Maybe it’s the hotel beds. It could be the different ice surface or locker room. Perhaps it’s the crowd. Regardless of the reason, anytime MSU hockey heads on the road, there is a similar result: losing.
With only eight games remaining in the regular season, MSU (8-13-6 overall, 2-5-5-3 Big Ten) is still winless in road games, with a disappointing 0-7-2 record. The lone win outside of Munn Ice Arena this season came at Comerica Park in a neutral location match-up against Michigan.
It’s unclear why MSU hockey has struggled on enemy ice, with head coach Tom Anastos unsure if there is any reasoning behind it. Anastos said he doesn’t believe the lack of wins away from East Lansing has anything to do with MSU’s approach, but more tough opponents.
“We’re obviously playing some real good teams and it’s not easy to win in any place or anybody’s building, so I don’t think it’s something in our head,” Anastos said. “… I don’t notice a difference in our team and how they respond.”
Anastos added he has seen improvement in its team’s most recent road games, including a solid series against then-No. 1 Minnesota a few weeks ago.
The road doesn’t get any easier for MSU, with the green and white set to play its next five games away, including trips to Penn State, No. 8 Wisconsin and No. 10 U-M.
Senior defenseman Jake Chelios is trying not to worry about the road blues, especially with a trip to a hostile environment this upcoming weekend against Penn State.
Despite roaming the basement of the Big ?Ten standings, Penn State has the eighth-highest average attendance per game nationally, with an average attendance ?of 6,041 per game — above the arena’s capacity of 6,000.
“You try not to think about it especially going into a rink like Penn State,” Chelios said. “Just got to look forward and keep playing the hockey ?that we have been playing, and just hopefully get that first one out of the way soon.”
One possible solution for experiencing more success away from home is finding the back of the net with more ?frequency.
An offense that already ranks last in the conference ?has an even lower goals per game average in its nine road games.
MSU is averaging ?only 1.3 goals per game on the road, nearly one goal below its season average.
Anastos points to scoring as the key factor, considering more goals on the scoreboard as a huge confidence booster.
“I think if we could score ?a little bit more it would ease the pressure and make guys feel a little bit better about things, and would give us a better chance to win,” ?Anastos said.
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