Know Thy Enemy: Fear the Bear

Michigan State heads off to Alaska to take on the Nanooks for a pair of games. This could be the final time Michigan State ends up going to Alaska, since the Spartans are leaving the CCHA for the Big Ten next season. The Nanooks will join their in-state rival Alaska-Anchorage in the WCHA next season.

The Nanooks come into this series with a 11-12-3-1 CCHA record good enough for 6th place (37 points).  Alaska is going to have to sweep MSU and hope Ferris State AND Ohio State lose out if they want to assure themselves a potential home ice spot and first round bye. They will need other help on top of that, so I suppose at this point Alaska is going to be concerned about playing good hockey. The Nanooks are basically guaranteed a first round home series unless a lot of crazy things happen the last two weekends, and if Michigan State does something they haven't done yet this year (sweep a weekend series - no time like the present!). Alaska is 13-13-4 overall this year and 7-6-1 at home.

2013 started off with a bang for Alaska winning six straight games to start the calendar year. This included back to back road sweeps at Michigan and Notre Dame. However, the Nanooks have hit hard times lately dropping five of their last six games, and they are coming off back to back losses to LSSU.

The Spartans enter the weekend still in last place, but they are playing better hockey of late with back to back splits. Michigan State is a long shot at this point to get home ice for the first round of the CCHA playoffs, so this weekend could be as much about trying to avoid Alaska in the first round and avoid making two trips out west in three weeks.


While I won't miss the 11pm game times, I know I will miss one thing when it comes to Alaska: the videos:

It would be wise to avoid angering the bear

Fear the Bear.

Ah. Good Stuff.

The last time these two teams met, Michigan State swept Alaska in East Lansing on February 17th and 18th (2012). MSU won the first night 3-2 in OT and posted a 3-0 victory on the second night. The last time the two teams played in Alaska for a regular season series was the 2010 - 2011 season when the teams split the series. They met two weeks later in the CCHA tournament (also in Alaska), and the Nanooks won back to back overtime games to sweep MSU out of the CCHA playoffs, and end the Rick Comley era. 

Michigan State leads the all-time series 41-15-3. This includes a 15-9-2 mark in Fairbanks.  Alaska has dominated the series of late holding a 4-1-1 edge in the last three series in Alaska.

Fast forward to this year, the Nanooks look stronger, even on their recent slide, they are going to be a team to pay attention to in the playoffs.

Leading Scorers

Andy Taranto   10 goals, 22 points

Cody Kunyk    8 goals, 21 points

Tyler Morley   10 goals, 18 points

Jarret Granberg 5 goals, 17 points

Colton Beck     10 goals, 16 points

Trevor Campbell  2 goals, 16 points

Goaltenders

John Keeney    9-8-3   2.55 GAA, .905 save %

Steve Thompson   2-3-0, 3.30 GAA, .876 save %

Sean Cahill    2-2-1,  2.37 GAA,  .882 save %

Series Thoughts

The Nanooks have blistered opposing goaltenders getting on average 34 shots on goal a game. On the flip side, they are only allowing 26 per a game. Despite that, they have been outscored 85-78 this season - though the widest margin by period is a 29-24 deficit in the 3rd period. Alaska's penalty kill is very strong at 89.2%, and they are one of the least penalized teams at just over 13 minutes per a game. 

The biggest thing for the Spartans will be to adjust to the larger ice sheet. This will make turnovers even more critical. The Spartans need to be able to protect the puck coming out of the defensive zone and into the offensive zone. If they have a lot of turnovers, Alaska is going to be able to turn that right back on the Spartan goal. 

On the flip side, Hildebrand & Yanakeff will need to be sharp. 

At this point, the Spartans just need to look to build back to back games - and continue to build to the post season. They need to take care of business first before really worrying about anything else. Take it one period at a time, and they need to come ready to go right away. Friday night was a little disappointing to see, but the Spartans played one of their better games of the season the very next night. Now let's see if they can building that into something this weekend. Then, if the two teams happen to face each other again, it may give the Spartans the confidence they need to put it together for a playoff series out there.

Both games are scheduled for 11:05 pm eastern and can be heard on 1240 am or the spartan sports network.

Go Green!

A look at the 2012 - 2013 Schedule

Ah long summers.

After a week of temperatures near 100 degrees and a weekend ahead that will see highs back in the 90s, it's the perfect time to cool off with a little puck talk.

