Photo by: Michael Caples
Neil’s Notebook: Spartans Head Into Break on a Positive Note
12/16/2018 9:56:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
By Neil Koepke
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
EAST LANSING – Michigan State coach Danton Cole liked almost everything about the Spartans' exhibition game against the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 team on Saturday night at Munn Arena.
MSU had to compete against an energetic, highly skilled, fast team that played at a high tempo and challenged the Spartans in various game situations.
And to make things even better, Michigan State skated off with a 1-0 victory, thanks in part to solid goaltending by John Lethemon and Drew DeRidder and a 5-on-3 power-play goal by Patrick Khodorenko early in the third period.
"It was positive all the way around, and a good way to go into the (holiday) break mentally,'' Cole said.
But before the Spartans could claim victory, they had to survive a bizarre 3-on-0 break-in by the U.S. 18s with 24 seconds left in the third period. It came when MSU got caught in an untimely shift change and turned the puck over in the neutral zone.
Alex Turcotte raced into the MSU zone down the left wing and fed a wide-open Matthew Boldy in the middle. Boldy drove to the net and tried to beat DeRidder to the right corner but the Spartan freshman made the save and pounced on the loose puck before Turcotte, Boldy or Cole Caufield could reach the rebound.
"That was nerve-raking,'' said DeRidder, who played the last 8:15 of the second period and the third period, making 11 saves. "I was just thinking, 'It's getting near the end, just keep the puck down there.' And then, here we go, 3-on-0."
A three-man break-in with no defenders back is something you rarely see, and it's not that easy for the team with the puck. It happens fast and you just hope to make the right play. The U.S. team's three forwards didn't.
The Spartans survived and head into the 10-day break feeling upbeat and with a little more confidence.
"It's awesome, going into the break with a win like that,'' DeRidder said. "Last weekend, things didn't go to well so this was really good. Our first period was kind of tough. It was hard to get after it at the start. This week has been stressful with finals. But after the first period, we played pretty well.''
The Spartans outshot the U-18 team, 33-28, including a 15-8 edge in the third period, but each team created several good scoring opportunities.
"That's a good team. They didn't have that many shots on me, but it's a really talented team. They made some good plays but they didn't connect on everything, but you can tell they have good hockey sense,'' said DeRidder, who played for the U-18 team last season.
"They had a couple of possessions where they were in our zone for a minute, zipping back and forth and getting shot after shot. Those are really good kids.''
Lethemon was also very good in goal for the Spartans. He played the first 31 minutes and 45 seconds and made 17 saves, including a clutch breakaway stop on Boldy in the first period.
"I felt good. I thought I had a good game last Saturday (at Wisconsin) and I wanted to carry it on this weekend,'' Lethemon said. "Even though it was an exhibition game, it means a lot for us to come out and win it 1-0. You feel good going into the break. I just keep trying to be the best player in practice every day, and I feel that's what I've been doing.
"They jumped on us at the start and we had to weather through that and I thought we did a good job calming down. They had some good chances, a couple odd-man rushes, and I was prepared for those shots and reading them well.''
The only goal of the came off the stick of junior center Patrick Khodorenko at 4:34 of the third period and MSU on a 5-on-3 power play. Khodorenko set up freshman Dennis Cesana for a one-timer in the right circle.
U-18 goalie Cameron Rowe made the save, but the puck bounced to the right side of the net, and Khodorenko had an open net and didn't miss. Mitchell Lewandowski also earned an assist on the goal.
Seconds after the goal and MSU now on a 5-on-4 power play, U-18 defenseman Drew Helleson almost tied the game with a shot off a rush that clanked off the post, much to the delight of DeRidder, his teammates and MSU fans.
Later in the period, Rowe kept his team in the game with a spectacular save on MSU's Sam Saliba, who pounced a rebound near the edge of the crease on the left and was shooting at an open net. But Rowe quickly moved to his right and blocked the shot.
Cole was pleased with his two goaltenders, and the way Spartans battled through a sluggish start and elevated their game late in the first period and carried it over into the scoreless second period.
"Both of our goalies played real well. We made a bad mistake (to allow the 3-on-0 rush) and Drew bailed us out,'' he said. "Early on, they had the jump and it looked like we had a little bit of exam legs. But halfway through the first period, the guys got moving and stopped turning pucks over, and you definitely can't do that against a team like the U.S. team.
