Earlier tonight, we posted about how this week has been a week of firsts. Torey Krug continued a week of firsts as he earned his first NHL point tonight in Boston's 3-1 win at Ottawa.
Krug (#47), at the bottom of the video, is patient in moving the puck out of the zone - as he makes the initial outlet pass. Milan Lucic finishes the play off. Krug is credited with the second assist. Congrats to Torey on his first NHL point.
National Championship
Boston College handled Minnesota tonight 6-1, so they will move on to play Ferris State on Saturday Night (ESPN 2, 7:00 pm)
Showing posts with label Krug. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Krug. Show all posts
Thursday, April 5, 2012
A Week Of Firsts
This week has been a week of firsts. Torey Krug made his NHL debut on Tuesday against Pittsburgh logging in just over 18 minutes of ice time, getting two shots on goal, blocking one, and posting an even rating (he was on the ice for four goals total - two even strength goals for both teams).
That's not bad, and Torey looked comfortable out there.
Even though it is expected he'll start next season in Providence, he certainly seems to be setting himself up well for a long and successful career in the NHL. He said he was most disappointed that they didn't win. Would you expect a former captain to say anything less?
Krug is playing tonight in Ottawa. As of this post, he has 7:10 in ice time, one shot on goal, one blocked shot, and an even rating.
Frozen Four
Congrats are in order to Ferris State. The Bulldogs defeated Union earlier today 3-1 to reach their first national title game in program history. Ferris State is coached by former Spartan Bob Daniels. They'll take on the winner of Boston College-Minnesota (BC currently leads 1-0) on Saturday night. That game can be seen on ESPN2.
The winner of that BC-Minnesota game is going to be a heavy favorite, but do not sleep on the Bulldogs who play a system extremely well. If Ferris State gets a lead, they are very tough to beat.
ECHL Playoffs
Dustin Gazley had a goal and two assists in the first two games of the ECHL play-offs, but it wasn't enough as Elmira dropped both games in Reading by scores of 4-1 and 4-2. Elmira must now win the final three games of the series, all at home, to advance in the ECHL playoffs. Elmira finished the Eastern Conference with the best regular season record. Game three is Friday night.
That's not bad, and Torey looked comfortable out there.
"I thought he handled himself well," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "I like the way he moved the puck. I think everybody who knows the game realized that he's a good puck-mover, his mobility was obvious, and the only thing I would tell you is that you could see him in the defensive zone really thinking about trying to play within our system, and sometimes he was maybe just a fraction of a second delayed, which is totally normal. But once he knew what he had to do, he went. So there was no hesitation once his mind was made up, and that will only get better as it becomes second nature, and that's totally, as I said, totally natural for a guy playing in his first game."
Even though it is expected he'll start next season in Providence, he certainly seems to be setting himself up well for a long and successful career in the NHL. He said he was most disappointed that they didn't win. Would you expect a former captain to say anything less?
Krug is playing tonight in Ottawa. As of this post, he has 7:10 in ice time, one shot on goal, one blocked shot, and an even rating.
Frozen Four
Congrats are in order to Ferris State. The Bulldogs defeated Union earlier today 3-1 to reach their first national title game in program history. Ferris State is coached by former Spartan Bob Daniels. They'll take on the winner of Boston College-Minnesota (BC currently leads 1-0) on Saturday night. That game can be seen on ESPN2.
The winner of that BC-Minnesota game is going to be a heavy favorite, but do not sleep on the Bulldogs who play a system extremely well. If Ferris State gets a lead, they are very tough to beat.
ECHL Playoffs
Dustin Gazley had a goal and two assists in the first two games of the ECHL play-offs, but it wasn't enough as Elmira dropped both games in Reading by scores of 4-1 and 4-2. Elmira must now win the final three games of the series, all at home, to advance in the ECHL playoffs. Elmira finished the Eastern Conference with the best regular season record. Game three is Friday night.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Krug to Play Tonight
Torey Krug will make his NHL debut tonight as they face-off with Pittsburgh tonight at 7:35 pm. The game can be seen on NBCSN (Versus).
Friday, March 30, 2012
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Upon arriving in Boston, it didn't take long for Torey Krug to become a target as 'the new guy in town'.
Torey had his head shaved for charity - Cuts for a Cure..... In this video he talks about his experience:
In case you were looking for a before photo:
Nice to see the Bruins giving back, and to see Torey be a part of it.
2012 - 2013 schedule
Although it might take some time for the full 2012 - 2013 schedule to be released, there are some dates that you can already bank on. Michigan State will be travelling to Minnesota over Thanksgiving for the return trip as the two Big 10 schools continue their annual rivalry. MSU will be hosting Michigan just once this year at Munn, with two games at Yost, and the fourth game at the Joe. Also, it looks like Michigan State will be playing Penn State at some point in the season, though the exact times and locations haven't been decided yet.
The 2012 - 2013 season will mark the final season for the CCHA, and the first season for Penn State, who will be playing as an independent until the Big 10 conference officially starts with the 2013 - 2014 season.
Torey had his head shaved for charity - Cuts for a Cure..... In this video he talks about his experience:
In case you were looking for a before photo:
Nice to see the Bruins giving back, and to see Torey be a part of it.
2012 - 2013 schedule
Although it might take some time for the full 2012 - 2013 schedule to be released, there are some dates that you can already bank on. Michigan State will be travelling to Minnesota over Thanksgiving for the return trip as the two Big 10 schools continue their annual rivalry. MSU will be hosting Michigan just once this year at Munn, with two games at Yost, and the fourth game at the Joe. Also, it looks like Michigan State will be playing Penn State at some point in the season, though the exact times and locations haven't been decided yet.
The 2012 - 2013 season will mark the final season for the CCHA, and the first season for Penn State, who will be playing as an independent until the Big 10 conference officially starts with the 2013 - 2014 season.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Ferris State, Union Adavance To Tampa, Cornell Trolls UM, Krug to NHL
Ferris State and Union became the first two teams to advance to the 2012 Frozen Four in Tampa Bay, Florida. Union defeated UMass-Lowell 4-2 in the East Regional Final. Ferris State defeated Cornell 2-1 in the Midwest Regional Final. For both programs, it is the first ever trip to the Frozen Four.
