Both teams enter the series playing some of their best hockey. MSU is 3-2-2 in its last seven games, four of which came against top five-ranked teams, including a 3-0 shutout against then-No. 3 Michigan (10-4-2, 2-0-0 Big Ten). Ohio State is 7-2-0 in its last nine games, with only two one-goal losses to U-M.

“Ohio State is a team that’s playing with confidence,” head coach Tom Anastos said of the Buckeyes, who boast a 9-3 home record. “So they’re going to a very difficult team to play against particularly there.”

It will be a battle of each team’s strengths — the Buckeyes’ top-notch offense and MSU sophomore goaltender Jake Hildebrand.

Ohio State is tied for the second-best offense in the country, averaging 3.94 goals per game behind junior forward Ryan Dzingel’s 23 points.

Although Ohio State has only been held to less than three goals in a game twice this year, the Buckeyes will have the tall task of trying to score on Hildebrand, who led all of the Big Ten in save percentage during December and is averaging only 1.714 goals against in the last seven games.

Hildebrand also was recognized as Big Ten First Star of the Week in December, and players credit his work as a major reason for the team’s success.

Keeping the momentum from MSU’s most recent win against U-M was something senior forward Greg Wolfe said the team talked about as it prepared for the upcoming Big Ten stretch.

“Anytime you get a win like that, it gives you momentum. Even though we had a weekend off, but the guys are still feeling pretty good about it and people are still feeling pretty good about it, so I think we can take that to Columbus with us,” Wolfe said.

The weekend series against Ohio State will be the beginning of 10 straight weekend series that includes 18 Big Ten games.

During the stretch, head coach Tom Anastos believes it will be important for MSU to have solid, consistent defensive play in order to experience success.

“We have to be very consistent defensively — you can’t win in the game today without being very consistent defensively,” Anastos said. “That has to be a staple in your game.”

Anastos added that the offense needs to continue to improve, with the squad showing signs of improvement in its last outing against the Wolverines.

With the Spartans past the non-conference games, senior defenseman Jake Chelios said this weekend is the beginning of the most important part of the schedule.

“Really the season starts now, we’ve been looking forward to it all year,” Chelios said. “Now is the time to start getting points. I think this is the biggest weekend of the year for us just because now we have to climb, there’s only six teams, so every game counts.”