For those that missed it, earlier in the week we took a brief look at Michigan State's at large hopes.
The Munn Minute: Spartan Bubble Watch
It has become clear that if Michigan State wins this series, the ticket to the NCAA tournament will be punched for the first time since 2008. That's not bad for a team that finished second to last in the CCHA two of the last three seasons, under went a new coaching change, and those coaches put in an entirely different system.
The only thing standing in the way of Michigan State and that NCAA tournament birth is Miami. This is the same Miami team that swept Michigan State at Munn Ice Arena with a 2-1 overtime victory and a 4-0 victory in the second game of the series. The irony of the 2-1 overtime loss is if MSU managed to get to the shoot-out this series would be in East Lansing.
What gets lost in the 4-0 game was that it was only 1-0 going into the final period, but Miami dominated the final 20 minutes that started with an early goal in the 3rd period. The Spartans may not need to win the series, but the series victory (which hasn't happened since 2007) would all but clinch it. Michigan State may already have enough comparisons in their favor to survive a three game defeat. On the other hand, Miami looks to be sitting in a better position and could also survive a series defeat - certainly better than Michigan State.
What this means is both teams will be desperate for the victory this weekend, but Michigan State might have more reason to throw the kitchen sink around in Oxford.
Know Thy Opponent:
Miami comes into the weekend with a 21-13-2 record which includes a 15-11-2 CCHA mark. This includes an 11-5-2 mark in Oxford. Miami has won six straight games, and they have won eight of their last nine games at home. The lone setback was a 2-1 defeat on January 27th against Northern Michigan.
Miami's Top Scorers:
Reilly Smith 26 goals, 38 points
Austin Czarnik 9 goals, 29 points
Jimmy Mullin 9 goals, 21 points
Alden Hirschfeld 9 goals, 21 points
Blake Coleman 11 goals, 19 points
Reilly Smith, a Dallas Stars draft pick, is competing with Torey Krug for CCHA Player of the Year Honors. Austin Czarnik, at one point, was a verbal commitment to Michigan State. Miami clearly has the "talent" edge in this series, and they have quite the size advantage, so the match-up does not seem to favor the Spartans.
In goal, Connor Knapp stands 6-6 as he went 13-6-0 on the year with a 1.53 GAA and a .939 save percentage. Knapp has caused Michigan State troubles during his career at Miami, and he was in goal for both games earlier this year at Munn. Cody Reichard is the other senior goaltender, but his numbers aren't quite as good posting a 8-7-2 record with a 2.51 GAA, and a .898 save percentage. It would surprise me a little bit if MSU saw Reichard at all this weekend given Knapp's success against MSU.
The Team Comparisons:
Michigan State Offense 3.03 Goals/Game (2nd CCHA)
Miami Offense 2.86 Goals/Game (T-4th CCHA)
Michigan State Defense 2.50 Goals/Game (5th CCHA)
Miami Defense 2.06 Goals/Game (1st CCHA)
Michigan State Power Play 16.9 % (23 for 136, 7th CCHA)
Miami Power Play 14.4% (21 for 146, 10th CCHA)
Michigan State Penalty Kill 88.5% (123 for 139, 1st CCHA)
Miami Penalty Kill 85.6% (155 for 181, 3rd CCHA)
Miami has outscored opponents in each period this season, but the final period (36-21) holds the biggest margin - which indicates Miami will get stronger as the game progresses. The Spartans biggest margin is in the second period (36-28). The one thing these numbers seem to point to is the special teams seem to be fairly even. Neither power play has looked overpowering this year, and both teams have done a good job on the penalty kill. That will make this a 5 on 5 series which means Michigan State needs to go to the net and muck it up to really have a chance at winning the series.
They cannot have a repeat performance of the first game in South Bend. Most people seem to think this is just a terrible match-up for Michigan State in just about every aspect. Miami is bigger, stronger, faster, more talented, on a roll, and at home. The one thing that Miami cannot underestimate though will be the heart and grit of the Spartans. It is those two factors alone that have made Michigan State a dangerous team. Health is also a concern, will Merrifield be able to be effective (or play) coming off of his injury? Can other guys step up the offensive end? Will this weekend come down to which POY candidate plays better?
So many different story lines this weekend in this series, and in the end, the most important thing - a NCAA & Joe Louis Arena bid will be the center focus. Two wins separates these two teams from both of those objectives. Two simple wins against another team that will make you work for everything you earn. It should be a lot of fun.
Anastos Honored (Sort of):
Head Coach Tom Anastos was one of three finalists named for the CCHA coach of the year award. Red Berenson and former Spartan Bob Daniels were the other two nominated for the award. Krug, as indicated above, is up for the CCHA Player of the Year award, as well as the best offensive defenseman (which you would assume he'd be a lock to win).
