The last time the teams met, the Spartans had been together as a group for a little more than two weeks and were caught like a deer in the headlights in a two-game sweep at Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Three months of game action, rigorous practices and game film have brought seasoning and experience, which will prove helpful in the team’s second and final meeting with the Lakers.

“One hundred percent, 100 percent of the time has been our motto all season,” junior forward Chris Forfar said. “You could go back to the first (series) against Ohio State, (we) turned it off for 30 seconds at the end of each period, and it cost us three goals. Ninety-five percent is not enough.”

With the CCHA as close as it has been all season — seven teams are separated by four points or less — the Spartans (12-9-3 overall, 7-7-2 CCHA) have an opportunity to flip-flop position with LSSU with a pair of wins this weekend. As it sits, the Spartans are just four points out of third place in the conference, eight out of second and nine out of first.

But seeking atonement for the November 2011 sweep won’t be an easy task.

The Lakers are led by goalie Kevin Kapalka (2.49 GAA, .918 save percentage) and are among the top in the country in team defense (2.50 goals per game). Scoring also hasn’t been a problem for the Lakers, with forward Domenic Monardo leading the way in points with eight goals and 12 assists this season along with 12 goals and seven assists from the team’s leading scorer Nick McParland.

Head coach Tom Anastos is cognizant of the task at hand for his team this weekend and knows it will take patient defense and consistent scoring to put them in the win column.

“Well first of all, (LSSU is) a team that’s no fluke,” Anastos said.

“They have very strong goaltending, they’re good defensively, it’s tough to score goals on them because of excellent goaltending and they have very good special teams — both their penalty kill and their power play. What we’ve learned about our team since that time is we’ve gotten better, but so have they.”

Historically, the Spartans have used Munn Ice Arena to their advantage in series with LSSU. MSU holds an 67-34-12 all-time mark against the Lakers but have been a stingy 35-11-5 on its home ice.

With less than two months of the regular season to play, many players recognize the importance of picking up a pair of conference victories. Considering the team has to face No. 13 Ferris State, No. 5 Ohio State and closing the season with No. 7 Notre Dame all on the road, seizing the chance to win on home ice becomes a top priority against the Lakers.

For most, giving less than 100 percent just isn’t an option, and it won’t be enough to get the job done.

“Each weekend is always going to be important, especially when you’re playing conference games,” senior forward Mike Merrifield said. “The league is real tight right now. You win a couple games, you could jump up to third place, but if you lose, you’re right back down at the bottom. We come into every weekend looking to get six points, and that’s what we try and plan on doing this weekend.”