But what Anastos won’t tolerate is lacking mental preparedness to compete, which he said plagued his team in Friday’s 3-2 loss to Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Although the Spartans (2-3-1 overall, 1-1-0 CCHA) split the road series with the Lakers, Anastos said his team didn’t approach Friday’s game with the same intensity, costing the Spartans a chance to sweep a very winnable conference series.

“We don’t think we’ll win many games at all if we don’t compete hard every night,” Anastos said. “That’s going to be, again, the foundation for us to have any success, and I think all of our players know that.”

The loss stirred the usually calm Anastos to what Greg Wolfe said was the “most emotional” the second-year coach has been during his tenure. But the junior forward and team captain Wolfe acknowledged the team was not prepared enough in the losing effort.

“We came out a little flat and, obviously, a tough (feeling) as a result of the game,” Wolfe said.

“Coach kind of challenged us and told us, basically, that we didn’t have an option and we were going to come back and win Saturday. So from that point on, everyone kind of got it through their heads that what happened Friday was not going to fly and we needed to figure it out.”

With a roster featuring 12 new players, the Spartans still are trying to figure out the right combinations to find success on the ice. But in the process, Wolfe said the team is trying to remain positive as chemistry and overall cohesiveness continues to build.

“The biggest thing right now is staying positive,” Wolfe said.

“With young guys, it’s easy to get down on ourselves and get negative and kind of point the finger. I think the older guys have done a pretty good job of just making sure we’re staying positive on the bench and, instead of getting down on guys, giving them encouragement and letting them know that everyone’s going to make mistakes and it’s OK. We just need to learn from it.”

Winter Classic nearing cancellation?
As the NHL lockout rolls into its seventh week, questions have arisen as to the fate of the league’s annual Winter Classic festivities.

With league games already canceled through the end of November, it’s becoming a distinct possibility the game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor could be scrapped due to a gridlock in contract negotiations between the NHL and its player association.

As it pertains to MSU, the Spartans, along with Michigan, Michigan Tech and Western Michigan, are slated to participate in the inaugural Hockeytown Winter Festival at the Great Lakes Invitational, or GLI, on Dec. 27-28 at Comerica Park. If the NHL is unable to complete a deal as early as this week, the GLI will move back to its traditional location, Joe Louis Arena.

Anastos said although the team hasn’t discussed the scenario of moving the GLI, the cancellation of a game at Comerica Park likely will be a letdown for his team, particularly his senior class.

“We haven’t spoken about it all that much because we know it’s potentially a reality,” Anastos said. “It’d be disappointing probably for the seniors because I assume, when they do resume playing, that they’ll just go back and resume the same (plans).

“So we will ultimately play in the event. But the guys that are seniors will miss out on it. We haven’t talked about it. I assume there would be some level of disappointment, but we’re still going to play the GLI.”