Despite a recent eight-game winless skid (0-4-4), the Buckeyes (14-8-5, 10-7-5-1) enter the series with a chance to solidify their spot in the CCHA standings while MSU will look to make a jump in the ranks down the stretch.

Head coach Tom Anastos has identified his team’s difficult areas and said his team will need to provide the appropriate effort to come away with a pair of victories on the road this weekend.

“From scoring on your power play to defending on your penalty kill to the timeliness of some of the goals you give up and some of the ones you get, they really are (important),” Anastos said. “We’re not gonna win many games if we don’t do all of the little things right.”

The CCHA has drawn attention based on its recent parity, giving each team something to play for in the last month of the regular season. Junior forward Dean Chelios said the parity of the conference doesn’t allow for any team to be taken lightly, and Ohio State is included with that.

“(OSU) obviously went on a huge tear during the year,” Chelios said. “They have a really good team. I know they’ve been struggling a little bit recently, but they have the firepower on the offense to get back into it at any time, so we have to be ready.”

The Spartans lead the all-time series with OSU 83-27-8, including a 35-15-5 mark at the 17,500-seat Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center, in Columbus, Ohio.

As it stands, the Spartans have lost four straight CCHA games on the road, dating back to a 2-1 loss against Northern Michigan in November.

With nine teams separated in the conference standings by a margin of nine points or less, the Spartans understand the importance of the remaining eight games this season.

Against the Buckeyes this weekend, freshman forward Brent Darnell said the team needs to stick to its game plan to take six points — the maximum a team can earn with a sweep — and the series on the road.

“They’re a young team, that’s for sure,” Darnell said. “I know they’ve got about 12 freshmen on that team.

“They got a new coach who’s really turned them around the past two years, but I think if we play our game, I’m confident we can come out of there with six points.”

Following the series with the Buckeyes, MSU will return home the next weekend for a season rematch against Michigan.

The Spartans will host one game at Munn Ice Arena before traveling to Detroit to close the series with U-M at Joe Louis Arena.