Neil's Notebook: A Second Look at the Home Opener

Oct. 24, 2011

By Neil Koepke, MSUSpartans.com staff writer

One of the key differences in Michigan State's hockey team this season from last year is more skating forward and less skating backward.

Chris Forfar, a junior center, describes the Spartans' style on offense under new coach Tom Anastos as "attack, attack, attack.''

MSU's focus is getting the puck, moving it quickly into the offensive zone and tapping into the players' creativity in trying to create scoring chances.

Six games into the season, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But Anastos' team seems eager to learn the system, improve and find ways to score goals.

Forfar says he still catches himself in the neutral zone backing up in the defensive mindset from last year instead of pressuring the opposing skater.

After four road games, the Spartans' new system was on display for the first time in front of the home fans last Thursday and Friday against Ohio State at Munn Arena. MSU showed good offensive flow and created several good chances in a solid 3-0 victory in the CCHA series opener.

The Spartans, however, were not as good on Friday, the Buckeyes lifted their level of play and MSU's bid for a series sweep fell short. OSU broke a 2-2 with two quick goals early in the third period and went on to a 5-2 victory.

Still, MSU (2-4 overall, 1-3 CCHA) continued to compete hard for the final 10 minutes and came close to cutting into OSU's two-goal cushion and setting up a more exciting finish.

A sweep would have really boosted the team's confidence and also made an impact on the energetic crowd of more than 5,200. The Spartans were disappointed but eager to learn from their missteps and get back to practice and improving. And the fans had to by encouraged by the team's overall effort.

"The biggest thing is we're coming to the rink with a positive attitude,'' Forfar said. "All the coaches bring that (attitude) every day. If you make mistakes, they correct them in a positive way.''

MSU's offensive style is overwhelmingly welcomed by the players and, despite the drawbacks of getting caught deep in the zone, it's given the Spartans an entertaining look. They're more active and intense along the boards and behind the net in trying to force mistakes and gain possession.

For sure, this team is not blessed with high-level talent. But the forwards and defensemen are learning more and more about how to play this system. Barring injuries and issues with depth, the Spartans should be an improved and more confident group by the beginning of January, and that should make for an interesting final 16 regular-season games.

From the time Anastos was hired in late March, he stressed that he wanted his teams to play an aggressive style on offense and be exciting to watch. And at the same time, he wanted a team that was tough to play against.

Those are things the Spartan coach emphasizes each day --compete, play physical, pursue the puck and force the opposition to make mistakes and still be responsible defensively.

It would have been easy for Anastos to play it safe and stress a cautious style, trying to stay close in every game and hope for break here and there to try to pull out a victory. But he's building a program for the future, one with an offensive mindset and doesn't want to delay implementing that system.

He wants Spartan hockey to be known as a program that emphasizes speed, skill and goals. It's a must if MSU is to attract elite recruits.

Thus far, the players have taken small steps in adapting to the new style. Three weeks into the season, MSU has eight forwards with goals, including five with two apiece - seniors Brett Perlini and Trevor Nill, junior Kevin Walrod and sophomores Lee Reimer and Greg Wolfe.

While Perlini, MSU's top returning goal scorer with 18, had four goals in his first six games last season, Reimer had only two all season, his second coming in February.

Walrod scored three times last season, his first two coming in the Great Lakes Invitational in December. Wolfe also had three and wasn't scored until Jan. 21. Nill, a solid defensive forward, scored once last season and had a career-high two goals as a sophomore.

Juniors Anthony Hayes, Dean Chelios and Forfar, each with one goal, are also among the returning forwards with an opportunity to give the Spartans a better offensive presence.

Four freshmen forwards have seen playing time - Matt Berry, Tanner Sorenson, Justin Hoomaian and Brett Darnell. Berry has three assists in four games, while Sorenson has one assist in six contests.

"We're going through a learning curve and on Thursday it happened to go in our direction and work out,'' Anastos said. "If we can continue to play at that tempo, it's a fun way to play. It gives guys an opportunity to attack and feed off that energy.

"We're going through transition and the guys want to be successful. We just have to keep working at it.''