Ferris State is lead by former Spartan Bob Daniels behind the bench.
Props to Cornell
Cornell is often credited for inventing all those cheers you hear at college hockey rinks today, especially at Yost Ice Arena. I don't know if Cornell was trying to punish UofM for this, but the pep band decided to play the MSU Fight Song during the game - perhaps to get in the minds of the Wolverines. It sure looks like Hunwick noticed.
One has to wonder if it worked though, because Michigan tied the game just minutes later, though Cornell won in overtime.
Krug to the NHL
There is a noon press conference at Munn Ice Arena today where it is expected that Torey Krug will officially announce that he has signed with the Boston Bruins and will forego his senior season at MSU. Torey was a great player and leader on the blue line for Michigan State, and we wish him the best in his professional career.
What this does do is leave a big hole on the team that someone will need to step in and help replace. Michigan State does have a pair of transfers R.J. Boyd and Nick Gatt who should help settle down what would otherwise be a very young blue line. Jake Chelios may have to take the biggest jump next year.
Ferris State is lead by former Spartan Bob Daniels behind the bench.
Props to Cornell
Cornell is often credited for inventing all those cheers you hear at college hockey rinks today, especially at Yost Ice Arena. I don't know if Cornell was trying to punish UofM for this, but the pep band decided to play the MSU Fight Song during the game - perhaps to get in the minds of the Wolverines. It sure looks like Hunwick noticed.
One has to wonder if it worked though, because Michigan tied the game just minutes later, though Cornell won in overtime.
Krug to the NHL
There is a noon press conference at Munn Ice Arena today where it is expected that Torey Krug will officially announce that he has signed with the Boston Bruins and will forego his senior season at MSU. Torey was a great player and leader on the blue line for Michigan State, and we wish him the best in his professional career.
What this does do is leave a big hole on the team that someone will need to step in and help replace. Michigan State does have a pair of transfers R.J. Boyd and Nick Gatt who should help settle down what would otherwise be a very young blue line. Jake Chelios may have to take the biggest jump next year.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Krug Named CCHA Player of the Year & Your Weekend Guide
With the down time from earlier in the week, we've really been able to enjoy the wonderful weather here in East Lansing. We've also been able to take our mind off of scoreboard watching for a couple days.
First off, congratulations are in order to Michigan State junior Torey Krug for being named the CCHA Player of the Year. He led all d-men in scoring this season, and he really was a major reason for Michigan State earning a first round bye, and being in position to earn their first tournament bid since 2008. He was also named the best offensive d-man (no surprise). Finally, he was named one of the ten Hobey Finalists for 2012. The Hobey award goes to the best college hockey player of the year (think equivalent to the Heisman Trophy for football)
However, the weekend is here now, and come Saturday night, Michigan State's bubble will either solidify into an at-large bid or pop depending on what happens across the country. Here is your guide for the weekend.
The teams to really focus on: Colgate & RIT.
The teams to keep one eye on: Bowling Green, Harvard, Providence, Michigan Tech, St. Cloud State.
The good news?
You can take Michigan Tech off of this list. They were defeated by Denver today in the WCHA Final Five Quarterfinal game - so they no longer can win the WCHA and push MSU on the brink of popped bubble status.
You can also take St. Cloud State off the list, since they lost to North Dakota tonight as well. So that takes care of the WCHA worries.
The long shots:
Bowling Green will have to beat Michigan and then the Miami/Western winner. Yes, they have gotten this far, but that is going to be a very tall task. Michigan is playing better than they were in the season finale in Bowling Green (when BGSU beat Michigan once), and Miami might be the best team in the CCHA right now, and Western is on a bit of a roll as well.
Providence faces a similar path going up against the best the Hockey East has to offer - which will include BC and either BU or Maine.
Harvard plays Cornell and then would have to beat the winner of Colgate/Union. If it comes down to Harvard & Colgate in the ECAC, Michigan State stands to lose less if Harvard would win that game. Still, it would move the at-large line to 14 instead of 15.
The concerns:
RIT on its own doesn't threaten MSU. What does threaten MSU is if RIT wins the Atlantic Conference and Western Michigan or RIT and another bubble team like Colgate, Providence, and Harvard.
The biggest concern: Colgate. It's simple. If Colgate wins the ECAC, Michigan State will be out. This will move MSU down into a tie for 15th, which will be a moot point when Colgate takes another at-large bid away and moves the cut-off line from 15th to 14th.
Colgate plays Union on Friday in the ECAC semi-finals..... If Union wins, Michigan State's at-large hopes go up quite a bit, just based on the fact that none of the other teams, on their own, can knock Michigan State out. It would take two of the other teams to win to knock MSU out (or an RIT/WMU combo).
Selection Sunday takes place on ESPNU & ESPN3 at Noon.
First off, congratulations are in order to Michigan State junior Torey Krug for being named the CCHA Player of the Year. He led all d-men in scoring this season, and he really was a major reason for Michigan State earning a first round bye, and being in position to earn their first tournament bid since 2008. He was also named the best offensive d-man (no surprise). Finally, he was named one of the ten Hobey Finalists for 2012. The Hobey award goes to the best college hockey player of the year (think equivalent to the Heisman Trophy for football)
However, the weekend is here now, and come Saturday night, Michigan State's bubble will either solidify into an at-large bid or pop depending on what happens across the country. Here is your guide for the weekend.
The teams to really focus on: Colgate & RIT.
The teams to keep one eye on: Bowling Green, Harvard, Providence, Michigan Tech, St. Cloud State.
The good news?
You can take Michigan Tech off of this list. They were defeated by Denver today in the WCHA Final Five Quarterfinal game - so they no longer can win the WCHA and push MSU on the brink of popped bubble status.
You can also take St. Cloud State off the list, since they lost to North Dakota tonight as well. So that takes care of the WCHA worries.