TV & Radio This Weekend:
This series is not on TV this weekend, but you can access Miami's all-access feed (for a fee), or you can access the Spartan Sports Network in the links on the left. Friday's game is scheduled to start at 7:35 pm. Saturday's game is scheduled to begin at 7:05 pm along with Sunday's game (if needed).
Showing posts with label Coach of the Year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coach of the Year. Show all posts
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday Thoughts
So the Spartans finally went into South Bend and won a game. The only problem was they lost the night before which allowed Miami to pass them in the standings and take home ice with it. No problem though, since the Spartans were 6-7 on the road. Not great, but not terrible either.
Also, even though the Spartans were swept in early January by Miami (at Munn), the first game went into overtime, and the second game was 1-0 going into the 3rd period (before Miami won 4-0). The point being is MSU was in both games, but they just couldn't get over the hump. The Spartans went 8-4-2 after that series including 3-3 in road games (and 2-0 in road games in the state of Ohio).
The Spartans probably need to win this series to get them in a great NCAA position. The latest projection has Michigan State as a 3 seed in the Midwest region. Even if Michigan State loses the series in three games, they might have a shot, but they would probably need all the right teams to win. So the moral of the story here is simple: you control your own destiny - win and you are in.
Not to mention the Spartans haven't been to the Joe in March since 2007.
The good news is MSU is 28-11-2 all-time in Oxford, OH. Over the last six series at Miami, the Spartans actually hold a 7-5 edge in the series. The last time they played was back in October of 2009 where they split. So even in recent history, the Spartans have done alright in Miami - and the Red Hawks have had some great teams during that time period.
So even though this team might not be the best match-up for the Spartans, the one thing you can expect is the best effort from the green & white. Miami will earn the series win.
The Munn Minute All-Conference Teams
First Team:
Forwards:
T.J. Tynan (So., Notre Dame) - Tynan finished the season tied for the conference lead in points (29), though his -4 rating could keep him from getting some recognition.
Reilly Smith (Jr., Miami) - Smith finished the year leading the league in goals (18), and a +13 rating isn't too shabby either. If you include non-conference games, he tallied 26 goals in 34 games.
Alex Guptill (Fr., Michigan) - Although he probably won't get it since he's a freshmen, I think he deserves a look. He finished the season leading all freshmen in scoring (25 points, 13 goals), and he has a nice +12 rating which some of the seniors above him in points don't quite have.
Defense
Torey Krug (Jr., Michigan State) - I'll be shocked if he isn't a unanimous first team all-conference selection. He shared the scoring title, a first for a d-man in the CCHA in 25 years. He posted a +19 rating in conference games too.
Chad Billings (Sr., Ferris State) - Ended the year with 25 points, second among d-men to Krug. A +10 conference rating also helps. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if another guy (on my second team) is here instead.
Goaltender:
Shawn Hunwick (Sr., Michigan) - He is the only goalie in the conference in the top 3 in all the major goalie categories with at least 1,000 minutes played - goals against average (1.93), save percentage (.937), and winning percentage (.635)
Second Team:
Forwards:
Jordie Johnston (Jr., Ferris State) - Led the Bulldogs in scoring (24 pts)
Tyler Gron (Sr., Northern Michigan) - Finished the league in the top 5 in scoring with 27 points
Justin Florek (Sr., Northern Michigan) - Also finished in the league in the top 5 in scoring with 27 points.
Defense:
Lee Moffie (Jr., Michigan) - A +13 rating with 21 conference points gets him in the discussion. He had to do a lot with Merrill out the first half of the year too.
Kyle Follmer (Jr., Northern Michigan) - Although a -1 rating might not be gaudy (Lidstrom did win a Norris Trophy with a minus rating last season), he was still a key part of the Wildcats offense and defense this season.
Goaltending:
Connor Knapp (Sr., Miami) - Knapp actually has better numbers than Hunwick in each of the three categories, but he has played roughly 700 fewer minutes.
All Due Respect to:
Western Michigan. No one on this list is from Kalamazoo, but the stats seem to indicate otherwise. It wouldn't surprise me to see a couple of guys (Balisy, Walters) to get some recognition because of the team success.
Played Of The Year: This one honestly boils down to a two person race in my mind. Torey Krug & Shaun Hunwick. Without either of these guys, who knows where their respective teams end up. It's just so easy to give this award to a goalie though, because you can make that case with just about every goalie in the top half of the league. I don't know that you can say that about every d-man in the league though, so I'll give the nod to Torey Krug (call me biased if you'd like).
Coach Of The Year: It's so easy to give this award to a team predicted to finish in the middle to bottom half of the league that ends up surprising everyone. We have two teams that fit that criteria this year in Tom Anastos and Bob Daniels. Red Berenson should also get a look given where his team was at in right after Thanksgiving. Enrico Blasi could get a look given the same criteria. However, given that Ferris State has zero NHL draft picks right now, and that they just won the league title, currently hold a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament, this award has to (and realistically should) go to Bob Daniels.
