The No. 13 MSU hockey team realizes it needs new actors in this play.
Again, Ohio State (4-2-0 overall, 3-1-0 CCHA) notched nine goals against the Spartans (1-3-0, 0-2-0) in a weekend series, winning Friday night, 5-0, and Saturday, 4-1. Ohio State accomplished the same feat last November, defeating the Spartans 5-2 and 4-1, respectively. The weekend's losses mean MSU has now lost six straight games to the Buckeyes.
For the Spartans, their chance for redemption will come in January in Columbus. But, for now, the Spartans are focused on rebounding from the disappointing home showing in preparation for home-and-home contests against Western Michigan this weekend.
Their focus - scoring goals. After grossing only one goal this weekend, the Spartans are left scratching their heads to find another scoring option. Junior captain Jim Slater, who leads the team with five goals, needs help. Opponents' scouting reports - such as OSU's - are focused on shutting down the center and forcing MSU to look to the wings for the next best option.
"One goal in two games in not acceptable," Slater said. "We got a lot of forwards going and we got to find a way to get the puck in the net somehow. We definitely got a lot of talent, everyone's proven that because they've played here or before that, so we just got to find that touch again."
The Spartans played into the Buckeyes' scheme all weekend. MSU head coach Rick Comley said the Buckeyes aren't a come-from-behind team, as they skate better with early momentum. On Friday, there was little worry for OSU after blanking the Spartans, but after taking a 1-0 lead off a goal from Buckeyes forward J.B. Bittner on Saturday night, Slater gave his team momentum with a quick second-period goal in the first minute.
The tying goal, despite waking up the Spartans, didn't serve as a break in momentum for the Buckeyes, as they scored the game's next three goals.
"Nobody wins with one (goal)," Comley said. "You know they have it. There are guys in there that can score. They just got to find a way to get it done.
"We need more balanced scoring. Will it come? We'll see."
As promised by Comley in the preseason, goaltenders junior Matt Migliaccio and freshman Dominic Vicari will continue to share the weekend shift in the net. On Friday night, Migliaccio took five goals to his 25 saves, while Vicari, in his first CCHA start, allowed four goals with 17 saves on Saturday night.
Vicari said his play was decent on Saturday, but he also was aware that the Buckeyes knew how to play him, as they sent goals top shelf over the shorter of MSU's two net-minders.
"It's one of those things where it's day-by-day; you got to get that game experience," Vicari said. "You can do all the practicing, but it's the games that really help you out."
But the answers for this team lie in the goal scoring and getting more experience. The weekend proved that CCHA opponents know Slater is the MSU option, and this week, the script needs to change.
"We can't expect Jimmy to score three every night," Comley said.