The long shots:
Bowling Green will have to beat Michigan and then the Miami/Western winner. Yes, they have gotten this far, but that is going to be a very tall task. Michigan is playing better than they were in the season finale in Bowling Green (when BGSU beat Michigan once), and Miami might be the best team in the CCHA right now, and Western is on a bit of a roll as well.
Providence faces a similar path going up against the best the Hockey East has to offer - which will include BC and either BU or Maine.
Harvard plays Cornell and then would have to beat the winner of Colgate/Union. If it comes down to Harvard & Colgate in the ECAC, Michigan State stands to lose less if Harvard would win that game. Still, it would move the at-large line to 14 instead of 15.
The concerns:
RIT on its own doesn't threaten MSU. What does threaten MSU is if RIT wins the Atlantic Conference and Western Michigan or RIT and another bubble team like Colgate, Providence, and Harvard.
The biggest concern: Colgate. It's simple. If Colgate wins the ECAC, Michigan State will be out. This will move MSU down into a tie for 15th, which will be a moot point when Colgate takes another at-large bid away and moves the cut-off line from 15th to 14th.
Colgate plays Union on Friday in the ECAC semi-finals..... If Union wins, Michigan State's at-large hopes go up quite a bit, just based on the fact that none of the other teams, on their own, can knock Michigan State out. It would take two of the other teams to win to knock MSU out (or an RIT/WMU combo).
Selection Sunday takes place on ESPNU & ESPN3 at Noon.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Torey Krug Unanimous All-CCHA Selection
Torey Krug was named as a unanimous selection to the all-CCHA first team yesterday. Here are the teams (Krug was the only Spartan on the First, Second, or Honorable Mention teams)
First Team
Position Name, Year, School First Totals
F - Reilly Smith (JR, Miami) 10 50
F - Tyler Gron (SR, No. Michigan) 7 42
F - T.J. Tynan (SO, Notre Dame) 5 40
D - Torey Krug (JR, Michigan State) 10 50
D - Chad Billins (SR,, Ferris State) 9 48
G - Taylor Nelson (SR, Ferris State) 6 34
Second Team
F- Justin Florek (SR, No. Michigan) 4 34
F- Cody Kunyk (SO, Alaska) 2 23
F- Jordie Johnston (SR, Ferris State) 3 22
D- Dan DeKeyser (SO, W. Michigan) 2 20
D- Matt Tennyson (JR, W. Michigan) -- 20
G- Shawn Hunwick (SR, Michigan) 2 24
Vote Values: 1st place = 5, 2nd place = 3, 3rd place = 1
Others receiving votes: Forwards — Alex Guptill, FR, Michigan, 9; David Wohlberg, SR, Michigan, 9; Chase Balisy, SO, WMU, 8; Chris Wideman, SR, Miami, 8; Kyle Haines, SR, LSSU, 6; Zach Trotman, JR, LSSU, 6; Matt Kirzinger, JR, FSU, 5; Domenic Monardo, JR, LSSU, 5; Greg Pateryn, SR, Michigan, 5; Kyle Bonis, JR, FSU, 4; Shane Berschbach, SO, WMU, 4; Lee Reimer, SO, MSU, 4; Riley Sheahan, JR, ND, 4; Aaron Gens, SR, Alaska, 4; Austin Czarnik, FR, Miami, 3; Dane Walters, JR, WMU, 3; Brock Shelgren, SR, MSU, 3; Jared Coreau, SO, NMU
It stands to reason from this that he should be getting some serious POY consideration since only one other player was a unanimous selection.
First Team
Position Name, Year, School First Totals
F - Reilly Smith (JR, Miami) 10 50
F - Tyler Gron (SR, No. Michigan) 7 42
F - T.J. Tynan (SO, Notre Dame) 5 40
D - Torey Krug (JR, Michigan State) 10 50
D - Chad Billins (SR,, Ferris State) 9 48
G - Taylor Nelson (SR, Ferris State) 6 34
Second Team
F- Justin Florek (SR, No. Michigan) 4 34
F- Cody Kunyk (SO, Alaska) 2 23
F- Jordie Johnston (SR, Ferris State) 3 22
D- Dan DeKeyser (SO, W. Michigan) 2 20
D- Matt Tennyson (JR, W. Michigan) -- 20
G- Shawn Hunwick (SR, Michigan) 2 24
Vote Values: 1st place = 5, 2nd place = 3, 3rd place = 1
Honorable Mention (next six point totals, regardless of position with first team-votes in parentheses): Connor Knapp, SR, G, Miami, (1) 23; Lee Moffie, JR, D, Michigan, (1) 17; Chris Brown, JR, F, Michigan, (1) 15; Kevin Kapalka, SO, G, Lake Superior, (2) 13; Anders Lee, SO, F, Notre Dame, (1) 10; Kyle Follmer, JR, D, Northern Michigan, 10.
It stands to reason from this that he should be getting some serious POY consideration since only one other player was a unanimous selection.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Thoughts on the CCHA Weekend Ahead
After our short mid-week hiatus, we are here to talk about playoffs.
Yes coach, we are here to talk about playoffs. Though the Colts won't be in it. Specifically, we are talking about the Mason Cup.
The CCHA playoffs get started this weekend with three first round series, and although Michigan State is off this weekend (and we already know who the Spartans will play), three more quarterfinal spots are up for grabs in the best of three series this weekend.
This could be one of the most interesting CCHA tournaments ever since any one of these teams could make a run given how close the league standings have been all season long.
Here is a look at each of the series this weekend:
#11 Bowling Green (10-21-5) at #6 Northern Michigan (16-12-6)
Bowling Green travels up to Marquette for a first round series for the second straight year. Last season, no one really gave Bowling Green a chance. Things went worse from there as Northern dominated the opening game of the series 6-3. However, they fought back to tie the series and ending up shocking the Wildcats in game three in a double OT thriller.
The two teams played just three weekends ago, and Northern swept the series 4-2, 2-0 in Bowling Green.
