Ten games.

That's all that's left for the MSU hockey team in CCHA play, making it ever so crucial for the Spartans to string together some wins.

It's no mystery that the season thus far has been plagued with inconsistency and misfortune for MSU, but finding itself in a sixth-place conference tie and the thought of not having home ice for the CCHA playoffs is not something the Spartans want to welcome.

"As games diminish, your chances to affect where you are obviously start to evaporate," MSU head coach Rick Comley said. "It's a very important stretch."

"At this point, there's still enough time for good things to happen. Right now our goals I think are minimized to being at home in the playoffs, whatever it takes to be at home."

Last year around this time, the Spartans were in a similar situation. They were around the middle of the pack in the CCHA standings and were fighting for a conference position, before finishing the month of February with a 5-1 record. Sophomore goaltender Dominic Vicari said there's no reason why the team can't take off again this season.

"We've proven that we can beat anybody, and we've proven that we can lose to anybody," he said. "But if we can come out and play the way we should be playing, I think it should be a pretty fun 10 games."

Despite its record, Comley has stated many times that his team has worked hard all season. Senior captain Jim Slater said he hopes the team's hard work will pay off in the end.

"I was talking to our assistant coach yesterday, and he goes, 'You just got to feel like there's going to be one game that opens you up, and out you go,'" Slater said.

"We're not banking on that. We know we got to play every game, but you just have a feeling that's going to open up sometime. Maybe that comes this weekend, maybe it doesn't, but we still got to keep working."

The Spartans don't exactly start their final 10 games off easily. They meet No. 5, CCHA-leading, Michigan on Friday at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, and then Saturday at Joe Louis Arena.

Dunne's back

Comley said freshman defenseman Jeff Dunne has been cleared by the medical staff to resume practicing again this week.

Dunne has been out of action since the championship game of the Great Lakes Invitational on Dec. 30, where he suffered a shoulder injury.

Dunne has appeared in 12 games this season, posting three assists and a positive four in the plus-minus category.