Michigan State's 2012 - 2013 Schedule

Looking ahead to the 2012-13 campaign, the Spartan Icers are looking to build on momentum from last season's NCAA appearance and top 5 CCHA finish. While the year didn't end on the high note that everyone was hoping for, the team clearly made strides in Coach Anastos' initial season at the helm. The Spartans recruiting has picked up as more Spartans were picked in the NHL draft this year than has been in the last few years.

Things are looking up.

So now, let's take a look at the 2012 - 2013 schedule to see which games/series really peak our interest. Here's a look at my top 10:

#10 Alaska Series: February 22-23, 2013

This is the last CCHA road series in Michigan State history. It might also mark the last time MSU goes out to Alaska for a regular season game, since the Nanooks will be joining the WCHA. Will this be good-bye to flying polar bears forever?

Is this the last we'll see of these intros?

#9 at Michigan: November 9, 2012

This game marks the start of a very difficult stretch (Michigan, Miami, OSU, Notre Dame, Ferris State) to close out the 2012 CCHA schedule. It's the first trip to Yost of the season, and of course it's simply Michigan.

#8 Miami Series:  November 16-17, 2012

The Spartans travel to Oxford once again this year. Miami knocked Michigan State out of the CCHA playoffs last year, and this is always a good test to see where you stand in the CCHA. Even though MSU opens the CCHA schedule on the road at LSSU, this series figures to be a little tougher.

#7 CCHA Quarterfinal Series:  March 15-17, 2013

Granted, MSU needs to get here first, but if they do, this could be the biggest series in Anastos' young tenure here in East Lansing. The Spartans have not made it to Joe Louis Arena for the CCHA playoffs since 2007. Home ice would be key to help break that streak, but it'll be a tall task for a team that is looking to replace quite a bit on the blue line. This would require a top four finish in the CCHA standings, it's certainly doable given the work ethic and young talent that this squad has. A trip to the Joe would potentially assure MSU of a second straight NCAA bid (assuming they finish top four in the CCHA).


#6 Notre Dame Home Series: January 11-12, 2013

Notre Dame comes to East Lansing for the first time since January 16, 2010. The Irish figure to have a strong team this year, and this marks the start of a very key stretch of games in which MSU plays five of six at home (ending with the Penn State series). the two teams split the season finale series last year. That split sent MSU on the road to Oxford for the playoffs in the CCHA Quarterfinals.


#5 Season Opener at Minnesota:  October 12-13, 2012

The 2012 - 2013 Spartans will be thrown into the fire right out of the gate as they travel to Minneapolis for a pair against Big 10 rival Minnesota. The Spartans stunned #3 Minnesota last year with a 4-3 victory and 4-4 tie at Munn Ice Arena to win the Bessone-Mariucci trophy. This series really sent a message to the rest of college hockey that maybe the Spartans were for real. The 2011-12 season ended in the program's first NCAA bid since 2008. Another strong showing this weekend could signal another strong year ahead for Michigan State hockey. This series will be big as well for the PairWise rankings, as Minnesota figures to be the best quality non-conference opponent the Spartans see all year.



#4 Western Michigan Series: March 1-2, 2013

A bittersweet day in the history of Michigan State Ice Hockey. It's the final CCHA series in Spartan history. The Spartans have been part of the CCHA since the 1981-1982 season , they've won 7 CCHA regular season titles (2nd most) and 11 tournament titles (most in the league). Despite the history, MSU hasn't won a CCHA regular season title since 2001 or a tournament title since 2006, so here's hoping this series there is some celebrating going on, and it leads into a great March.

#3  Penn State Series:  January 25-26, 2013

The Land Grant Trophy will be on the line in January as Penn State and Michigan State will face-off for the first time ever in a division 1 hockey game. Hey, the football teams aren't scheduled to face each other, so why not put the trophy on the ice (and have someone take a slapshot to it). In all seriousness, it will be great to see the sixth Big 10 school at Munn Icea Arena as we move towards the hockey conference for the 2013-2014 season.


#2  vs. Michigan: November 10, 2012

It goes without saying that the MSU-UM hockey rivalry is one of the best in the country. Michigan makes their only trip up to Munn Ice Arena on November 10th on a back end of a home and home series with Michigan. The two teams meet up again in early February for the Yost/JLA portion of the series.

