The inconsistency with the MSU hockey team has been the inability to pick up series sweeps, with the exception of the sweep over Ferris State, which came in early November.
Currently, the Spartans (19-15-4 overall) are riding a five-game winning streak after sweeping Notre Dame on March 4 and 5 to clinch home ice in the first-round CCHA playoffs.
The team is also coming off another sweep over Miami (Ohio) this past weekend to advance in the playoffs to the CCHA Super Six at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
"Right now, it's easy to say we feel good," junior forward Colton Fretter said after Saturday's game.
"I do think that we are more prepared this year just because of the struggles we've gone through all season and how we pulled it together at the right time."
Fretter had reason to feel good after Saturday's sweep. On his 23rd birthday, Fretter scored the game-tying goal 14:54 into the third period to force overtime, then sent the RedHawks (15-18-5) packing when he lit the lamp in the extra session to give the Spartans a 5-4 win.
"The big thing is we've been coming back from when we were down," Fretter said.
"We weren't doing that early in the year, and that's what a good team needs to do."
In the Spartans' current winning streak, they have come from behind four times to win the game, including coming back from a two-goal, third-period deficit Saturday to win in overtime.
Another reason for the Spartans' winning streak is offensive production from players that haven't been scoring this season.
Junior forward Chad Hontvet scored the first two goals of his collegiate career in MSU's 2-1 win over Miami in game one on Friday, and sophomore forward Tommy Goebel netted his first goal since Dec. 11 in Saturday's rally.
"This was a year where we kind of had to be patient until more and more players could grow up and mature and get to the point where they contributed," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.
Sophomore goaltender Dominic Vicari has been a consistent bright spot for the Spartans all season, and even after allowing four goals Saturday, he closed the door on a point-blank chance in overtime that surely would have extended the playoff series to a game three if not for his save.
"However Dom plays, that's how we're going to play," senior captain Jim Slater said of the importance of Vicari's play.
MSU will return to action Thursday in the CCHA Super Six quarterfinals at Joe Louis Arena against an opponent that has yet to be determined. MSU will know its opponent following the complete results of the first-round CCHA playoffs Sunday night.
Comley said he hopes to have junior forward David Booth, who has been troubled by a fractured rib for the past three weeks, back for Thursday.
