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.



Spartans CCHA Season Ends

The Spartans hung tough tonight, but once again the second period doomed Michigan State as Miami exploded for three more goals in the middle period to break open a 1-1 tie and earn the two game sweep over Michigan State. The defeat was Michigan State's 10th straight in the CCHA playoffs.

The loss also puts Michigan State's NCAA hopes on life support. Michigan State currently sits in a tie for 14th in the Pairwise with Western Michigan (who beat LSSU tonight to advance to Joe Louis Arena). The Spartans hold a slim .0011 edge in the RPI, and it's that edge that might help get MSU into the NCAA tournament.

Michigan State needs to remain no worse than 15th in the Pairwise to have a shot. Only the Atlantic Hockey Champion will be guaranteed to be outside the top 16 in the PWR, so that will eliminate the team that sits in 16th for an at-large bid (currently Northern Michigan). Should another upset happen, and someone outside the top 16 of the PWR win their conference tournament, that will move the elimination line up to 15th - which right now is Western Michigan. Western, with one win next week, probably will pass Michigan State. If Ferris State beats Bowling Green tomorrow, Western will face Michigan next Friday in the semi-final. If BGSU pulls off the upset, Western will face Miami.

Torey Krug ended the scoring drought tonight against Knapp with a power play goal in the first period. That stopped the streak at 175:28 which dated back to the first period of the first game between the two teams this season.

In the end, Miami was just too much for Michigan State. The RedHawks are very talented, well coached, and they are playing their best hockey of the season right now. This all means they will be a tough out next weekend at the Joe and in the NCAA tournament (they might be a #1 seed).

If Michigan State doesn't make the NCAA tournament, all eyes will turn to Krug to see if he will remain in East Lansing for another season. No one could blame him for testing the NHL waters right now, as his stock has grown quite a bit over the last two years. If he adds the POY award this week, then it might never be higher. While it would be great to see him back in East Lansing for his final season, it's tough to say 'no' to what could be coming his way.

In the end, I think most MSU fans will be satisfied with the positive step forward the program took this season. Most people thought MSU would be fighting to get home ice in the first round of the CCHA tournament, yet they managed to get a first round bye. With Coach Anastos, Miller, and Newton behind the bench, the program has regained focus, and things appear to be looking up here in East Lansing.

In the meantime, we'll be looking up at the scoreboards for the remainder of this weekend and next. We'll break down what needs to happen from here on out for MSU to potentially get one of the last at-largeg NCAA bids. And that would be a great reward for a team that has worked so hard to get things right this season.

Miami - A Dynasty In the Making?

First an update on rankings....

Michigan State did drop a couple spots in the USCHO.com poll this week. The Spartans enter the bye week ranked 15th in the country in this poll.

USA Today kept the Spartans right in the same spot at #14 in the country.

INCH.com saw it the same way putting MSU 15th in their latest power rankings.


Miami Ice Hockey - on the brink of dynasty:

At least that is what The Miami Student would want you to believe back in 2007.

That article was printed back at the start of the 2007 season (the season after Michigan State won a national title). For those keeping score, Miami had the following to brag about in its entire history...

CCHA Titles (2) -  1992-93, 2005-06
CCHA Tournament Titles - (0)
NCAA Appearances (5) - 1993, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2007
NCAA Frozen Fours (0)
NCAA Championships (0)

So you can imagine there was a bit of internet splash back when that article first made an appearance. None of those numbers hardly point to a dynasty. That's a word that is tossed around way too easily in the sports world, and the original article really doesn't help that matter. This led some people to refer to Miami as "The Dynasty" or some of my friends to refer to Miami(OH) as Miami(NTM) meaning 'Miami, not that Miami' because most college sports fans think of the 'U' when you think of Miami.

Basically what the article is trying to point out is Coach Enrico Blasi had the program on the verge of becoming an 'upper tier' program. A program that finally had a national face and would be a force on both the conference and national levels.

We said Enrico Blasi not Palazzo

That's better....



Since that point, Miami has made two frozen four appearances, including a national runner-up, won a CCHA tournament title, and a CCHA regular season title, along with making the NCAA tournament every year since (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011). Still not exactly dynasty worthy numbers. Oh, and they built a new arena.

So maybe the original intent of the article really wasn't that far off, though still missing the mark on the Dynasty. Miami did come into this season as the #2 ranked team in the country, but they struggled to a 2-5 start. Since that point though Miami has been back on track going 19-8-2 since that point including winning 12 of their final 16 games (a stretch that started with a two game sweep at Munn), and winning their last six games to secure the fourth and final home ice spot in next weekend's CCHA quarterfinals.

A Dynasty? No, but still a great program under Coach Blasi.

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.