Spartans Meet Ferris State in Home-and-Home Series

Friday, November 2

East Lansing, Mich.

7:00 P.M. ET

Michigan State University

Ferris State

10/31/2018 4:09:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Games 5-6: Ferris State (3-3 | 2-0 WCHA) vs Michigan State (3-1 | 0-0 B1G)
Dates | Times: Friday, Nov. 2 | 7 p.m. // Saturday, Nov. 3 | 7 p.m.
Locations: Friday – Munn Ice Arena | Saturday – Ewigleben Arena
Tickets: MSUSpartans.com
Web Stream: Friday – BTN Plus | Saturday – FloHockey.tv
Live Stats: MSUSpartans.com
Radio: Spartan Sports Network (Listen Live) | Local: WJIM 1240-AM
SSN Mobile App: iPhone/iPad | Android
Game Notes: Michigan State | Ferris State | Big Ten
Social Media: @MSU_Hockey

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On The Fly…
• The Spartans take on Ferris State in a home-and-home series after sweeping eighth-ranked Cornell on the road last weekend (5-2, 4-3) to improve to 3-1, winning three of their first four games for the first time since the start of the 2009-10 season.

• Puck drop for Friday's game at Munn is set for 7 p.m., while the teams will square off at 7:07 on Saturday in Big Rapids.

• The sweep was the Spartans' first of a top-10 opponent on the road since Feb. 2012 at No. 10 Ohio State (6-3, 3-2) … It was MSU's first road sweep since Feb. 2016 at Wisconsin … Dating back to last season, MSU has won its last three regular season road games vs. top-10 opponents.

• November will be the Spartans' busiest month of the season with nine games.

• Taro Hirose was named the NCAA and Big Ten First Star of the Week on Tuesday after producing six points (2g, 4a) in the sweep of Cornell … Hirose had the game-winning goal in both games and had two assists in both games as well.

• Hirose is third in the Big Ten in points with nine (4g, 5a) and his 2.25 points per game average leads the nation among players that have played more than one game … Dating back to last season, Hirose has points in each of the last seven games (5-9--14) … His current four game goal-scoring streak is the longest of his career.

• Mitchell Lewandowski (2-5--7) and Sam Saliba (2-2--4) also have points in all four games this season … Saliba's four game streak matches the longest of his career.

• The Spartans scored a total of nine goals vs. Cornell, which led the country in 2017-18 in goals allowed per game at 1.58 … MSU is averaging 4.0 goals per game, which ranks 12th nationally.

• Michigan State has recorded a power-play goal in all four games and its 33.3% power play percentage ranks fourth in the country … Patrick Khodorenko is one of nine players in the Big Ten with two power-play goals.

• The KHL line (Khodorenko, Hirose and Lewandowski) accounted for 11 (4g, 7a) of the Spartans' 21 points vs. Cornell … This season, the trio has combined for 19 points (8g, 11a) – 47% of MSU's total … Last season as all three players had at least 30 points, marking the first time since 2011-12 MSU has had three players with at least 30 points.

• John Lethemon posted a .932 save percentage in starting both games last weekend … Lethemon made a season-high 36 saves in the 4-3 victory, 17 of which came on eight Cornell power plays ... He is 3-0 with a 2.34 GAA and .927 save percentage this season.

• The Spartans have outscored opponents by a 9-4 margin in the third period this season … The Spartans' average of 2.25 goals per third period leads the country … MSU is plus-5 in goal margin this season.

About Ferris State
Ferris State is coming off a sweep of Alaska Anchorage (4-0, 3-2) in Big Rapids this past weekend … FSU has played five of its six games at home, with its one road game a loss at Western Michigan (5-0) … The Bulldogs are averaging 2.67 goals per game and are surrendering an average of 2.67 goals per game … The power play is operating at just over 20% at 6-for-29 (20.7%), while FSU has extinguished 26-of-30 opponent power plays … Corey Mackin and Nate Kallen both lead in assists with five apiece, while freshman Hunter Wendt leads in goals with three … Freshman goaltender Roni Salmenkangas is 3-0 with a .934 save percentage and 1.52 goals-against average.

Against Ferris State
MSU leads the all-time series, 73-37-15 … Michigan State has won each of the last three meetings and five of the last six vs. the Bulldogs dating back to Nov. 2014 … Taro Hirose (1g, 3a), Mitchell Lewandowski (3g, 1a) and Patrick Khodorenko (4a) are the Spartans' active leaders in points vs. FSU … John Lethemon started both games in goal in last season's sweep of FSU, posting a 1.46 GAA and .949 save percentage in the series.

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Of Note Last Weekend vs. Cornell
Eleven different Spartans registered a point, led by Taro Hirose (2g, 4a), Mitchell Lewandowski (1g, 3a), Dennis Cesana (1g, 1a) and Sam Saliba (1g, 1a) … Goaltender John Lethemon made 30-plus saves in both games (32 and 36, respectively) , posting a .932 save percentage in the series … The Spartans extinguished all five Cornell power plays in the opening and 11 of 13 on the weekend … MSU was 2-for-6 on the power play … Sam Saliba scored shorthanded in the opener, marking the first time Cornell allowed a shorthanded goal in over a year as the Big Red did not allow one in all of 2017-18.

Hirose Starting Fast Again
For the second straight season, junior Taro Hirose is off to a quick start. He had points in each of the first six games to start 2017-18, posting a 2-7--9 scoring line over the stretch, and this season has goals and points in all four games. Hirose has a 4-5--9 line over the first four games, including two game-winning goals.

After six points last weekend in the sweep of No. 8 Cornell, the NCAA and Big Ten First Star of the Week is averaging a point per game in his career with 75 points (22g, 53a) in 74 games.

