Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Meet Penn State This Weekend at Munn
2/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
| Games 25 & 26: No. -/19 Penn State (15-7-4, 7-2-1 B1G) vs. Michigan State (10-12-2, 4-4-2-2 B1G) | |
| Dates | Times | Fri., Feb. 13 - 7 p.m. | Sat., Feb. 14 - 6 p.m. |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Munn Ice Arena (6,470) |
| Tickets | MSUSpartans.com |
| TV | Fri. - Fox Sports Detroit | Sat. - BTN |
| Video Stream | BTN2Go |
| Gametracker | | |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network (Listen Live) | WJIM 1240-AM |
| Radio (Mobile) | Broadcast available on Spartan Sports Network Mobile App: iPhone/iPad | Android |
| Promotions | Friday - 4 Seats, 4 Treats | Saturday - Family Four Pack, Jr. Spartans Night |
| Game Notes | Penn State | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| Social Media | @MSU_Hockey  | Facebook  |
On The Fly...
• The Spartans will host Penn State in their only home series in the month of February ... PSU currently sits in second place in the Big Ten standings with 22 points, while MSU is in fourth with 16 points ... The Spartans are 3-2-1 in their last six games; the Nittany Lions are 6-0-2 in their last eight.
• In the two-game series earlier this season in State College, MSU won the shootout following a 2-2 tie in game one, while the Nittany Lions scored four unanswered goals to win game two, 5-2.
• Michigan State is 5-3-2 - with two shootout wins -over its last 10 games ... MSU is 4-4-2-2 in league play, two points behind third-place Minnesota.
• With 33 saves last Saturday vs. Michigan, junior goaltender Jake Hildebrand surpassed Norm Foster (1984-87) to move into ninth place on MSU's all-time saves list with 2,426 ... Hildebrand needs just five more to pass Ron Clark (1972-75) to move into eighth place ... Ryan Miller (1999-2002) is seventh with 2,600 career saves.
• Hildebrand leads the Big Ten in goals-against average (2.38) and save percentage (.920) ... He has played 99.1% of the Spartans' game action this season, which is the highest percentage of any goaltender in the nation ... Hildebrand has allowed two or fewer goals in 12 of 24 games this season, including six of the last eight.
• Michigan State continues to lead the Big Ten in penalty kill percentage at .867, which ranks 13th nationally ... The 11 power-play goals allowed by the Spartans are tied for the fifth fewest in the country ... MSU allowed one power-play goal in January (killing 16-of-17), tied for the fewest of any team in the nation during the month.
• The Spartans have been solid defensively over the last 10 games (since Dec. 6), leading the Big Ten and ranking 15th nationally in goals-against per game at (2.2) ... Since Dec. 6, MSU ranks ninth in penalty kill percentage at .897 and the three power-play goals allowed by the Spartans over the stretch are tied for the second fewest nationally.
• Senior Matt Berry leads the Spartans in points with 17 (8g, 9a) ... He has a 1-3-4 scoring line over the last four games ... Sophomore Mackenzie MacEachern (6g, 9a) and Michael Ferrantino (9g, 6a) both rank second on the team in points.
• Junior center Matt DeBlouw has scored in each of the last two games and has a 2-1-3 line over the last four contests ... After not scoring in 2013-14, DeBlouw's six goals this season are tied for third on the team.
• Captain Michael Ferrantino is the Spartans' active leader in points vs. Penn State, averaging a point per game (4g, 4a) in eight contests played against the Nittany Lions ... Senior defenseman Ron Boyd is a team-high plus-7 in eight-career games vs. PSU.
• The Spartans are 9-1-2 when scoring first and 9-0-2 when leading after two periods.
• Under head coach Tom Anastos, the Spartans are 46-7-5 when scoring three or more goals.
• MSU leads the league in goals against per game at 2.46, which ranks 24th nationally.
• The Spartans rank fifth in the nation and second in the Big Ten in blocked shots per game at 15.75.
From the Jan. 16-17 Series at Penn State...
The two teams tied game one, 2-2, with MSU picking up the extra point in a three-round shootout win courtesy of Brent Darnell ... Penn State scored two goals late in the second period and two early in the third to down MSU, 5-2, in game two ... MSU scored two goals in the first period in consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 1 (vs. Ferris State) and Nov. 7 (at UNH) ... Villiam Haag led MSU with a goal in both games and had an assist in game two ... The shootout win was MSU's second of the season ... Jake Hildebrand's 48 saves in the 2-2 deadlock tied his career high ... MSU killed all eight PSU power plays on the weekend ... Defenseman John Draeger missed the series with an injury.
Spartans Go 5-3-2 Over Their Last 10
• The Spartans are 5-3-2 since a 3-3 tie and shootout win over Minnesota on Dec. 6.
• Brent Darnell leads MSU with 11 points (5g, 6a) while six other players have at least five points, led by Villiam Haag (3g, 3a), Mackenzie MacEachern (2g, 4a) and Joe Cox (2g, 4a).
• Jake Hildebrand has two shutouts, a 2.07 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage.
• MSU is 7-for-32 (.219) on the power play and has extinguished 26-of-29 (.897) opponent opportunities.
• The Spartans have allowed two or fewer goals in six of the 10 games ... The 2.2 goals-against per game over the stretch leads the Big Ten and is 15th nationally.
• MSU has dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen in eight of the 10 games.
Penalty Kill Leads the Big Ten
After allowing five power-play goals in consecutive games against Minnesota, the Spartans rebounded to kill 21 consecutive opponent power plays over a seven-game stretch. That streak came to an end Jan. 30 vs. Michigan as the Wolverines scored on their first power-play try, but the Spartans have since extinguished five consecutive.