Northern Offense: 2.88 Goals/Game (4th CCHA)
Bowling Green Offense: 1.67 Goals/Game (11th CCHA)
Northern Defense: 2.68 Goals/Game (9th CCHA)
Bowling Green Defense: 2.83 Goals/Game (11th CCHA)
Northern Power Play: 19.5% (24 for 123, 2nd CCHA)
Bowling Green Power Play 9.4 % (15 for 159, 11th CCHA)
Northern Penalty Kill: 85.3 % (133 for 156, 3rd CCHA)
Bowling Green Penalty Kill: 83.3 % (145 for 174, 9th CCHA)
Thoughts: Even though the Falcons have been playing better hockey, it is tough to see them winning two out of three again this year. I have to believe the playoff series last year will be in the back of the minds of all the Wildcats. With that said, the Falcons are going to be able to have some measure of confidence knowing they have done this once before.
My Pick: Northern Michigan in Two.
#10 Alaska (12-18-4) at #7 LSSU (16-15-5)
Alaska faces the task of coming back down to the lower 48 where they have only won three games this season (two of which were in Bowling Green). The teams split the season series (1-1) in Fairbanks. Alaska took the opening game 4-2, but they lost the second game 3-2. This series also took place just three weekends ago.
LSSU Offense: 2.56 Goals/Game (9th CCHA)
Alaska Offense: 2.38 Goals/Game (10th CCHA)
LSSU Defense: 2.67 Goals/Game (8th CCHA)
Alaska Defense: 2.59 Goals/Game (6th CCHA)
LSSU Power Play: 20.1 % (27 for 134, 1st CCHA)
Alaska Power Play: 16.0 % (25 for 156, 9th CCHA)
LSSU Penalty Kill: 83.8 % (109 for 130, 7th CCHA)
Alaska Penalty Kill: 81.0 % (119 for 147, 11th CCHA)
Thoughts: On paper, this is probably the most even first round series. This series is very important for LSSU as they sit in 20th in the Pairwise (which means the Lakers will need a long CCHA tournament run to get them into the NCAA tournament). The numbers are fairly even until we start to talk about special teams. Obviously matching up the worst PK with the best power play will figure to favor the Lakers. With the lower scoring offenses this figures to be first to two wins (either that or one game will probably be 9-8).
My Pick: LSSU in Three
#9 Ohio State (15-13-5) at #8 Notre Dame (17-16-3)
To be honest, I didn't think this would be a first round series for a couple of reasons. Notre Dame came in with very high expectations, but they struggled to find consistency. With that said, the Irish have beaten just about everyone they faced which simply led to a lot of splits. On the flip side, Ohio State was in first place in the CCHA when 2012 started. But they finished 1-9-4 in their last 14 games after that impressive 14-4-1 start. That lone win though was at Western Michigan. Ohio State and Notre Dame split this season in South Bend. That series occured all the way back in October with Notre Dame winning the opening game 5-2 and dropping the second one 4-3.
Notre Dame Offense: 2.64 Goals/Game (8th CCHA)
Ohio State Offense: 2.70 Goals/Game (6th CCHA)
Notre Dame Defense: 2.78 Goals/Game (10th CCHA)
Ohio State Defense: 2.61 Goals/Game (7th CCHA)
Notre Dame Power Play: 19.0% (33 for 174, 4th CCHA)
Ohio State Power Play: 18.1% (30 for 166, 6th CCHA)
Notre Dame Penalty Kill: 81.5% (110 for 135, 10th CCHA)
Ohio State Penalty Kill: 83.4 % (126 for 151, 8th CCHA)
Thoughts: With the tail spin that the Buckeyes have been in, you can pretty much count on everyone picking Notre Dame in this series. Despite that 1-9-4 streak, Ohio State still finds themselves in the NCAA picture coming in 18th (tied) in the current Pairwise rankings. Notre Dame is the team that they are tied with, so the winner of this series could find themselves back in the hunt for a NCAA at-large bid (though the winner of this series probably will need to win next week as well). Everyone is waiting for Notre Dame to turn the light switch on with the amount of talent they have on their roster, and a short series could be the jump start they need. This time I'm going to agree with the majority, but I think Ohio State will make the Irish work for it....
My Pick: Notre Dame in Three.
This figures to be a great CCHA playoff season as the conference was tight from start to finish. So it wouldn't be too shocking to see a few series this weekend and next go the distance. Though, now that I've said that, here come the sweeps......
Krug Honored Yet Again
Torey Krug was named the RBC Financial Group CCHA Player of the Month for February. A nice feather in his cap, as he makes his claim for the CCHA player of the year.
Yes coach, we are here to talk about playoffs. Though the Colts won't be in it. Specifically, we are talking about the Mason Cup.
The Chase For The Mason Cup Begins March 2nd
The CCHA playoffs get started this weekend with three first round series, and although Michigan State is off this weekend (and we already know who the Spartans will play), three more quarterfinal spots are up for grabs in the best of three series this weekend.
This could be one of the most interesting CCHA tournaments ever since any one of these teams could make a run given how close the league standings have been all season long.
Here is a look at each of the series this weekend:
#11 Bowling Green (10-21-5) at #6 Northern Michigan (16-12-6)
Bowling Green travels up to Marquette for a first round series for the second straight year. Last season, no one really gave Bowling Green a chance. Things went worse from there as Northern dominated the opening game of the series 6-3. However, they fought back to tie the series and ending up shocking the Wildcats in game three in a double OT thriller.
The two teams played just three weekends ago, and Northern swept the series 4-2, 2-0 in Bowling Green.
Northern Offense: 2.88 Goals/Game (4th CCHA)
Bowling Green Offense: 1.67 Goals/Game (11th CCHA)
Northern Defense: 2.68 Goals/Game (9th CCHA)
Bowling Green Defense: 2.83 Goals/Game (11th CCHA)
Northern Power Play: 19.5% (24 for 123, 2nd CCHA)
Bowling Green Power Play 9.4 % (15 for 159, 11th CCHA)
Northern Penalty Kill: 85.3 % (133 for 156, 3rd CCHA)
Bowling Green Penalty Kill: 83.3 % (145 for 174, 9th CCHA)
Thoughts: Even though the Falcons have been playing better hockey, it is tough to see them winning two out of three again this year. I have to believe the playoff series last year will be in the back of the minds of all the Wildcats. With that said, the Falcons are going to be able to have some measure of confidence knowing they have done this once before.
