Ohio State might have the most talented hockey team in the CCHA.
Most programs would be happy with a pair of first-round NHL draft picks, a three-year starting goalie and three senior defensemen - all of which OSU has. Then throw in the fact that the Buckeyes' two leading scorers this season are freshmen, and people really start to drool.
"What really makes them dangerous is the fact that, for the talent level they have, they've underachieved a little the last couple years," MSU head coach Rick Comley said. "This is the year they need to do something."
Comley's now unranked Spartans (5-3-0 overall, 3-1-0 CCHA) will face quite a challenge when they travel to the 17,500-seat Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, for a pair of games with OSU this weekend.
The Buckeyes (6-2-1, 3-0-1) have bona fide star power in forwards R.J. Umberger and Dave Steckel, both of whom were picked in the first round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Umberger, widely considered one of the best players in college hockey, has five goals and six assists this year.
The massive Steckel (6-feet-5, 210 pounds) has three goals and no assists this season. Last season, he posted four goals and two assists against the Spartans.
Steckel's main purposes on the ice are to camp in front of the crease, screen the opposing goalie and knock in easy rebounds.
"(Volunteer goalie coach Joe) Blackburn told me to keep my eye on them," MSU sophomore goaltender Migliaccio said. "But it's tough to do, to keep an eye on one player. You have to focus on everyone pretty much the same because a lot of guys can beat you, a lot of guys are dangerous."
Those other guys include freshman forwards Dan Knapp (6 goals, 6 assists) and Ryan Kesler (2, 9), who rank No. 1 and No. 2 on OSU in scoring.
In their own zone, the Buckeyes rely on goalie Mike Betz and his 4-2-1 record, 2.69 goals against average and .902 saves percentage.
The bright side for Spartans is that they have recent history on their side in this series.
MSU is 6-0-2 in its last eight games versus OSU - and hasn't lost to a team from Ohio since 1999 - but the Spartans have been schizophrenic this season. They tend to be better in the second game of a series than the first.
"We're certainly not as far along as we'd like to be, but we've shown some flashes," Comley said.
"My biggest concern is that we have chances to get up by three or four goals in a game and we don't do it."
This weekend is the start of a six-game road trip for the Spartans, and Value City Arena is a tough place to begin. It will be the biggest building most of MSU freshmen have ever played in.
While it's usually only half-full for hockey games, rookie right wing Colton Fretter said it wouldn't matter to him if it were filled to the brim with screaming fans.
"When I'm on the ice, I couldn't tell you a thing that goes on in the stands," said Fretter, who missed the first month of the season with mononucleosis. "I'm actually kind of looking forward to this road trip because I haven't gone on one yet with the team."
