The Spartans know they can clinch the CCHA title with a pair of wins this weekend.
But it’ll be easier said than done.
No. 1 MSU (24-3-4 overall, 17-3-3 CCHA) will face No. 12 Western Michigan at 7:05 tonight at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo before rematching with No. 5 Michigan at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday in Detroit.
“We keep (clinching) in the back of our minds,” junior center Joe Goodenow said. “It’s something we want to accomplish, but from a certain standpoint, you don’t necessarily want to clinch the title that early. You want to have something on the line in the last couple of games.”
The Spartans currently hold a five-point advantage over second-place U-M (21-8-4, 15-6-2) in the league race and could wrap it up with a win over the Wolverines on Saturday. Both teams have three games left after the weekend, including a fourth meeting at Munn Ice Arena on March 1.
Meanwhile, Western is tied for sixth in the league with Northern Michigan, and is part of a logjam in the middle of the standings, in which five teams are separated by only three points.
The most interesting matchup of the weekend should be the nation’s best defense and MSU’s record-setting sophomore goaltender Ryan Miller going head-to-head with two of the country’s most explosive offenses.
Western (16-9-6, 9-8-6) climbed into the top 10 in the national polls behind the success of the nation’s most prolific offense before cooling off in the new year.
Still, the Broncos are ninth nationally in goal-scoring at 3.71 goals a game and are led by two Hobey Baker candidates, centers David Gove and Mike Bishai.
Gove is tied for second in the NCAA with 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists), while Bishai is fifth with 49 (14, 35). Bronco left wing Steve Rymsha has chipped in 42 (19, 23) for the Broncos.
By contrast, MSU’s leader in points is senior right wing Rustyn Dolyny with 29 (9, 20).
“Right now, all we’re focusing on is Western,” sophomore defenseman John-Michael Liles said. “A lot of people might be looking (ahead to) Michigan, but we have to take Western seriously. They’ve been on a bit of a slide and they’re going to be looking to start their playoff run against us.”
Even though Miller broke the NCAA record for career shutouts last weekend, MSU head coach Ron Mason said that won’t affect the goaltender’s playing status this weekend. Miller has started 30 out of MSU’s 31 games this season, while senior netminder Joe Blackburn has played only once.
“Whoever gives us the best chance to win, that’s who’s going to play,” Mason said. “I’ve had that philosophy my whole life.”
MSU’s defensive task will get even harder Saturday, when U-M’s league-leading offense takes the ice. The Wolverines rank fifth in the nation offensively, averaging 3.94 goals a game.
U-M snapped MSU’s 23-game unbeaten streak with a 4-3 overtime victory at Joe Louis Arena on Jan. 27, paced by goals from its own offensive stars.
Wolverine center Andy Hilbert has 52 points (21, 31) this season, including the game-winning goal in overtime against the Spartans. Center Mike Cammalleri also scored against MSU and has 47 points (20, 27) this season.
In the wake of U-M’s victory, revenge will be on the minds of the Spartans exactly three weeks after falling to their archrivals.
“We’re always ready for Michigan,” Goodenow said. “We’ve played them enough times over the years that we know what to expect from them. But there’s no doubt there’s a little bit of revenge there.”
Playoff tickets on sale
The Spartans have already clinched home-ice advantage for the first round of the CCHA playoffs, which will take place March 9-10. Tickets for the best-of-three series are on sale now, and are available at the Athletic Ticket Office in Jenison Field House for $18 for the general public and $8 for students. Call 355-1610 or (800) GO-STATE for more information.
James Jahnke can be reached at jahnkeja@msu.edu.