My Pick: Northern Michigan in Two.
#10 Alaska (12-18-4) at #7 LSSU (16-15-5)
Alaska faces the task of coming back down to the lower 48 where they have only won three games this season (two of which were in Bowling Green). The teams split the season series (1-1) in Fairbanks. Alaska took the opening game 4-2, but they lost the second game 3-2. This series also took place just three weekends ago.
LSSU Offense: 2.56 Goals/Game (9th CCHA)
Alaska Offense: 2.38 Goals/Game (10th CCHA)
LSSU Defense: 2.67 Goals/Game (8th CCHA)
Alaska Defense: 2.59 Goals/Game (6th CCHA)
LSSU Power Play: 20.1 % (27 for 134, 1st CCHA)
Alaska Power Play: 16.0 % (25 for 156, 9th CCHA)
LSSU Penalty Kill: 83.8 % (109 for 130, 7th CCHA)
Alaska Penalty Kill: 81.0 % (119 for 147, 11th CCHA)
Thoughts: On paper, this is probably the most even first round series. This series is very important for LSSU as they sit in 20th in the Pairwise (which means the Lakers will need a long CCHA tournament run to get them into the NCAA tournament). The numbers are fairly even until we start to talk about special teams. Obviously matching up the worst PK with the best power play will figure to favor the Lakers. With the lower scoring offenses this figures to be first to two wins (either that or one game will probably be 9-8).
My Pick: LSSU in Three
#9 Ohio State (15-13-5) at #8 Notre Dame (17-16-3)
To be honest, I didn't think this would be a first round series for a couple of reasons. Notre Dame came in with very high expectations, but they struggled to find consistency. With that said, the Irish have beaten just about everyone they faced which simply led to a lot of splits. On the flip side, Ohio State was in first place in the CCHA when 2012 started. But they finished 1-9-4 in their last 14 games after that impressive 14-4-1 start. That lone win though was at Western Michigan. Ohio State and Notre Dame split this season in South Bend. That series occured all the way back in October with Notre Dame winning the opening game 5-2 and dropping the second one 4-3.
Notre Dame Offense: 2.64 Goals/Game (8th CCHA)
Ohio State Offense: 2.70 Goals/Game (6th CCHA)
Notre Dame Defense: 2.78 Goals/Game (10th CCHA)
Ohio State Defense: 2.61 Goals/Game (7th CCHA)
Notre Dame Power Play: 19.0% (33 for 174, 4th CCHA)
Ohio State Power Play: 18.1% (30 for 166, 6th CCHA)
Notre Dame Penalty Kill: 81.5% (110 for 135, 10th CCHA)
Ohio State Penalty Kill: 83.4 % (126 for 151, 8th CCHA)
Thoughts: With the tail spin that the Buckeyes have been in, you can pretty much count on everyone picking Notre Dame in this series. Despite that 1-9-4 streak, Ohio State still finds themselves in the NCAA picture coming in 18th (tied) in the current Pairwise rankings. Notre Dame is the team that they are tied with, so the winner of this series could find themselves back in the hunt for a NCAA at-large bid (though the winner of this series probably will need to win next week as well). Everyone is waiting for Notre Dame to turn the light switch on with the amount of talent they have on their roster, and a short series could be the jump start they need. This time I'm going to agree with the majority, but I think Ohio State will make the Irish work for it....
My Pick: Notre Dame in Three.
This figures to be a great CCHA playoff season as the conference was tight from start to finish. So it wouldn't be too shocking to see a few series this weekend and next go the distance. Though, now that I've said that, here come the sweeps......
Krug Honored Yet Again
Torey Krug was named the RBC Financial Group CCHA Player of the Month for February. A nice feather in his cap, as he makes his claim for the CCHA player of the year.
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.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Weekend Preview: Luck of The Irish
How does that saying go - If it wasn't for bad luck, we'd have no luck at all.
The 2011 - 2012 season hasn't exactly played out like the Irish expected. They came into the season ranked #1 in the polls, but it took all of one game to lose that ranking when they lost to defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth in their opening game. Like any good team though, they rebounded the next night and proceeded to jump out to a nice 10-2-3 start in their first 15 games.
That's when things started to turn the other direction as Notre Dame is only 6-13-0 since that point. Coming into this weekend, Notre Dame is riding a five game losing streak, and you can point directly to their offensive production. The Irish have only scored four goals in their last five games. They've been shutout twice. Their last win was a 2-1 squeaker over last place Bowling Green.
Coach Jackson hasn't had a lot to smile about lately - all he needs is a little puck luck.
The 2011 - 2012 season hasn't exactly played out like the Irish expected. They came into the season ranked #1 in the polls, but it took all of one game to lose that ranking when they lost to defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth in their opening game. Like any good team though, they rebounded the next night and proceeded to jump out to a nice 10-2-3 start in their first 15 games.
I googled "Brian Kelly Smiles" - and this was about the best photo that came up
That's when things started to turn the other direction as Notre Dame is only 6-13-0 since that point. Coming into this weekend, Notre Dame is riding a five game losing streak, and you can point directly to their offensive production. The Irish have only scored four goals in their last five games. They've been shutout twice. Their last win was a 2-1 squeaker over last place Bowling Green.
Now all of a sudden things aren't as rosy for the Irish Hockey Team
This weekend is huge though for both teams. Notre Dame cannot actually catch Michigan State, but they certainly could knock the Spartans down a few spots. Both teams are fighting for home ice. Notre Dame currently sits in a tie for eighth place (11-12-3 CCHA, 16-15-3 overall) with Northern (Notre Dame has the tiebreaker). That is important since it is the last home ice spot in the first round. Michigan State holds the all-important fourth and final home ice spot for the CCHA quarterfinals coming into this weekend posting wins in five of their last six games (13-10-3-2 CCHA, 18-12-4 overall). All that stands between home ice and these two teams is each other. Win - and they are playing at home. Lose - and they'll need help (though MSU could still play at home - just in the first round).