More playoff coverage to come this week.
Also, even though the Spartans were swept in early January by Miami (at Munn), the first game went into overtime, and the second game was 1-0 going into the 3rd period (before Miami won 4-0). The point being is MSU was in both games, but they just couldn't get over the hump. The Spartans went 8-4-2 after that series including 3-3 in road games (and 2-0 in road games in the state of Ohio).
The Spartans probably need to win this series to get them in a great NCAA position. The latest projection has Michigan State as a 3 seed in the Midwest region. Even if Michigan State loses the series in three games, they might have a shot, but they would probably need all the right teams to win. So the moral of the story here is simple: you control your own destiny - win and you are in.
Not to mention the Spartans haven't been to the Joe in March since 2007.
The good news is MSU is 28-11-2 all-time in Oxford, OH. Over the last six series at Miami, the Spartans actually hold a 7-5 edge in the series. The last time they played was back in October of 2009 where they split. So even in recent history, the Spartans have done alright in Miami - and the Red Hawks have had some great teams during that time period.
So even though this team might not be the best match-up for the Spartans, the one thing you can expect is the best effort from the green & white. Miami will earn the series win.
The Munn Minute All-Conference Teams
First Team:
Forwards:
T.J. Tynan (So., Notre Dame) - Tynan finished the season tied for the conference lead in points (29), though his -4 rating could keep him from getting some recognition.
Reilly Smith (Jr., Miami) - Smith finished the year leading the league in goals (18), and a +13 rating isn't too shabby either. If you include non-conference games, he tallied 26 goals in 34 games.
Alex Guptill (Fr., Michigan) - Although he probably won't get it since he's a freshmen, I think he deserves a look. He finished the season leading all freshmen in scoring (25 points, 13 goals), and he has a nice +12 rating which some of the seniors above him in points don't quite have.
Defense
Torey Krug (Jr., Michigan State) - I'll be shocked if he isn't a unanimous first team all-conference selection. He shared the scoring title, a first for a d-man in the CCHA in 25 years. He posted a +19 rating in conference games too.
Chad Billings (Sr., Ferris State) - Ended the year with 25 points, second among d-men to Krug. A +10 conference rating also helps. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if another guy (on my second team) is here instead.
Goaltender:
Shawn Hunwick (Sr., Michigan) - He is the only goalie in the conference in the top 3 in all the major goalie categories with at least 1,000 minutes played - goals against average (1.93), save percentage (.937), and winning percentage (.635)
Second Team:
Forwards:
Jordie Johnston (Jr., Ferris State) - Led the Bulldogs in scoring (24 pts)
Tyler Gron (Sr., Northern Michigan) - Finished the league in the top 5 in scoring with 27 points
Justin Florek (Sr., Northern Michigan) - Also finished in the league in the top 5 in scoring with 27 points.
Defense:
Lee Moffie (Jr., Michigan) - A +13 rating with 21 conference points gets him in the discussion. He had to do a lot with Merrill out the first half of the year too.
Kyle Follmer (Jr., Northern Michigan) - Although a -1 rating might not be gaudy (Lidstrom did win a Norris Trophy with a minus rating last season), he was still a key part of the Wildcats offense and defense this season.
Goaltending:
Connor Knapp (Sr., Miami) - Knapp actually has better numbers than Hunwick in each of the three categories, but he has played roughly 700 fewer minutes.
All Due Respect to:
Western Michigan. No one on this list is from Kalamazoo, but the stats seem to indicate otherwise. It wouldn't surprise me to see a couple of guys (Balisy, Walters) to get some recognition because of the team success.
Played Of The Year: This one honestly boils down to a two person race in my mind. Torey Krug & Shaun Hunwick. Without either of these guys, who knows where their respective teams end up. It's just so easy to give this award to a goalie though, because you can make that case with just about every goalie in the top half of the league. I don't know that you can say that about every d-man in the league though, so I'll give the nod to Torey Krug (call me biased if you'd like).
Coach Of The Year: It's so easy to give this award to a team predicted to finish in the middle to bottom half of the league that ends up surprising everyone. We have two teams that fit that criteria this year in Tom Anastos and Bob Daniels. Red Berenson should also get a look given where his team was at in right after Thanksgiving. Enrico Blasi could get a look given the same criteria. However, given that Ferris State has zero NHL draft picks right now, and that they just won the league title, currently hold a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament, this award has to (and realistically should) go to Bob Daniels.
