Last season, one-third of the MSU hockey team’s losses came against Northern Michigan.
Four of the icers’ 12 defeats came at the hands of the Wildcats, including back-to-back losses to eliminate the Spartans from the CCHA Tournament.
Icers anticipate tough series with Wildcats
MSU hockey head coach Rick Comley discusses the importance of starting out CCHA play on a positive note against No. 18 Northern Michigan.
Comley served as head coach of the Wildcats for 26 years, and he doesn’t want to underestimate his former team — especially after both squads were picked in the preseason to have strong years in the CCHA.
Senior goaltender Jeff Lerg talks about the youth of the Spartans team going up against a veteran Northern Michigan squad.
To make things even more interesting, many people picked No. 18 Northern Michigan to finish ahead of MSU in the preseason polls.
“It’s going to be a good series for us and a good stepping stone to see where we are at,” senior defenseman Brandon Gentile said. “They were picked to finish above us by a lot of people and that adds a lot of fuel to the fire.”
MSU head coach Rick Comley spent 26 years as head coach of the Wildcats before coming to MSU, but since his arrival in East Lansing, the Spartans are 10-11-0 against his former program.
Comley wouldn’t be surprised if the Wildcats finish in the top three of the CCHA this season, and he is well aware of the rivalry that is developing between the two schools.
“It’s going to be a good rivalry (game) because Northern is a really good program,” Comley said. “As coaches and players we know how tough it is.”
Offensive woes
Four games into the season, sophomore defenseman Jeff Petry is leading MSU with three points on a goal and two assists.
Six different Spartans have recorded goals, but no one has found the back of the net twice.
Comley is worried about his team’s 20 shot-a-game average and he wants to see the Spartans develop a stronger presence in the offensive zone.
“We haven’t been close (to scoring) and we don’t have the puck,” Comley said. “A lot of our game is built on keeping mistakes to a minimum, keeping possession in the offensive zone and making other teams have to defend us. We are working on it but we don’t have the strength yet in our young kids.”
Comley has repeatedly said that games early in the season are going to need to be won on the shoulders of the upperclassmen.
“What you have to be careful of is only to ask what (the freshmen) are ready to give,” Comley said. “I don’t want to treat it like it’s the last game of the year.”
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Bumps and bruises
Northern Michigan is known for physical and gritty play.
Senior goaltender Jeff Lerg expects the Wildcats to make his life difficult, as they usually do.
“They do a lot of those things that make you irritated,” Lerg said. “Whether it’s a forward working really hard, or as a goalie they are in your face. They go to the net hard, throw pucks at the net and they have a lot of screens.”
Gentile said it’s going to be important for the Spartans to match the Wildcats’ physical style of play and not get worn down.
“They always finish their checks,” Gentile said. “They are disciplined, they hit, and get turnovers and capitalize. That’s one of their big philosophies.”
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The Spartans take on the Wildcats at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Munn Ice Arena.
