“They play with high energy and an ‘in-your-face’ style,” head coach Tom Anastos said. “They’re very well organized, their goaltending is normally really strong and they defend really well. They have good balance throughout their team.”

MSU is 3-1-1 in the last five games against Western Michigan, and last traveled to Lawson Ice Arena in 2009, when the Spartans won 5-3.

Senior forward Lee Reimer is the active leader in points against Western with five, and 18 members of the current team have faced off against the former CCHA foe.

Lawson Ice Arena is known for being a rowdy place with fans that would make some IZZONE section fans look like mice.

“It’s one of the better places play across the country,” senior forward Dean Chelios said. “It’s crazy, it’s a little bit raunchy, and you’re into it right from the start. It’s going to be great for the freshmen. I don’t think they’ve experienced anything close to this.”

Chelios recalls his first trip to Kalamazoo, when he took a penalty that he’ll never forget. He said the fans around the box were gutless and chanted and cursed at him.

While the atmosphere on this road trip will be a good test for the young Spartans, the team got more good news without even dropping a puck.

After undergoing surgery just before the season started, redshirt sophomore goalie Nate Phillips, sophomore defenseman John Draeger and junior forward Matt Berry all have been cleared to return to the ice.

All three are ahead of schedule and were expected to resume play in December, but Draeger said this weekend definitely is in the cards.

“If I can come back this weekend I will, so I’m pushing hard this week,” Draeger said. “Missing all those games, I kind of feel distant from the team. It’s been tough and it’s been a slow process. It was good to have those two guys by my side day in and day out.”

With both men’s and women’s basketball, men’s soccer, field hockey and football all having recent success, it’s hard for Anastos not to be envious.

Western is relying a lot on youth to propel them, just as Anastos and the Spartans are, but he knows there still is a lot they need to improve on.

“We’re equally as inexperienced,” Anastos said. “We have to get better at the ability to defend in the defensive zone. For us to have success, we’ve got to find some rhythm offensively and score some goals, which is going to be very hard against their team.”