To persevere through hockey playoffs, a team invariably needs its goaltending to be somewhere between good and great.
MSU sophomore Matt Migliaccio knows that. And this weekend, he was the hot goalie propelling his team to a first-round CCHA Tournament sweep.
Migliaccio had quite a bit of offensive help in MSU's outrageous 11-1 win over Alaska-Fairbanks on Friday. But he was the star of the show in Saturday's grinding 3-1 series clincher against the Nanooks.
"This definitely came at the right time," said Migliaccio, who made 30 saves Friday and 35 saves Saturday. "We needed a good, strong game from me and our defensemen. I just try to give my team a chance to win every night, and these guys usually come out on top."
By getting past ninth-seeded Fairbanks, the Spartans (23-13-2) advanced to the CCHA Super Six finals in Detroit. No. 4 seed MSU will play No. 5 seed Northern Michigan (20-16-2) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Joe Louis Arena.
The Spartans were 2-2-0 against the Wildcats this year. With a win over Northern on Thursday, MSU would play either No. 1 seed Ferris State or No. 2 seed Michigan in the semifinals on Friday.
MSU probably needs to win two games in Detroit to qualify for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. On Sunday afternoon, the Spartans were tied with Harvard for No. 14 in the Pairwise Rankings, which mathematically predicts the NCAA Tournament field.
The top 14 teams in the Pairwise are expected to make the tourney, so MSU is squarely on the bubble.
Of course, the Spartans would earn an automatic bid by winning the CCHA's Mason Cup this weekend. MSU head coach Rick Comley didn't rule out that scenario, but he didn't sound too confident either.
"I was in the WCHA for 13 years with the Final Five, and anybody who plays Thursday never wins the championship on Saturday," Comley said. "It's really tough.
"I was one of the people who voted against having six teams (at the Joe)."
Against Fairbanks on Friday, MSU sophomore forward Brock Radunske's first career hat trick keyed the Spartans' best offensive output since 1991. Sophomore centers Jim Slater and Ash Goldie chipped in two goals apiece, as sophomores scored nine of the 11 goals.
"Our whole line was playing good and they got me the puck," said Radunske, who scored twice in the first period and once in the third. "I have to thank them. It was one of those nights where it seems like everything goes in for you."
Things got so bad Friday for Fairbanks (15-14-7) that coach Guy Gadowsky used three goalies. Keith Bartusch, who was 6-0-3 in nine games after becoming the Nanooks' starter, only stopped three of six shots before being pulled early in the first.
Lance Mayes replaced him and allowed six goals on 23 shots. Preston McKay finished the game with eight saves on 10 shots.
Mayes started Saturday's game and allowed one goal before incurring an ankle injury and being replaced by McKay.
Senior left wing Brian Maloney notched the game-winner early in Saturday's third period. Junior forward Tim Hearon added an insurance marker - his second career goal - later in the frame.
"Tonight's win was a lot more satisfying because of how hard the whole team had to work," said Radunske, who assisted on Maloney's winner. "Migs came up big, especially at the end of the game."
But not all news was good for MSU. Sophomore right wing Mike Lalonde injured his right knee in an awkward collision along the boards about five minutes into Saturday's game. He didn't return to the ice and watched most of the third period on crutches.
This season, Lalonde has 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points - the sixth best total on the team. A team spokesperson had no official information on his specific injury or timetable for his recovery Sunday afternoon.