#1  2012 Great Lakes Invitational @ Comerica Park (vs. WMU, UM/Tech): December 28-29, 2012

The 2012 hockey calendar comes to a close (assuming the Mayans are incorrect) with a return to hockey roots - outdoor hockey at Comerica Park. Yes, the outdoor thing has been done before, but it never ceases to amaze people as it continues to be a big draw. While this might be the undercard of the week (with Toronto at Detroit in Ann Arbor being the main event on New  Year's Day), the 2012 GLI looks to be a good one as it features four Michigan schools for the first time since 1999 (MSU, UM, LSSU, Tech). Western Michigan and Michigan State will face-off in the first semi-final, with Michigan and Michigan Tech being the other.



Palmisano, Spartans Shut Down Nanooks

I'm not sure Drew Palmisano could have scripted a better senior night.

In front of over 6,900 Spartan fans, the senior goalie stopped all 27 shots he faced for his sixth career shutout leading Michigan State to a 3-0 victory and weekend sweep over the Nanooks.

Alaska started up with a lot of jump early on carrying the play over the first ten minutes of the game. MSU finally got some pressure in front of the net, and Dean Chelios buried a loose puck in front of the Nanooks goal in a gritty effort. Alaska out-shot State 10-9 in the opening period.

The second period saw the Nanooks carry the play early on, but Palmisano shut the door. Failing to get much offense going, MSU slowly started to get more pressure as the period progressed. It wasn't until Torey Krug though ripped a shot on goal - that was deflected by Tanner Sorenson with just over four minutes to play in the period that gave MSU a 2-0 lead. The goal was reviewed briefly, but it stood. Then just over two minutes later, Lee Reimer scored a power play goal to really put the game out of reach. MSU ended up out-shooting the Nanooks 12-10 in the middle frame.

In the final period, MSU out-shot Alaska 12-7, but neither team could get the puck behind either goaltender. Much like Friday night, State carried the play in the final period, getting a couple close chances - including a 5 on 3 power play, but Greenham kept the game from really getting out of hand. Drew Palmisano did the same earning the first start of the night.

Hopefully we'll be able to get some videos up of some of the action, pre-game, and post-game.

You got called for what?

On a lighter note, it was an unusual penalty call night for the officials.

Nolan Youngmun might have gotten the penalty of the year called on him last night. After taking a shot on goal, he crashed the net - like any good hockey player is taught to do. The problem was Palmisano had it covered and the whistle had long since went. Youngmun, stopped short giving Palmisano a nice little snow bath - again just like any hockey player you've seen do.

Official Rodney Tocco thought his actions went above and beyond a normal hockey play, and tagged Youngmun with a 2-minute minor. The penalty was announced as 2 minutes for "spraying the goalie - unsportsmanlike conduct".

I feel dirty now.

It was followed up by perhaps on honorable mention penalty call on Alaska's Chad Gehon. Gehon got called for clipping (similar to the football move - typically called when a player trys to hip check and gets too low - close to the knees). Michigan State took the 15 yards and an automatic first down.

The clipping hit in hockey is actually a very dangerous hit, one that at the professional level can be reviewed for further punishment. A good example of it is below:

 Around The CCHA


Ferris State beat Bowling Green to clinch a share of the CCHA title. They will just need to earn one point next weekend against Western (or have Michigan drop just 1 point against Bowling Green) to earn the outright title and number one seed in the CCHA tournament. Michigan beat Northern to pass Western for second place in the conference. LSSU beat Western, and Miami sent Notre Dame packing with their fifth straight defeat. 

So, with one weekend to go the CCHA standings look like this:

1. Ferris State  53 pts  
2. Michigan     47 pts
3. Western        45 pts
4. Mich. St.      44 pts
5. Miami          42 pts
6. LSSU           41 pts
7. OSU             39 pts
8. N.D.             36 pts
9. Northern      36 pts
10. Alaska       30 pts
11. BGSU        19 pts

What we do know - Alaska will finish in 10th place, and Bowling Green will finish in 11th place. We also know that Miami AND Ohio State cannot both finish ahead of MSU - one could, but not both (they play each other). Notre Dame, Northern, Alaska, and Bowling Green cannot finish higher than MSU either. This means Michigan State cannot finish worse than sixth place.

That does NOT mean MSU is guaranteed a home series though. If Michigan State finishes in 5th place, they will get a first round bye, but they will play at the 4th place team.  

MSU moved up to 10th in the Pairwise rankings. The NCAA projection will come tomorrow - along with hopefully some videos. 