"But I thought it was a good hockey game. Both teams skated well and it was good for us and not because we ended up on the right side, but the overall tempo of the play was good. It was fast brand of hockey, something we're trying to push on our guys.
"We were able to get a lot of guys in the game. We played five lines and seven defensemen.''
The Spartans (6-9-1 overall, 2-5-1-1 Big Ten) were coming off two losses at Wisconsin, 5-3 and 3-0. In the first game, they were tied 3-3 going into the third period and in the second, MSU trailed only 1-0.
"We have to get over that hump and have a little swagger in how we play, and with a little more confidence and belief,'' Cole said. "We're a better team but we find ourselves in between sometimes.
"He who hesitates is last. We have to knock that hesitation out of our game.''
Of course, the Spartans' second-year coach was unhappy with his team getting caught with defensemen and forwards coming to the bench in the last minute, causing the 3-on-0 rush by the U-18s.
"The puck was in the neutral zone and everybody decided to change. There's a certain adage or saying in hockey that if you're the backside defenseman or winger and the puck is in the neutral zone, you can't change,'' Cole said. "If you're tired, tough luck, get off earlier. You can't screw the rest of the team by saying 'I'm tired' and getting off.
"That's something you have to learn. We go over those things, like where to dump the puck.''
On a positive note, the Spartans killed three U-18 power plays, allowing only two shots on goal, and were 1-for-4 on their power plays and had 10 shots on goal, including eight in the third period.
BREAK TIME: The Spartans are off for 10 days before returning for an afternoon practice on Dec. 27 at Munn Arena. They'll also practice on Dec. 28 and then leave for Detroit for the Great Lakes Invitational after practice on Dec. 29.
MSU plays Lake Superior State in the second GLI semifinal at 4 p.m. on Dec. 30 at Little Caesars Arena. In the GLI opener, Michigan faces Michigan Tech at 1 p.m. The third-place and championship games are set for 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 31.
Coach Danton Cole said his team is ready for time away from campus.
"It's a great time. It's been a tough road. They've been here since July. It's been go, go and go,'' he said. "In the Big Ten, we've played five of our last six games on the road. It takes a lot out of you.
"These guys are busy. There's a lot more they have to do. We didn't lift (weights) when I was here, and it seems like classes are harder and there's study halls and tutors.
"Physically, they're fine. Mentally they need to get away from everybody and go see family and friends, and get in a few good workouts and come back recharged for the second half.''
After the GLI, the Spartans will have a short week before meeting Ohio State for the first time this season in a home series on Jan. 4-5. The Buckeyes are the only Big Ten team MSU hasn't seen this year.
KHODORENKO TOUGH ON U.S. 18 TEAM: Over the last two seasons, MSU junior center Patrick Khodorenko has scored three goals, including two game-winners, against the U-18 team. The National Team Development Program alum scored two goals – one on a power play and one into an empty net – in the Spartans' 3-0 victory last season in Plymouth.
On Saturday, Khodorenko had the only goal, also on a power play, in a 1-0 victory. The Spartans took advantage of a 5-on-3 power play as the U.S. team took two penalties 12 seconds apart.
Khodorenko fired in a rebound at 4:34 of the third period, with Dennis Cesana and Mitchell Lewandowski assisting.
"It's kind of a set play on the 5-on-3,'' Khodorenko said. "Lewie passes it down to me (to the right of the net along the goal line) and Dennis comes in (to the right circle) for a one-timer. The rebound came right on my stick, with a wide-open net.''
Khodorenko played for the U.S. U-17 and U-18 teams in 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively, before coming to MSU.
Saturday's game was an exhibition game so statistics don't count in overall records. But Khodorenko, MSU's top goal-scorer (11) and tied for second in points (16), leads the Spartans with five power-play goals.
SPARTAN POTPOURRI: Coach Danton Cole gave junior left wing Taro Hirose the night off on Saturday, figuring that MSU's top offensive weapon was better served resting his body for the second half of the season than playing in an exhibition game.