Since Dec. 14, Michigan State has the country's top penalty killing unit, boasting a .963 penalty kill percentage and allowing just one power-play goal, both of which lead the nation over the span.
Michigan State's .867 penalty kill percentage leads the Big Ten and ranks 13th in the nation. The 11 power play goals MSU has allowed this season are the fewest in the Big Ten and fifth-fewest in the country.
The Spartans' 21 consecutive penalty kills was their longest stretch since Nov. 10 - Dec. 7, 2012, when they also killed 21 straight over a six-game span.
Watch Tom
Hildebrand Sharp; Moving up in the Record Books
Jake Hildebrand has been a workhorse in goal for the Spartans this season, having started all 24 games. The heavy workload has only seemed to strengthen his play as he leads the Big Ten in goals-against average (2.38) and save percentage (.920). The native of Butler, Pennsylvania, has yielded two or fewer goals in 12 of 24 games this season, including six of the last eight. Hildebrand's second shutout of the season on Jan. 24 was the sixth of his career, tying him with Matt Migliaccio (2001-05), Ron Scott (1980-83) and Joe Selinger (1956-59) for sixth place on the Spartans' all-time shutout list. His next shutout will tie him with Bob Essensa (1983-87).
Hildebrand's 2,426-career saves are the ninth most in MSU history and he needs just five more to pass Ron Clark (1972-75) to move into eighth place. Ryan Miller (1999-2002) is seventh with 2,600 saves while Jeff Lerg (2005-09) is the Spartans' all-time saves leader with 3,996.
Recapping a 3-1-1 January
• The Spartans ended December by winning two of the last three games and then went 3-1-1 with a shootout win in the month of January.
• Jake Hildebrand posted a 1.77 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage in the first month of 2015.
• Ryan Keller and Villiam Haag led MSU with three goals each, while Haag (3g, 2a) and Brent Darnell (2g, 3a) both had a team-high five points.
Darnell, Ebbing and Keller Fitting Well
Brent Darnell, Thomas Ebbing and Ryan Keller have played together for the last 10 games and have been one of the Spartans' most consistent and dangerous lines, combining for 11 of the Spartans' 25 goals over the stretch. In fact, one of the three players has scored the game-winning goal in four of the Spartans' last five wins. Ebbing scored the game-winner in the 6-4 win over Clarkson (Dec. 14), while Darnell followed with the clincher in each of the next two victories - vs. Ferris State (Dec. 28) and Ohio State (Jan. 23). Keller got his first game-winning goal of the season in the 2-0 win over the Buckeyes (Jan. 24).
Additionally, Darnell had the shootout-winner at Penn State (Jan. 16) to give MSU the extra Big Ten point.
Darnell Steps Up
Senior Brent Darnell is on the best stretch of his career as he has at least a point in seven of the last 10 games, producing five goals and six assists over the span. Darnell started a five-game point streak (tying a career best) with a two-goal effort in a 3-3 tie and shootout win vs. Minnesota. He was named the Big Ten Third Star of the Week after scoring the game-winning goal vs. Ferris State and then adding an assist the following night. Against Ohio State Jan. 23-24, he tied a career high with three points (1g, 2a) in the 4-1 win and added another goal in the 2-0 win.
Darnell is tied for third on the team in goals (6) and is fourth in points (13). The senior from Canton has 54 points (24g, 30a) in a team high 128-career games.
In Big Ten Play...
• Brent Darnell leads MSU in goals (5) and points (8) ... Two of his five goals have come on the power play
• Travis Walsh, Matt Berry and Mackenzie MacEachern lead in assists (4)
• The Spartans have allowed two goals or fewer in five of 10 games
• Jake Hildebrand has a .927 save percentage and a 2.37 goals-against average
Sacrificing The Body
For the second consecutive season, Michigan State is among the nation's top teams in shot blocking. Currently the Spartans rank fifth nationally and second in the league behind Ohio State in blocked shots per game at 15.75. Defensive partners Travis Walsh (49) and Josh Jacobs (45) lead MSU in blocks.
Last year, MSU led the nation in blocked shots per game with an average of 17.67 and led all Big Ten teams in total blocked shots with 636, ranking fifth nationally. Walsh tied for first in the Big Ten and ninth in the nation in blocks last season with 85.
Growing List of Contributors
After combining for just three goals through the first 12 games, Joe Cox, Matt DeBlouw, Brent Darnell and Ryan Keller are the Spartans' top-four scorers over the last 12 games. MSU is 6-4-2 over the span and the four players have accounted for 15 of the team's 29 goals and 40% of the Spartans' points over the last 12 contests. Darnell (5g, 6a), Cox (2g, 5a), Keller (4g, 2a) and DeBlouw (4g, 3a) lead MSU over the 12-game stretch.
Carrier Headed to the NATA Hall of Fame
Longtime Michigan State hockey athletic trainer Dave Carrier has been elected to the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame, it was announced by the organization Feb. 2. Carrier, MSU's associate head athletic trainer, is in his 31st season with the Spartan hockey team and will be enshrined this June.
One of the most respected athletic trainers in the sport, Carrier's international hockey experience includes having served as the athletic trainer for the 1988 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team in Calgary, and the 1990 U.S. Hockey Team at the World Championship in Bern, Switzerland.
Spartans in the NHL
A total of 13 Spartans have seen action in the NHL so far this season:
• John-Michael Liles (Carolina Hurricanes)
• Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks)
• Corey Tropp (Columbus Blue Jackets)
• Shawn Horcoff (Dallas Stars)
• Justin Abdelkader (Detroit Red Wings)
• Drew Miller (Detroit Red Wings)
• Jeff Petry (Edmonton Oilers)
• Mike Weaver (Montreal Canadiens)
• Chris Mueller (New York Rangers)
• David Booth (Toronto Maple Leafs)
