them to open it up a little bit especially late. The Spartans haven't done well lately against Notre Dame in recent years, but they did win the last game between the two teams.

Notre Dame doesn't always light the scoreboard up, but they are capable. This series is going to be challenging on the same level that Minnesota was. If the Spartans get a great game in goal, continue to work hard, they should be in the game, but it's going to be about going to the net more and working for the garbage goals more than last weekend. If they can do that, then you never know what can happen.

Know Thy Enemy: Miami (NTM)

The Michigan State Spartans hit the road once again to face-off against Miami(Not That Miami), better known as Miami(OH) or Miami in hockey circles. The RedHawks are trying to cap the final CCHA season with a regular season title. They are off to a good start as they sit in first place in the CCHA with a 3-2-1-1 league and 6-2-2 overall record. They are a young team as well featuring ten freshman. They are currently ranked 4th in the latest USCHO.com poll.

Miami swept Michigan State last year during the regular season and playoffs. Miami won the pair in Munn (2-1 (ot), 4-0) and the playoff series in Oxford (6-0, 4-1). Michigan State holds the all-time series edge 68-31-5, and that includes a 28-13-2 mark at Miami. The problem is Miami has dominated the series of late winning seven of the last nine games (including the last five games by a combined score of 20-2). Safe to say, Michigan State is trying to reverse the trend this year.

Miami is unbeaten in its last three games (2-0-1) after beating Northern 5-2 and then skating to a 2-2 tie the next night (Miami picked up the extra point in the shoot-out).

The Friday night game starts at 7:35 pm and Saturday's face-off is scheduled for 7:05 pm.

Top Scorers

Riley Barber      5 goals, 14 points
Austin Czarnik  6 goals, 13 points
Blake Coleman  4 goals, 6 points
Cody Murphy    4 goals, 6 points
Alex Wideman  2 goals, 5 points
Curtis McKenzie  2 goals, 5 points

In-Goal

Jay Williams  5-2-1,  2.50 GAA, .911 save %
Ryan McKay  1-0-1, 0.46 GAA, .984 save %   (injured at Michigan)


Miami's power play has converted 20.4% of its chances, and the PK has stopped 86.8%. Miami's opening period has been their worst getting outscored 10-9. Miami though has outscored opponents in the second (9-3) and third (11-8) periods. Miami is averaging 31.5 shots on goal a game and allowing 28.8.

Final Thoughts

Miami has been trying to reach the mountain top under Coach Blasi. They've been close - going to the Frozen Four twice under Coach Blasi (the only two appearances in school history). Their first visit to the Frozen Four ended in heart break. Back in 2009, Miami was up 3-1 on Boston University in the national championship game with one minute to go in the game. Then - this happened:

That finish lead to one of the more unluckiest game ending goals (in the eyes of a Miami fan at least)

If it weren't for bad luck, you'd have no luck at all.....

The fact remains that Coach Blasi has built up an impressive program in Oxford. He was hired back in the 1999 - 2000 season. Prior to his arrival, Miami had won 1 CCHA title (1992-93), 0 tournament titles, made 2 NCAA tournament appearances (1993, 1997), and had zero Frozen Four appearances. Since his hire, Miami has won 2 CCHA titles (2005-06, 2009-10), 1 tournament title (2011), made 8 NCAA tournament appearances (including seven in a row - since 2006), and 2 Frozen Four appearances. It's safe to say that Miami isn't far from the mountain top. With the great mix of youth and seniors they have on this team, they might be able to make a run in the spring time - but the future remains bright as they move to the NCHC next season. 

Michigan State's youth will be tested this game. The Spartans need to figure out this Friday & Saturday thing, so much so Coach Anastos has jokingly said that MSU will be playing doubleheaders on Saturday from now on. I wonder if he still has any pull in the commissioner's office. Seriously though, Michigan State is 1-4-0 on Friday night's this year getting outscored 17-7 in those games. The lone win was a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Niagara on October 19th. On the flip side, MSU is 3-1-1 on Saturday outscoring teams 21-14 on Friday, and if you take away the Minnesota game, that record goes to 3-0-1 with the goal margin 20-7.

Miami has been a tough match-up lately for Michigan State, but the Spartans finally are getting some size on the ice to help negate one of the biggest advantages Miami always has had. I wouldn't expect anything less than an all-out effort from both teams that should lead to a pair of exciting games.

Know Thy Enemy: Lake Superior

The CCHA season gets in full swing with five series. Michigan State will travel up to the Soo to take on LSSU this weekend for a pair of games.

Michigan State was swept at the Soo last season dropping a pair of one-goal games

The Lakers are entering a key part of their schedule - coming off of three road games. LSSU plays eight of their next ten at home, with three of those series being CCHA teams. It'll be extra important, because Notre Dame and Miami road series follow this stretch of games - so the schedule gets tougher.

LSSU is 2-2 on the season so far splitting a series with Michigan Tech and Bemidji State. LSSU beat Bemidji last weekend 2-0 before dropping the second contest 5-0.

CCHA History

This series marks the final time that Michigan State and LSSU will cross paths in a regular season CCHA series. The conference was founded in 1971, and LSSU was one of the early members admitted into the league coming in the following year in 1972. The Lakers have won three national titles (tied w/ MSU) with the last coming in 1994. They've made it to four Frozen Fours (last time in 1994), and they have been to the NCAA tournament ten times (1996). They last won a CCHA Championship in 1995-1996. LSSU finished last year in seventh place in the CCHA standings with 41 points, only one point out of 6th, and six points behind MSU for 5th.

Know (some of) the Players

Domenic Monardo (Sr.)        2 goals, 6 points

Chris Ciotti (So.)                   1 goal, 3 points

Six Players Tied with 2 points

 Goalie:

Kevin Kapalka (Jr.) 

Record: 2-2-0

GAA:  3.83

Save %:  .881

All-Time Series Notes:

Michigan State leads 68-34-13

Michigan State leads at LSSU 23-16-6

LSSU is 4-3-3 against MSU over the last 10 meetings

LSSU won both meetings at LSSU last season

LSSU hasn't won three in a row at home against Michigan State since October 14, 1988 (2-19-88, 2-20-88) 

Early Thoughts:

Historically, LSSU isn't the type of team that will light up the scoreboard, but they are always very tough to beat at home. LSSU's size certainly will test the Spartans this year, and the youth needs to show that they can play better on the road. It might be a little too obvious to say that the Spartans need to be able to put the puck in the net earlier in the game - zero goals before the third period this year isn't a stat you want to continue for very long. 

If MSU can keep the game low scoring, defensive, and limit the power play opportunities it gives up, Michigan State should be able to come away with points this weekend - which would be a nice start for a young team. The CCHA is deep this year, so it would be surprising to see anyone really run away with the conference, so every point you can pick up on the road is critical.