"He's been banged up a little and he could have played, but we rely on him quite a bit so we thought it was a good night to give him a little bit of a rest,'' Cole said of Hirose, MSU's top scorer with seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points, third-best in the nation.
Hirose said he watched the game in the stands, up by the Spartan Alumni Band.
"It's only the second time I've watched a game from up there, and hopefully, the last one,'' he said.
Meanwhile, the Spartans played five forward lines and seven defensemen. Twin defensemen Cole and Christian Krygier were unhealthy scratches. Cole Krygier continues to recover from an injury and Christian Krygier was sidelined with an illness.
Sophomore David Keefer moved up to Patrick Khodorenko's line and played right wing, with Mitchell Lewandowski moving from his normal right wing spot to left wing in place of Hirose. Keefer and Khodorenko each had four shots on goal, while Lewandowski had one.
Michigan State has won five straight games from the U-18 team, and has allowed only one goal in the last three games. The Spartans won 5-1 in 2016 and 3-0 last season and now 1-0 this year.
U.S. U-18 center Alex Turcotte is the grandson of former Spartan forward Real Turcotte, who played at MSU from 1959-63. Real, a native of Montreal, had 32 goals and 60 assists for 92 points in 74 games in four seasons as a Spartan. He played in only nine games as a senior.
The U-18s played on Saturday without heralded center Jack Hughes, who's expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft in June. Hughes is attending the U.S National Junior Team training camp in Everett, Wash., in preparation for the World Junior Championships, Dec. 26-Jan. 5, in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia.
IN THE BIG TEN: Penn State and Princeton played to a 4-4 tie in a non-conference game on Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia. The No. 9 Nittany Lions (11-5-2, 3-4-1-1) held a 4-1 lead until late in the second period when the Tigers cut the deficit to 4-2.
Princeton then scored two goals in the last five minutes of the third period to send the game into overtime – a scoreless OT.
Penn State played without high-scoring forward Evan Barratt (13-16-29), who is at the U.S. National Junior Team tryout camp in Everett, Wash. Barratt's linemate, Alex Limoges, had an assist in the tie and now the two are tied for the national scoring lead with 29 points. Limoges has 10 goals and 19 assists.
Limoges shares the national assist lead with Michigan State's Taro Hirose (7-19-26).
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
EAST LANSING – Michigan State coach Danton Cole liked almost everything about the Spartans' exhibition game against the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 team on Saturday night at Munn Arena.
MSU had to compete against an energetic, highly skilled, fast team that played at a high tempo and challenged the Spartans in various game situations.
And to make things even better, Michigan State skated off with a 1-0 victory, thanks in part to solid goaltending by John Lethemon and Drew DeRidder and a 5-on-3 power-play goal by Patrick Khodorenko early in the third period.
"It was positive all the way around, and a good way to go into the (holiday) break mentally,'' Cole said.
But before the Spartans could claim victory, they had to survive a bizarre 3-on-0 break-in by the U.S. 18s with 24 seconds left in the third period. It came when MSU got caught in an untimely shift change and turned the puck over in the neutral zone.
Alex Turcotte raced into the MSU zone down the left wing and fed a wide-open Matthew Boldy in the middle. Boldy drove to the net and tried to beat DeRidder to the right corner but the Spartan freshman made the save and pounced on the loose puck before Turcotte, Boldy or Cole Caufield could reach the rebound.
"That was nerve-raking,'' said DeRidder, who played the last 8:15 of the second period and the third period, making 11 saves. "I was just thinking, 'It's getting near the end, just keep the puck down there.' And then, here we go, 3-on-0."
A three-man break-in with no defenders back is something you rarely see, and it's not that easy for the team with the puck. It happens fast and you just hope to make the right play. The U.S. team's three forwards didn't.
The Spartans survived and head into the 10-day break feeling upbeat and with a little more confidence.
"It's awesome, going into the break with a win like that,'' DeRidder said. "Last weekend, things didn't go to well so this was really good. Our first period was kind of tough. It was hard to get after it at the start. This week has been stressful with finals. But after the first period, we played pretty well.''
The Spartans outshot the U-18 team, 33-28, including a 15-8 edge in the third period, but each team created several good scoring opportunities.
