Within MSU’s new offensive scheme, the Spartan forwards are darting all over the ice and generating plenty of goals for head coach Ron Mason.
But fourth-ranked MSU’s offensive glory doesn’t start and end with centers and wings. The less-restraining system frees up the Spartan defensemen, and it shows in their statistics.
Freshman center Jim Slaterper leads the team with 11 points, but three of the next five best point-scorers are blueliners - junior Brad Fast with 10, freshman Duncan Keith with eight and senior Andrew Hutchinson with seven.
“Of course we’re always looking to play defense first,” said Hutchinson, the CCHA’s reigning Best Defensive Defenseman. “But when we can help out, it’s fun to jump up there and get some chances. It gets us into the game and allows us to show our offensive side.”
Since the season’s onset, Mason has maintained he opened up the team’s style because the MSU freshman class is faster and physically weaker than the departed seniors.
Hutchinson said the Spartan defensemen have always been encouraged to jump into an offensive rush if they see fit. But with the change in philosophy, they are not anchored to the blue line as much as they were last season.
Especially not Keith.
The 6-foot, 165-pound rookie speedster has raw offensive moves that rival those of MSU’s best forwards and the skating quickness to lead break-outs by himself - weapons Mason loves to unleash on unsuspecting opponents.
“They’re smart, they’re not going to inhibit me at all,” Keith said. “But it depends on the situation. They’re not going to hold me back if it’s a perfect chance to jump in. But I know I’m not going to jump in - try not to at least - if it’s a bad situation and we don’t have anyone back.
“A lot of (the defense’s scoring success) is our center men are doing a good job of winning the draws in the offensive zone, so we get it back to us and we can get a shot and get an assist.”
That relationship was clearly illustrated in MSU’s 6-1 win over UMass-Amherst on Friday. Fast collected the puck at the top of the zone after a face-off win by freshman center Lee Falardeau, spotted an opening and skated untouched down the slot before snapping a wrist shot into the net.
In the same game, junior defenseman John-Michael Liles also pinched up, took a nice pass from senior right wing Adam Hall, and scored a goal from 15 feet away.
“Obviously, if there’s a lane to the net, I think all our defensemen are encouraged to shoot the puck or try to make a play with it,” Fast said.
Even players such as senior defenseman Jon Insana have new liberties with and without the puck. But Insana, who is better known for his physical play in the defensive end than for his offensive talents, said the impact on his style is more of a tweak than an overhaul.
“My personal style isn’t real offensive, but sometimes you get caught up in the offensive game a bit,” said Insana, who has one point this season and 12 in his career. “When our forwards are cycling and getting some good shots on net, you’re on the point waiting for maybe a chance to jump in.
“There’s an urgency offensively that we didn’t have as much last year, but I don’t feel much different.”
Mason, too, emphasized that things aren’t very dissimilar for the defensemen this year.
“I’ve always wanted them to get up in the rush at the right time,” Mason said. “But they still have to realize they’ve gotta to keep the play in front of them defensively.
“Nothing’s really changed in that. It’s just the way we’re pressuring a little more is giving them a little bit more opportunity offensively.”