It should be noted that MSU is guaranteed a home ice series in the first round, should they fall into sixth place. MSU cannot fall further than sixth based on who plays this weekend. Notre Dame, Northern Michigan, Alaska, and Bowling Green are guaranteed to finish behind MSU. Miami or Ohio State is also guaranteed to finish behind MSU, because they play each other and both teams cannot earn enough points this weekend to pass MSU (though - each team has a chance to pass MSU, just both won't be able to). This means five teams (11th, 10th, 9th, 8th, and 7th) will finish behind MSU. This means MSU cannot finish lower than sixth. The issue will be finishing in fifth place - that will be good enough for a bye, but they'll be on the road. MSU could finish in second with a lot of help - but don't expect it. Michigan travels to last place Bowling Green. MSU would have to earn one more point than Western, four more than Michigan, and no fewer than one less point than what Miami earns to get second place. Got it?
Oh man, I think my head hurts - why can't ND be independent in hockey too?
Did you catch all that coach?
What makes this even better, is Notre Dame could finish as high as a tie for fifth or as bad as ninth. It gets even better when you throw the NCAA picture into this mess. Michigan State sits in 10th place in the PairWise and Notre Dame has fallen all the way to 22nd. Basically, both teams really need to win this weekend. The Irish need to win it to avoid us calling a code blue on the Irish NCAA at-large hopes, and Michigan State needs to avoid a bad weekend to fall back on the bubble - or worse - right past the bubble.
Behind Enemy Lines:
Top Scorers:
T.J. Tynan 12 goals, 27 points (tied w/ Krug for the lead in conference points)
Andres Lee 14 goals, 30 points
Riley Sheahan 9 goals, 24 points (Red Wings draft pick)
Billy Maday 9 goals, 21 points
Austin Wuthrich 7 goals, 16 points
I should point out that four of these guys are not seniors. Tynan and Lee are sophomores, Wuthrich is just a freshman, and Sheahan is a junior. That makes for a bright future for the Irish, if they all come back. It'll be interesting to see who comes out on top after the weekend in conference scoring. Torey Krug has a chance, and for MSU to be successful this weekend, it'll help to see a lot of this:
All-American Candidate Torey Krug needs to show the Irish what Touchdown Jesus is really doing
In goal:
Mike Johnson 9-9-3, 2.63 GAA, .886 save %
Steven Summerhays 7-6-0, 2.93 GAA, .887 save %
Not exactly gaudy goaltender numbers there considering ND and Jeff Jackson usually pride themselves on defense, defense, defense.
The Team Comparison:
Offense:
Michigan State 3.09 Goals/Game (2nd CCHA)
Notre Dame 2.62 Goals/Game (8th CCHA)
Defense:
Michigan State 2.53 Goals/Game (7th CCHA)
Notre Dame 2.82 Goals/Game (T-10th CCHA)
Power Play:
Michigan State 17.7% (23 for 130, 7th CCHA)
Notre Dame 18.8 % (31 for 165, 3rd CCHA)
Penalty Kill:
Michigan State 89.2 % (116 for 130, 1st CCHA - and it's not even close)
Notre Dame 80.6% (104 for 129, T-10th CCHA)
The second best PK in the CCHA has only killed off 85.3% of the power plays they've faced. That's a pretty large gap between first and second.
Notre Dame appears to give off to slow starts, as they have been outscored 37-22 in opening periods. They do comeback strong though holding a 36-29 edge in the second stanza. The third period is close as ND has been outscored by a 30-29 margin. Michigan State generally gets off to decent starts outscoring teams 35-29 in the opening frame, 34-26 in the middle frame, and 34-28 in the final period.
Michigan State holds a 59-38-4 all-time edge in this series, but Notre Dame holds a 24-21-7 edge in South Bend. What might be scary for MSU fans is MSU is on a 10 game winless streak against Notre Dame (0-7-3). Michigan State hasn't won in South Bend since 2006.
Which I guess that means Michigan State is due to win in South Bend.
Both games are on TV (yay!). 8:35 pm face-off time on Friday (CBSCS) and Comcast has the 7:35 pm tilt on Saturday. 1240 AM on your radio dial Friday, 730 AM on Saturday due to the basketball game
Both games are on TV (yay!). 8:35 pm face-off time on Friday (CBSCS) and Comcast has the 7:35 pm tilt on Saturday. 1240 AM on your radio dial Friday, 730 AM on Saturday due to the basketball game
Coach Jackson hasn't had a lot to smile about lately - all he needs is a little puck luck.
Final Thoughts:
This series is an absolute must have for both teams. That means we will probably see some great hockey this weekend. Michigan State is riding a nice little winning wave, and Notre Dame isn't. However, don't expect the Irish to simply roll over. The Irish will have the size advantage (no surprise there), and they haven't been a good match-up for Michigan State lately (thus the winless streak), but this year's Michigan State team has been a little different. Anything less than an all out effort this weekend will probably result in needing help to finish in the top four. The hockey team needs to take a page out of the basketball team's book - go into a tough environment - and pull out a pair of good wins. MSU leads Miami by two points, so State needs five to guarantee home ice (Miami would hold the head to head tiebreaker). That's a win and a shoot-out win. The only thing they can control is what they do, so there is no sense in looking up at the scoreboard.
Win, and then you won't need to worry about having any luck at all.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
A Look At The Weekend Ahead - The Fighting Polar Bears
The Alaska Nanooks come into town looking to finish their CCHA schedule strong. For the fighting polar bear reference, feel free to scan down to Monday's post. They come into the weekend in 10th place in the CCHA with a 8-14-4-2 conference mark (11-15-4 overall). Based on CCHA tiebreakers, Alaska cannot finish higher than 9th place in the CCHA, so they will be starting on the road in the first round of the playoffs. That means this weekend will be important to build some confidence to end the year (they play Alaska-Anchorage next week).
