Since their last meeting in early December, Michigan State hockey (13-13-2, 7-5-2-2 Big Ten) and No. 14 Minnesota (17-10-3, 8-3-3-0) have been in the process of turning their seasons around. The Spartans have gone 9-4-1 since their shootout win against the Gophers on Dec. 6, while the Gophers enter the weekend series having gone 6-1-1 over their last eight.
Playing in an odd Thursday-Friday series, Minnesota enters the series in a first-place tie in the Big Ten with 27 points. With MSU just two points behind them, the Spartans know the task and opportunity they have at hand.
“They’re probably have been playing right now like a lot of people expected them to play,” head coach Tom Anastos said. “To me, it’s not a surprise – really good team, depth, goaltending, dynamic offensively, their power play caused fits last time we played here and has been causing fits for everyone they play against, and they play a good brand of defensive hockey too.”
One of the key matchups this weekend will be the Gophers’ explosive power play against the Spartans’ stingy penalty kill. Minnesota boasts the nation’s most efficient power play (29.3%), while MSU ranks ninth in the country at killing penalties (87.5%).
“They’ve got five guys out there that can move the puck pretty well and they’re all smart players, especially at home where they’ve got a bigger ice sheet,” junior defenseman Travis Walsh said. “So, I think they want to get teams running around a bit and then take advantage of that.”
Of the twelve power play goals MSU has allowed this season, five came in the two games against Minnesota at Munn Ice Arena.
“We didn’t do the best last time we played them here,” sophomore forward Joe Cox said. “I think one of the keys is to kind of just stay in the shot lanes, keep sticks as much in the passing lane as you can and just kind of ward them off, but they have a really lethal power play.”
Anastos said one of the keys to stopping “as good a power play” as he’s seen is to have the goaltender be the best penalty killer. With junior goaltender Jake Hildebrand, MSU has a good chance of getting exactly that.
Hildebrand leads the Big Ten in both save percentage (.926) and goals-against average (2.18). Over his last eight games, Hildebrand has posted an even more impressive .963 save percentage and 1.13 goals-against average.
“We’re very confident in Hildy,” Walsh said. “Obviously, he’s playing tremendously so we’re trying to rally around him and bring some more offense like we have been.”
MSU is coming off a weekend in which they split a series with struggling Wisconsin. Anastos criticized the Spartans’ mental approach heading in to the series, but he doesn’t envision the same thing happening this time around.
“Without a doubt, I do think we’ll be ready,” Anastos said. “Whether we’ll be good enough to win, you never know until you play, but I’m anxious to get out there.”
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