The second-team All-Big Ten selection finished last season with a team-high 42 points (12g, 30a).

Specialty Notes
The Spartans went 1-for-3 in the power play in both games at Cornell … MSU has a power-play goal in all four games this season and its 33.3% conversion rate (5-for-15) ranks fourth in the country … The Spartans killed all five Cornell power plays in the opener and limited the Big Red to 2-for-8 the following night … The eight power plays on Saturday were the most by a Spartan opponent since Feb. 2017 at Michigan … Patrick Khodorenko leads MSU in power-play goals (2) and is also the teams' active career leader in power-play goals (11).

For Comparison's Sake
In comparing the first four games of 2018-19 to the first four games of 2017-18, the Spartans are better in just about every category, including: goals per game (4.0 in 2018-19 vs. 2.75 in 2017-18); goals-against average (2.75 in 2018-19 vs. 3.25 in 2017-18); power-play (33.3% in 2018-19 vs. 26.3% in 2017-18) and penalty kill (82.6% in 2018-19 vs. 73.6% in 2017-18).

All KHL
Since playing together in the first game of last season, Patrick Khodorenko (2-1--3), Taro Hirose (4-5--9) and Mitchell Lewandowski (2-5--7) have combined to form one of the Big Ten's – and college hockey's – most dangerous lines. Last season, they produced a total of 108 points (44 goals, 64 assists) in playing together in all 36 games. The trio makes Michigan State the only Big Ten team to return its top three point producers from 2017-18. All three players were voted to the Big Ten's preseason Players to Watch list.

Khodorenko – Leads MSU with two power-play goals ... Tied with Hirose for the active career lead in goals (22) ... Ranked 12th in the Big Ten and third on the team in points (32) last season

Hirose – His 2.25 point per game average leads the country ... Has two game-winning goals ... Has points in each of the last seven games dating back to last season ... Has three multi-point games this season and 20 in his career ... Averaging a point per game in his career (75 points in 74 games) ... 2018 All-Big Ten second team … His 42 points were the most by a Spartan since Corey Tropp had the same number in 2009-10 … Was the fourth Spartan since 2007-08 to eclipse the 40-point plateau … His 30 assists were the most since Jim Slater in 2004-05 (32)

Lewandowski – Has points in all four games, marking the third point streak of at least four games in his career ... Had a season-high three points (1g, 2a) at Cornell (10/27) ... 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and only unanimous selection to the Big Ten All-Freshman team … Led all rookies nationally in goals (19) and tied for the most in the Big Ten (among all players) during the regular season … Was the first MSU freshman to score at least 19 goals since 1997-98 (Rustyn Dolyny).

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Of Note vs. Northern Michigan
Eleven different Spartans recorded a point in the opening series, including five that had a point in both games … The Spartans had a .526 winning percentage in the faceoff circle … MSU killed the Wildcats' first five power plays of the series and extinguished 8 of 10 on the weekend … The Spartans averaged 37.0 shots in goal in the two games and the 45 shots in the opener were the most in a game by MSU since Dec. 2014 … MSU outscored NMU by a combined margin of 4-1 in the third period.

Early Season Noteables
• Michigan State returns 89% of its point production and 93% of its goal scoring from last season, both of which are fourth-most nationally and the most in the Big Ten.

• The Spartans' top four scorers from 2017-18 are all back - Taro Hirose (12-30--42), Mitchell Lewandowski (19-15--34), Patrick Khodorenko (13-19--32) and Cody Milan (6-15--21).

• MSU has 21 returning letterwinners (three seniors; 10 juniors; eight sophomores) and welcomes seven freshmen ... The three seniors is tied for the fewest among all NCAA teams.

• MSU brings back one of college hockey's top-scoring lines in Patrick Khodorenko, Taro Hirose and Mitchell Lewandowski as the trio combined for 108 points (44% of the Spartans' team total) last season … All three players had at least 30 points, marking the first time since 2011-12 MSU has had three players with at least 30 points.

• Khodorenko, Hirose (unanimous) and Lewandowski were all voted to the Big Ten's 15-player Preseason Watch List.

• Hirose earned second team All-Big Ten honors last season in recording the most points (42) by a Spartan since 2009-10 and most assists (30) by a Spartan since 2004-05.

• Lewandowski was the 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year as his team-leading 19 goals tied for the most in the Big Ten during the regular season … He ended the year first in the nation among all rookies in goals and fourth in points among freshmen.

• On the blue line, MSU returns all but Carson Gatt from last season … Tommy Miller and Jerad Rosburg played in all 36 games, while Zach Osburn is the team's most experienced returning player having appeared in 109 career games.

Saliba Gets The 'C'
Sam Saliba is the 72nd player in program history to be named team captain. The junior, who was one of three assistant captains last season, was voted team captain by his teammates in the offseason. Saliba has never missed a game in his two seasons, appearing in all 71 contests since the start of the 2016 season.

Joining Saliba in the Spartans' leadership group for 2018-19 as assistant captains are seniors Brennan Sanford and Cody Milan; junior Taro Hirose; and sophomore Tommy Apap. The assistants will alternate duties with two of the four wearing A's each game. Sanford was one of three assistant captains last season.

Board Approves – Munn to Get Major Upgrades
With a vote on August 31, the Michigan State University Board of Trustees voted to authorize the planning phase of the estimated $16 million Munn Ice Arena addition. The new addition, which will occur outside building's footprint on the south side, will include a hall of history, new locker rooms, weight room, video room and team offices among other amenities.

The 44-year-old arena has received several major upgrades since 2013, including: new lighting, high-definition video boards, LED ribbon boards, increased chairback seating and replacement of all bleachers, ice plant, boards and glass.