"That's a good team. They didn't have that many shots on me, but it's a really talented team. They made some good plays but they didn't connect on everything, but you can tell they have good hockey sense,'' said DeRidder, who played for the U-18 team last season.
"They had a couple of possessions where they were in our zone for a minute, zipping back and forth and getting shot after shot. Those are really good kids.''
Lethemon was also very good in goal for the Spartans. He played the first 31 minutes and 45 seconds and made 17 saves, including a clutch breakaway stop on Boldy in the first period.
"I felt good. I thought I had a good game last Saturday (at Wisconsin) and I wanted to carry it on this weekend,'' Lethemon said. "Even though it was an exhibition game, it means a lot for us to come out and win it 1-0. You feel good going into the break. I just keep trying to be the best player in practice every day, and I feel that's what I've been doing.
"They jumped on us at the start and we had to weather through that and I thought we did a good job calming down. They had some good chances, a couple odd-man rushes, and I was prepared for those shots and reading them well.''
The only goal of the came off the stick of junior center Patrick Khodorenko at 4:34 of the third period and MSU on a 5-on-3 power play. Khodorenko set up freshman Dennis Cesana for a one-timer in the right circle.
U-18 goalie Cameron Rowe made the save, but the puck bounced to the right side of the net, and Khodorenko had an open net and didn't miss. Mitchell Lewandowski also earned an assist on the goal.
Seconds after the goal and MSU now on a 5-on-4 power play, U-18 defenseman Drew Helleson almost tied the game with a shot off a rush that clanked off the post, much to the delight of DeRidder, his teammates and MSU fans.
Later in the period, Rowe kept his team in the game with a spectacular save on MSU's Sam Saliba, who pounced a rebound near the edge of the crease on the left and was shooting at an open net. But Rowe quickly moved to his right and blocked the shot.
Cole was pleased with his two goaltenders, and the way Spartans battled through a sluggish start and elevated their game late in the first period and carried it over into the scoreless second period.
"Both of our goalies played real well. We made a bad mistake (to allow the 3-on-0 rush) and Drew bailed us out,'' he said. "Early on, they had the jump and it looked like we had a little bit of exam legs. But halfway through the first period, the guys got moving and stopped turning pucks over, and you definitely can't do that against a team like the U.S. team.
"But I thought it was a good hockey game. Both teams skated well and it was good for us and not because we ended up on the right side, but the overall tempo of the play was good. It was fast brand of hockey, something we're trying to push on our guys.
"We were able to get a lot of guys in the game. We played five lines and seven defensemen.''
The Spartans (6-9-1 overall, 2-5-1-1 Big Ten) were coming off two losses at Wisconsin, 5-3 and 3-0. In the first game, they were tied 3-3 going into the third period and in the second, MSU trailed only 1-0.
"We have to get over that hump and have a little swagger in how we play, and with a little more confidence and belief,'' Cole said. "We're a better team but we find ourselves in between sometimes.
"He who hesitates is last. We have to knock that hesitation out of our game.''
Of course, the Spartans' second-year coach was unhappy with his team getting caught with defensemen and forwards coming to the bench in the last minute, causing the 3-on-0 rush by the U-18s.
"The puck was in the neutral zone and everybody decided to change. There's a certain adage or saying in hockey that if you're the backside defenseman or winger and the puck is in the neutral zone, you can't change,'' Cole said. "If you're tired, tough luck, get off earlier. You can't screw the rest of the team by saying 'I'm tired' and getting off.
"That's something you have to learn. We go over those things, like where to dump the puck.''
On a positive note, the Spartans killed three U-18 power plays, allowing only two shots on goal, and were 1-for-4 on their power plays and had 10 shots on goal, including eight in the third period.
BREAK TIME: The Spartans are off for 10 days before returning for an afternoon practice on Dec. 27 at Munn Arena. They'll also practice on Dec. 28 and then leave for Detroit for the Great Lakes Invitational after practice on Dec. 29.
MSU plays Lake Superior State in the second GLI semifinal at 4 p.m. on Dec. 30 at Little Caesars Arena. In the GLI opener, Michigan faces Michigan Tech at 1 p.m. The third-place and championship games are set for 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 31.
Coach Danton Cole said his team is ready for time away from campus.