More playoff coverage to come this week.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Monday Hot Topic - Coach Anastos
Michigan State Hockey has gotten some attention this year for their strong turn around after a rough season last year (and rough past few seasons following the 2007 national title). Going around the internet today, this article caught my eye, from the blog: A Beautiful Day For Football. Basically, he makes the comparison (towards the end of the article) that Tom Anastos is the Brady Hoke of College Hockey (minus the weight, of course). That got me thinking if that really was a good analogy.
Brady Hoke didn't have a lot of major head coaching experience when he was hired at UofM. He was, at one point, an assistant coach at Michigan though, and he claimed he would have walked from San Diego State to get the job (the walk probably wouldn't have hurt). Sorry, that's two weight jokes in a matter of a few sentences.....
Anyways, Tom Anastos didn't have a lot of head coaching experience when he was hired here last year. He was, at one point, an assistant coach at Michigan State. As far as I know, he didn't make a claim that he would walk all the way from Farmington Hills, though that wouldn't have been as bad as walking from San Diego. He did come in and supposedly told the players, in his first team meeting, that he was a Spartan. It was the first time the hockey program had actually been under the direction of a former Spartan.
He immediately hit a homerun with the players, and the players have responded. Very similar to Hoke and Michigan. The year before Hoke, Michigan finished in 7th place (tied) in the Big 10. This was preceeded by a 10th place finish (tied) and a 9th place finish (tied). Enter Hoke - and Michigan falls just 1 game shy of playing in the Big 10 championship game - pretty much in 3rd/4th place.
MSU hockey finished the 2010-2011 campaign in 10th place, losing to Alaska in the first round of the playoffs. In the 2009-2010 season, MSU did manage a second place finish, but they were swept by Michigan in the CCHA quarterfinals (and MSU was a distant 20 points behind Miami for the league title). The 2008-2009 campaign saw MSU finish in a tie for 9th place, and they once again lost in the first round of the CCHA playoffs. MSU missed the NCAA tournament each of those three seasons.
Come to think of it, MSU hasn't been to Joe Louis for the CCHA tournament since 2007 (2008, MSU was upset in the CCHA Quarterfinals - though they still made the tournament). I'm sad now.
But then we get to think about Coach Anastos and what he has done. MSU is in fourth place right now, with the same group of guys that nearly finished dead last just a season ago. It's a shame that Ferris State will win the league title, which will probably give the CCHA Coach of the Year award to Bob Daniels (former Spartan) instead of Tom Anastos.
Anastos has already pulled in some great verbal commitments - much like Hoke is on fire on the recruiting trail. The trick in hockey though is to get them on campus and away from the OHL.
And we all know one thing about this weekend - our guys will compete hard. Notre Dame, if they win, will have earned it.
Brady Hoke didn't have a lot of major head coaching experience when he was hired at UofM. He was, at one point, an assistant coach at Michigan though, and he claimed he would have walked from San Diego State to get the job (the walk probably wouldn't have hurt). Sorry, that's two weight jokes in a matter of a few sentences.....
Anyways, Tom Anastos didn't have a lot of head coaching experience when he was hired here last year. He was, at one point, an assistant coach at Michigan State. As far as I know, he didn't make a claim that he would walk all the way from Farmington Hills, though that wouldn't have been as bad as walking from San Diego. He did come in and supposedly told the players, in his first team meeting, that he was a Spartan. It was the first time the hockey program had actually been under the direction of a former Spartan.
He immediately hit a homerun with the players, and the players have responded. Very similar to Hoke and Michigan. The year before Hoke, Michigan finished in 7th place (tied) in the Big 10. This was preceeded by a 10th place finish (tied) and a 9th place finish (tied). Enter Hoke - and Michigan falls just 1 game shy of playing in the Big 10 championship game - pretty much in 3rd/4th place.
MSU hockey finished the 2010-2011 campaign in 10th place, losing to Alaska in the first round of the playoffs. In the 2009-2010 season, MSU did manage a second place finish, but they were swept by Michigan in the CCHA quarterfinals (and MSU was a distant 20 points behind Miami for the league title). The 2008-2009 campaign saw MSU finish in a tie for 9th place, and they once again lost in the first round of the CCHA playoffs. MSU missed the NCAA tournament each of those three seasons.
Come to think of it, MSU hasn't been to Joe Louis for the CCHA tournament since 2007 (2008, MSU was upset in the CCHA Quarterfinals - though they still made the tournament). I'm sad now.
But then we get to think about Coach Anastos and what he has done. MSU is in fourth place right now, with the same group of guys that nearly finished dead last just a season ago. It's a shame that Ferris State will win the league title, which will probably give the CCHA Coach of the Year award to Bob Daniels (former Spartan) instead of Tom Anastos.
Anastos has already pulled in some great verbal commitments - much like Hoke is on fire on the recruiting trail. The trick in hockey though is to get them on campus and away from the OHL.
And we all know one thing about this weekend - our guys will compete hard. Notre Dame, if they win, will have earned it.
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