MSU hockey head coach Rick Comley has yet to defeat Ohio State during his time in East Lansing.
That's not saying much, because the Spartans coach is only entering his second season behind the bench for the green-and-white.
With that said, OSU (2-2) heads to Munn Ice Arena this weekend for contests against the No. 13 Spartans (1-1) on Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m. to open up the CCHA season.
"It's very important," said junior goaltender Matt Migliaccio of getting Comley his first win over Ohio State as an MSU coach. "They play hard every time we play them, especially coming into here. They're going to be out for us, because they know we play well here."
The Buckeyes defeated the Spartans 5-2 and 4-1, respectively, in their two meetings in Columbus a season ago.
"You're always excited to play, and we'll bounce back from last week and build on the good game against Duluth," Comley said. "It's a very good matchup, it's a cluster team for us - team we play four times - and a team we haven't beaten in, I think, the last four or five times."
Last weekend, the Spartans split in the Ice Breaker Tournament, losing to Findlay, 4-3, in the Friday game. The loss inevitably will be a lasting blemish on the Spartans season, as the game was supposed to be a skate in the park. "We need some quality wins to offset that, so we can't afford another loss right now," Comley said.
There is no doubt the Buckeyes will come to play. Ownership of MSU has been their way in recent CCHA history, but captain Jim Slater, who has led the way for the Spartans with four goals and one assist, said the team is prepared.
"They're going to get up and down; they're not going to give up," the junior forward said. "They're going to be pressuring us. They're going to be ready to play and they've scouted us as much as we have them and they're going to be ready for us. So we have to match them and top that."
Rocky VI?
If you're expecting the goaltending situation to become like the ever-so-publicized quarterback controversies seen in today's college football, back down.
The two "Italian Stallions" - Migliaccio and freshman Dominic Vicari - minding the net for the Spartans don't plan on using fisticuffs to decided who the team's No. 1 is.
"We're very proud Italians here; we both know we want to play, and that's understandable," Migliaccio said. "Whatever way it goes, if we're sharing or if we're playing, I'm supporting him, and he's going to support me - that's the way it goes."
