The green and white travels to No. 8 Wisconsin (17-9-2, 8-5-1)for a series that will provide an opportunity for MSU to improve its scoring ability, return to a special place for a couple Spartans and hopefully allow the program to make a move in the Big Ten standings, as MSU sits near the top half of the conference right now.

Quality over quantity

Despite coming out on top in Saturday’s game against Penn State, MSU was held to a season-low 13 shots in the game. MSU only had five shots through the first two periods.

The shot count in the game was something head coach Tom Anastos said can be concerning, but he is more focused on quality over quantity.

“The shots on goal statistic, again, you got to be kind of careful watching it because I think it can be misleading oftentimes,” Anastos said at his Tuesday press conference. “We really focus on the quality of the shots and the quantity of the scoring chances.”

Anastos said part of the reasoning behind Saturday’s low shot count was Penn State’s defensive style. He also said simply missing the net was another factor in the low shot count.

A familiar place

The trip to Madison, Wis., this weekend will be a family affair for the Chelios brothers, returning to the college where their father and NHL Hall of Famer Chris Chelios played in the early 1980s.

Although it won’t be in the same building Chris Chelios played at during his time in college, senior forward Dean Chelios is looking forward to his second trip to his father’s old stomping grounds.

“I love playing there. It’s like a NHL rink and I was fortune enough that it was a really nice day out and were able to walk around campus that day and see my dad and family at the old places they used to stop at on campus,” Dean Chelios said of his first trip to Wisconsin in 2010. “He loves going there, my mom’s whole side of the family still lives in Wisconsin so they like going there and it’s always a nice time.”

Beating the best

After a productive weekend at Happy Valley last weekend, MSU has found itself only one point outside of third place in the conference.

And MSU will have the opportunity to control its own fate in climbing up the standings in the final six games in the conference.

The Spartans will face Wisconsin four times and No. 10 Michigan twice, with both teams respectively in second and third place in the conference.

Anastos said the road will not be easy, but does provide the opportunity for MSU to play its way into a higher seed for the Big Ten Tournament.