The MSU hockey team has been close to perfect in holding its opponents off the score sheet when the Spartans play with one man down.
MSU is killing off penalties at a rate of 94.6 percent (35 out of 37) since the UMass-Lowell series on Jan. 9.
For the season, the icers have killed off 103 out of 128 penalties - a rate of 80.5 percent.
The play of junior forward Lee Falardeau has been a key component in the Spartans' penalty-killing success. And to think, he missed seven games due to a knee injury.
"We work on it, and we haven't stopped working on it," head coach Rick Comley said. "Lee Falardeau is our No. 1 go-to guy on the penalty kill - and he almost missed the first half."
Oh, captain
Jim Slater's 4-point performance against Lake Superior State earned the junior captain CCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors.
During Thursday's 8-5 victory at Sault Ste. Marie, Slater recorded three assists. He then scored the game-winning goal Saturday to lift the Spartans to a 2-1 win and was named No. 1 star.
The Hobey Baker candidate's team-leading 37 points is second in conference scoring.
The Spartans (17-14-1, 13-8-1 CCHA) head to Alaska for a weekend series against the Nanooks (13-14-1, 12-11-1). Game times for Friday and Saturday are both scheduled for 11:05 p.m. ET.
Spartan showcase
Two former Spartans represented the American Hockey League in its All-Star Weekend festivities in Grand Rapids.
Rochester Americans goaltender Ryan Miller (1999-2002) and Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Andrew Hutchinson (1998-2002) both played for the PlanetUSA Team that lost to the Canadians 9-5 on Monday.
In the skills competition the day before, Hutchinson posted a 94.5 mph shot - good for second place.
Miller set aside 22 shots and was named the Pepsi Top Goaltender. PlanetUSA won the skills competition, 18-9.
