Senior forward Kevin Walrod tries to retrieve the puck before Miami (Ohio) defenseman Taylor Richart during the game Friday, March 15, 2013, at Cady Arena of the Goggin Ice Center in Oxford, Ohio. MSU beat Miami (Ohio) 3-0 in the first game of the second round of the CCHA playoffs. Danyelle Morrow/The State News
—Oxford, Ohio — The MSU hockey team will take the ice Saturday against Miami (Ohio) for the second consecutive night with hopes of a trip to Joe Louis Arena hanging in sight.
MSU defeated the RedHawks, 3-0, last night in a best-of-three series. The Spartans came to Oxford in the underdog position — finishing last in the CCHA and playing the regular season champions — but are now in the favored position heading into game two.
“I really liked our compete level,” head coach Tom Anastos said. “I’ve been using the word ‘gutty.’ I think we’ve been real gutty the last few weeks; we’re really playing hard.”
The puck will drop at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday at Steve Cady Arena in Goggin Ice Center. If the Spartans win, they will advance to the semifinal round of the CCHA playoffs, to be played Saturday, March 23. The winners of the semifinal rounds will advance to the CCHA championship game at 2:05 p.m. Sunday, March 24.
If Miami (Ohio) wins Saturday, a game three will be needed. If necessary, the puck will drop on that game at 7:05 p.m. Sunday.
“We’re trying to find our identity, and I think our identity is just hard work and defensive hockey,” freshman defenseman John Draeger said. “Defense first, and the offense will come, and I think right now, we’re playing really well defensively.”
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