Game Day Part II

Michigan State is now tied for 11th in the PairWise (with Miami) after all the games last night were completed. Since Alaska is not a TUC, a loss would really damage the RPI, so tonight's game is big for MSU's NCAA hopes.

MSU right now would be matched up with Miami in the  CCHA Quarterfinals. Miami swept Michigan State in East Lansing the first weekend in January. It's tough to say who to root for tonight. If LSSU beats Western, Northern beats Michigan, and Notre Dame beats Miami (along with a MSU win), then MSU would be tied for 3rd, just 1 point behind Western for second place. MSU would still only be 3 points ahead of 5th place though. No matter what, MSU will be playing meaningful games next weekend in South Bend.

Around the media this morning....

LSJ.com: Perlini's OT goal lifts Spartans

USCHO.com Recap

Daily News Miner: Nanooks fall in OT

MSUSpartans.com recap

Spartans 3 Nanooks 2 (OT)

Better late than never. These Spartans are starting to have a flair for the dramatic.

Trailing 1-0 in the first period, a waived off Nanooks goal in the first period seemed to spark the Spartans - just in time. Brent Darnell tallied a pair of first period goals to give Michigan State a 2-1 lead after 1. His first goal came on the power play off a Jake Chelios shot from the point - it rebounded on the back boards - Joe Louis Arena style, and he lifted a backhand into the open net. J. Chelios and Merrifield were given assists on the play.

It didn't take long for MSU to grab the lead either as Torey Krug found Darnell again in front of the net just 35 seconds later to give Michigan State the lead. The Spartans out-shot Alaska 6-5 in the opening period.

The Nanooks didn't give up though, they fought hard through a tough second period, and they managed to tally a power play goal of their own with just inside seven minute to go in the period to tie the game up. Michigan State had quite a few chances over the first half of the period, but they couldn't find the back of the net. Shots in the middle frame were 13-12 in favor of MSU.

The third period was clearly the best for Michigan State. They had numerous chances right in front of the goal, but failed to get the puck past Greenham who played very well over the course of the entire game. The third period saw Michigan State kill off a 5 on 3 and a penalty inside of 4 minutes to go in regulation to keep the game tied at two. Shots in the final period were even at 9.

In overtime, the Spartans dominated the play, and Brett Perlini stole an errant clearing attempt and buried it past a sprawling Greenham to give Michigan State a huge three points on the night. MSU out-shot Alaska 5-1 in the overtime period and 33-27 for the game.

Ferris State, Western Michigan, Miami, and Michigan all won tonight. So, Michigan State has passed Ohio State and broken the tie with LSSU (thanks to Western's win) to move into sole possession of 4th place. That's huge, since it's the final home ice advantage spot in the quarterfinal round.

So now the CCHA Standings look like this:

1. Ferris  50 pts  (3 games left)
2. Western  45 pts (3 games left)
3. Michigan 44 pts (3 games left)
4. Mich. St.  41 pts (3 games left)
5. Miami      39 pts (3 games left)
6. OSU        39 pts  (2 games left)
7.  LSSU     38 pts  (3 games left)
8.  UND      36 pts  (3 games left)
9.  NMU     36 pts  (3 games left)
10. Alaska   30 pts  (1 game left)
11. BGSU    19 pts  (3 games left)

We'll have to run through all the potential play-off scenarios tomorrow, but right now Michigan State controls their own destiny for home ice advantage and a first round bye. Win out - and we will be back in East Lansing on March 9th. Ferris State has clinched home ice advantage in the CCHA quarterfinals & a first round bye. Ferris can clinch the outright CCHA title tomorrow night with a three point victory, Michigan earning no more than two points against Northern tomorrow, and Western earning no more than one point tomorrow against LSSU. They can also clinch it out right if they earn a shoot-out win, Western loses in regulation or OT, and Michigan loses in any fashion tomorrow. Basically, it's Ferris State's to lose still.

With the victory, Michigan State currently sits in 10th place in the PairWise rankings. That will change tonight as some of the other games go final.

Tonight's game marked the third straight MSU-Alaska game that has gone into overtime. Alaska swept MSU in the CCHA Tournament opening round last March with a pair of overtime victories (the second one happening in double overtime).

Tomorrow night is senior night - with the senior night activities happening at 7:30 pm. Face-off is at 8:05 pm, and the game can be seen on FS Detroit as part of their hockey day in Michigan coverage.

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.

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)

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.