Here we go again.
Just two weeks after archrivals MSU and No. 8 Michigan split a hard-fought, home-and-home hockey series, they'll bump heads two more times this weekend - tonight in Ann Arbor and Saturday in Detroit.
A few things have changed since the teams last met, such as U-M moving up from third to second place in the CCHA standings. But from MSU's viewpoint, everything is pretty much the same.
The Spartans (18-12-2 overall, 14-9-1 CCHA) are still in fourth place. They still need points to solidify home-ice advantage in the first round of the CCHA Tournament. And they need a couple of high-profile wins to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
In the league, MSU is three points out of third place, which is held by Ohio State. The Buckeyes travel to fifth-place Northern Michigan this weekend, so the Spartans could move up with an impressive showing against U-M.
"We can't even afford a split," sophomore goaltender Matt Migliaccio said. "We have to focus on one game at a time, but we have to win every game from here on out, too. Just do your best and see what happens after that."
Tonight's game will be played at Yost Ice Arena because U-M won a coin toss this summer in Stockbridge - a village roughly equidistant between Ann Arbor and East Lansing.
The coin toss started a rotation in which the teams will take turns having an extra home game against their rival. Next year, MSU will have two games at home, one on the road and one at neutral-site Joe Louis Arena against the Wolverines.
"We have to try to steal one at Yost and go from there," Migliaccio said. "We should be fine."
This weekend's series falls at the end of U-M's spring break and at the beginning of MSU's vacation, so it's tough to predict the proportion of students that will be in the crowds.
But, at least for tonight's contest, the Spartans are expecting to face the same rowdy fans they saw in Ann Arbor on Valentine's Day. Adding to the typical emotion of the rivalry, tonight is also U-M's Senior Night.
"These games are just more intense," freshman left wing David Booth said. "There's more battling, more checking, a lot more all-around good play. It's so much fun.
"As freshmen, we'll know what to expect going down there this time."
The Wolverines (23-8-1, 17-6-1) still lead the nation in penalty killing at 91.9 percent, thanks largely to a scheme that sends penalty-killing forwards almost out to the blue line to harass opposing pointmen.
MSU scored a power-play goal in both games against U-M - a 3-1 loss at Yost and a 5-3 win at Munn Ice Arena - two weeks ago. But the Spartans went 0-for-6 in Saturday's 4-2 loss to Northern Michigan, marking the first time since Jan. 3 they failed to convert at least one power play.
This week, MSU head coach Rick Comley reasserted that special teams and goaltending will play a large part in determining who wins and who loses this weekend.
"You can't try to be fancy with the puck (on the power play) against them," Comley said. "You have to win battles along the goal line and outnumber them in front of the net. They try to exploit teams who try to make plays.
"Not only are they quick, but they're strong. They're one of the few teams who forces two guys that high and has success doing it. You do leave yourself vulnerable that way."
In addition to being sound in special teams and goaltending, Comley also thinks his team must control the puck in the U-M zone and not fall behind early in the game. In U-M's win on Feb. 14, the Wolverines scored 13 seconds into the first period.
"You want to make them play from behind if at all possible," Comley said. "It's a different game when you're playing catch-up."
Sophomore center Jim Slater, who suffered a left shoulder injury Saturday, skated with the Spartans during Thursday's practice. He has not been cleared for contact drills, but he is feeling better and is expected to be a game-time decision this weekend.
Slater registered a goal each night against U-M earlier this season. He is MSU's second-leading scorer.
"It's getting better every day," Slater said. "My legs feel good. It's a little hard to shoot right now, but I'm optimistic about playing this weekend."
After U-M, MSU will also battle Western Michigan (14-16-2, 12-11-1) during break. The teams play at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo on March 7 and at Munn Ice Arena on March 8. The home game is the last contest of MSU's regular season, and it will be preceded by the team's annual Senior Night festivities.