Leading Scorers:
Cody Kunyk (So.) 13 goals, 28 points
Colton Beck (So.) 12 goals, 23 points
Andy Taranto (Jr.) 9 goals, 20 points
Carlo Finucci (Sr.) 4 goals, 18 points
Aaron Gens (Sr.) 2 goals, 18 points
A couple other guys to look out for are juniors Nik Yaremchuk (9 goals) and Jarret Granberg (10 goals).
Goaltending:
Scott Greenham 10-13-4, 2.47 GAA, .905 save %
Scott's conference numbers are very similar to his overall stats. His conference GAA is 2.57, and his save percentage is .903.
Team Comparison:
Offense:
Alaska 2.47 goals/game (10th CCHA)
State 3.09 goals/game (2nd CCHA)
Defense:
Alaska 2.60 goals/game (7th CCHA)
State 2.62 goals/game (8th CCHA)
Power Play:
Alaska 16.5% (8th CCHA, 23 for 139)
State 17.4% (7th CCHA, 21 for 121)
Penalty Kill:
Alaska 80.7% (11th CCHA, 109 for 135)
State 89.4% (1st CCHA, 110 for 123)
Looking at the PK numbers, with how Michigan State's power play seems to be on a roll of late, it looks like MSU should have a big advantage. It'll be interesting to watch how Alaska adjusts to the small ice surface (The Nanooks play on an olympic sized rink). Most people think it's tougher to go from a large ice sheet to a smaller one, but one would think on defense, it would help the Nanooks out a little bit - especially on the PK.
Alaska's scoring (25-22-27) is fairly balanced between each period, but it looks like the second period has caused some problems on defense (23-30-23), as they have been outscored that period 30-22.
Size will be in the Nanooks' corner this weekend. Alaska has split their last four series (BGSU, ND, @ WMU, LSSU).
Michigan State leads the all-time series 39-15-3.
MSU has scored 99 goals so far this season. It's time to play - guess who will score #100 on the season (feel free to share your guess in the comments below - Krug could be an obvious choice, but I'll go with Perlini).
Honoring The Seniors
Saturday will mark the final regular season game for nine MSU seniors. The game isn't scheduled to start until 8:05 pm, but the senior night activities will take place at 7:30 pm.
Here is a nice write up by Neil Koepke
This class certainly has gone through a lot, including a coaching change. They were brought on campus after a national title. They've had their share of ups and downs, but the one thing that no one can take away from them is their hard work, and ability to represent the university extremely well during their careers. They are Spartans, and they have brought the program back this season, given it an identity, and lead the program with honor.
And with still a lot of time left in the season, a top four spot in the CCHA on the line, a NCAA tournament bid on the line, you know they'll leave it all out on the ice.
Final Thoughts
This should be the type of series that the team that works the hardest will be in position to win. The numbers might favor MSU, but they'll need to come play for 120 minutes. The obvious point to make is they'll need to avoid the letdown after an emotional, hard-fought series last weekend. This is where the crowd could become a major factor. Expect a couple of close battles. Share your thoughts on the poll on the right - how do you think they'll do this weekend?
TV & Radio Coverage:
Both games are on 1240 AM & The Spartan Sports Network. Saturday's game is on FS Detroit as part of their hockey day in Michigan coverage. Ben Holden & Darren Elliot will do the play by play.
Leading Scorers:
Cody Kunyk (So.) 13 goals, 28 points
Colton Beck (So.) 12 goals, 23 points
Andy Taranto (Jr.) 9 goals, 20 points
Carlo Finucci (Sr.) 4 goals, 18 points
Aaron Gens (Sr.) 2 goals, 18 points
A couple other guys to look out for are juniors Nik Yaremchuk (9 goals) and Jarret Granberg (10 goals).
Goaltending:
Scott Greenham 10-13-4, 2.47 GAA, .905 save %
Scott's conference numbers are very similar to his overall stats. His conference GAA is 2.57, and his save percentage is .903.
Team Comparison:
Offense:
Alaska 2.47 goals/game (10th CCHA)
State 3.09 goals/game (2nd CCHA)
Defense:
Alaska 2.60 goals/game (7th CCHA)
State 2.62 goals/game (8th CCHA)
Power Play:
Alaska 16.5% (8th CCHA, 23 for 139)
State 17.4% (7th CCHA, 21 for 121)
Penalty Kill:
Alaska 80.7% (11th CCHA, 109 for 135)
State 89.4% (1st CCHA, 110 for 123)
Looking at the PK numbers, with how Michigan State's power play seems to be on a roll of late, it looks like MSU should have a big advantage. It'll be interesting to watch how Alaska adjusts to the small ice surface (The Nanooks play on an olympic sized rink). Most people think it's tougher to go from a large ice sheet to a smaller one, but one would think on defense, it would help the Nanooks out a little bit - especially on the PK.
Alaska's scoring (25-22-27) is fairly balanced between each period, but it looks like the second period has caused some problems on defense (23-30-23), as they have been outscored that period 30-22.
Size will be in the Nanooks' corner this weekend. Alaska has split their last four series (BGSU, ND, @ WMU, LSSU).
Michigan State leads the all-time series 39-15-3.
MSU has scored 99 goals so far this season. It's time to play - guess who will score #100 on the season (feel free to share your guess in the comments below - Krug could be an obvious choice, but I'll go with Perlini).
Honoring The Seniors
Saturday will mark the final regular season game for nine MSU seniors. The game isn't scheduled to start until 8:05 pm, but the senior night activities will take place at 7:30 pm.
Here is a nice write up by Neil Koepke
This class certainly has gone through a lot, including a coaching change. They were brought on campus after a national title. They've had their share of ups and downs, but the one thing that no one can take away from them is their hard work, and ability to represent the university extremely well during their careers. They are Spartans, and they have brought the program back this season, given it an identity, and lead the program with honor.
And with still a lot of time left in the season, a top four spot in the CCHA on the line, a NCAA tournament bid on the line, you know they'll leave it all out on the ice.
Final Thoughts
This should be the type of series that the team that works the hardest will be in position to win. The numbers might favor MSU, but they'll need to come play for 120 minutes. The obvious point to make is they'll need to avoid the letdown after an emotional, hard-fought series last weekend. This is where the crowd could become a major factor. Expect a couple of close battles. Share your thoughts on the poll on the right - how do you think they'll do this weekend?
TV & Radio Coverage:
Both games are on 1240 AM & The Spartan Sports Network. Saturday's game is on FS Detroit as part of their hockey day in Michigan coverage. Ben Holden & Darren Elliot will do the play by play.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Inside The Rankings, Krug Honored, and Nanooks Attack
Michigan State moved up one spot in the USCHO.com poll to #16. The Spartans finally passed Ohio State in the poll. I guess sweeping them two weeks ago wasn't enough. The CCHA is well represented in this poll. Ferris State earned the #1 ranking, up from #6, after crushing Notre Dame this weekend. Michigan stayed in the top 5, though they dropped a spot to #5. Outside of that Notre Dame fell to #13, Ohio State is #17, Western Michigan is #18 (ignore the fact the Broncos are in second place in the CCHA), Miami is #19, and Northern Michigan rounds out the top 20. LSSU is just on the outside in the other votes category (#22).
The USA Today Poll wasn't quite as kind putting MSU just on the outside at #16 (first in the other votes category). Ferris State was voted #1 in this poll as well. Michigan came in 5th, and Notre Dame came in 13th. Ohio State, Miami, Northern Michigan, and Western Michigan all received votes.
MSU moved up to 18th in the INCH.com power rankings. INCH.com has a vote in the USA Today Poll, though only the top 15 make that poll.
Throw some goalie pads on Krug - he probably can do that too....
Torey Krug was named the CCHA Defensemen of the week last week. This is one week after he earned the offensive player of the week. I say we give Palmisano & Yanakeff the weekend off, let Krug throw the goalie pads on and go for the February hat trick. Who is with me?!!
Look out for the Nanooks
And that we bring our attention to the Nanooks. Alaska comes into the weekend in 10th place in the CCHA. Alaska has already been eliminated from home ice. With two games remaining, the Nanooks sit six points behind Miami, Northern, and Notre Dame. Even if Alaska sweeps Michigan State, and Miami, Notre Dame, and Northern Michigan all get swept in their two series, the Nanooks can't finish higher than 9th.
In that situation, they would all be tied for 7th place. Miami and Notre Dame would have 11 conference wins, Northern would have 9, and Alaska would have 10. As a result, Alaska would finish ahead of only Bowling Green and Northern. Shoot-out wins don't factor into the tiebreaker, just regulation & OT wins. So basically, Alaska really isn't playing for anything this weekend.
If Alaska was swept this weekend, and Bowling Green won out, the Nanooks would finish in last place. However, Bowling Green is playing at #1 Ferris State this weekend and hosts #5 Michigan next weekend, so let's assume that Ferris or Michigan will earn at least one point in one of those four games.
However, the Nanooks shouldn't be overlooked. Although they are just 11-15-4 overall, they have beaten Western Michigan (in K-Zoo), LSSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Ferris State this season. Though only one of those were on the road. Alaska is 3-6-3 on the road this year (Western, BGSU - 2 times are the wins)
Though it's tough to dislike a team that is capable of producing hilarious and epic videos such as these (ignoring the attack on Spartan Stadium)
The USA Today Poll wasn't quite as kind putting MSU just on the outside at #16 (first in the other votes category). Ferris State was voted #1 in this poll as well. Michigan came in 5th, and Notre Dame came in 13th. Ohio State, Miami, Northern Michigan, and Western Michigan all received votes.
MSU moved up to 18th in the INCH.com power rankings. INCH.com has a vote in the USA Today Poll, though only the top 15 make that poll.
Throw some goalie pads on Krug - he probably can do that too....
Torey Krug was named the CCHA Defensemen of the week last week. This is one week after he earned the offensive player of the week. I say we give Palmisano & Yanakeff the weekend off, let Krug throw the goalie pads on and go for the February hat trick. Who is with me?!!
Look out for the Nanooks
And that we bring our attention to the Nanooks. Alaska comes into the weekend in 10th place in the CCHA. Alaska has already been eliminated from home ice. With two games remaining, the Nanooks sit six points behind Miami, Northern, and Notre Dame. Even if Alaska sweeps Michigan State, and Miami, Notre Dame, and Northern Michigan all get swept in their two series, the Nanooks can't finish higher than 9th.
In that situation, they would all be tied for 7th place. Miami and Notre Dame would have 11 conference wins, Northern would have 9, and Alaska would have 10. As a result, Alaska would finish ahead of only Bowling Green and Northern. Shoot-out wins don't factor into the tiebreaker, just regulation & OT wins. So basically, Alaska really isn't playing for anything this weekend.
If Alaska was swept this weekend, and Bowling Green won out, the Nanooks would finish in last place. However, Bowling Green is playing at #1 Ferris State this weekend and hosts #5 Michigan next weekend, so let's assume that Ferris or Michigan will earn at least one point in one of those four games.
However, the Nanooks shouldn't be overlooked. Although they are just 11-15-4 overall, they have beaten Western Michigan (in K-Zoo), LSSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Ferris State this season. Though only one of those were on the road. Alaska is 3-6-3 on the road this year (Western, BGSU - 2 times are the wins)
Though it's tough to dislike a team that is capable of producing hilarious and epic videos such as these (ignoring the attack on Spartan Stadium)
I'm not sure what is accomplished by blowing up the planet Earth - it would mean less hockey afterall...... We all can't afford to fly to Pluto.
From North Carolina, #23 ..... Michael Jordan!!!! Oh sorry, the music had me going. This of course is the original- You have to love how the relative size of the bear changes quite frequently. One minute it's the size of Jupiter, the next it's the size of Anchorage. Even though I've never been, I'm guessing it's not the size of Jupiter. Then again, I suppose if I had a giant blue flame shooting out of my ...... well... I'd be upset too.
Now this one isn't MSU related - it's Miami(NTM) (that stands for Miami, Not That Miami) related. I think Alaska would be in favor of more road games if this bear keeps destroying the stadium roof like this every week.
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