"It's a great time. It's been a tough road. They've been here since July. It's been go, go and go,'' he said. "In the Big Ten, we've played five of our last six games on the road. It takes a lot out of you.
"These guys are busy. There's a lot more they have to do. We didn't lift (weights) when I was here, and it seems like classes are harder and there's study halls and tutors.
"Physically, they're fine. Mentally they need to get away from everybody and go see family and friends, and get in a few good workouts and come back recharged for the second half.''
After the GLI, the Spartans will have a short week before meeting Ohio State for the first time this season in a home series on Jan. 4-5. The Buckeyes are the only Big Ten team MSU hasn't seen this year.
KHODORENKO TOUGH ON U.S. 18 TEAM: Over the last two seasons, MSU junior center Patrick Khodorenko has scored three goals, including two game-winners, against the U-18 team. The National Team Development Program alum scored two goals – one on a power play and one into an empty net – in the Spartans' 3-0 victory last season in Plymouth.
On Saturday, Khodorenko had the only goal, also on a power play, in a 1-0 victory. The Spartans took advantage of a 5-on-3 power play as the U.S. team took two penalties 12 seconds apart.
Khodorenko fired in a rebound at 4:34 of the third period, with Dennis Cesana and Mitchell Lewandowski assisting.
"It's kind of a set play on the 5-on-3,'' Khodorenko said. "Lewie passes it down to me (to the right of the net along the goal line) and Dennis comes in (to the right circle) for a one-timer. The rebound came right on my stick, with a wide-open net.''
Khodorenko played for the U.S. U-17 and U-18 teams in 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively, before coming to MSU.
Saturday's game was an exhibition game so statistics don't count in overall records. But Khodorenko, MSU's top goal-scorer (11) and tied for second in points (16), leads the Spartans with five power-play goals.
SPARTAN POTPOURRI: Coach Danton Cole gave junior left wing Taro Hirose the night off on Saturday, figuring that MSU's top offensive weapon was better served resting his body for the second half of the season than playing in an exhibition game.
"He's been banged up a little and he could have played, but we rely on him quite a bit so we thought it was a good night to give him a little bit of a rest,'' Cole said of Hirose, MSU's top scorer with seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points, third-best in the nation.
Hirose said he watched the game in the stands, up by the Spartan Alumni Band.
"It's only the second time I've watched a game from up there, and hopefully, the last one,'' he said.
Meanwhile, the Spartans played five forward lines and seven defensemen. Twin defensemen Cole and Christian Krygier were unhealthy scratches. Cole Krygier continues to recover from an injury and Christian Krygier was sidelined with an illness.
Sophomore David Keefer moved up to Patrick Khodorenko's line and played right wing, with Mitchell Lewandowski moving from his normal right wing spot to left wing in place of Hirose. Keefer and Khodorenko each had four shots on goal, while Lewandowski had one.
Michigan State has won five straight games from the U-18 team, and has allowed only one goal in the last three games. The Spartans won 5-1 in 2016 and 3-0 last season and now 1-0 this year.
U.S. U-18 center Alex Turcotte is the grandson of former Spartan forward Real Turcotte, who played at MSU from 1959-63. Real, a native of Montreal, had 32 goals and 60 assists for 92 points in 74 games in four seasons as a Spartan. He played in only nine games as a senior.
The U-18s played on Saturday without heralded center Jack Hughes, who's expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft in June. Hughes is attending the U.S National Junior Team training camp in Everett, Wash., in preparation for the World Junior Championships, Dec. 26-Jan. 5, in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia.
IN THE BIG TEN: Penn State and Princeton played to a 4-4 tie in a non-conference game on Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia. The No. 9 Nittany Lions (11-5-2, 3-4-1-1) held a 4-1 lead until late in the second period when the Tigers cut the deficit to 4-2.
Princeton then scored two goals in the last five minutes of the third period to send the game into overtime – a scoreless OT.
Penn State played without high-scoring forward Evan Barratt (13-16-29), who is at the U.S. National Junior Team tryout camp in Everett, Wash. Barratt's linemate, Alex Limoges, had an assist in the tie and now the two are tied for the national scoring lead with 29 points. Limoges has 10 goals and 19 assists.
Limoges shares the national assist lead with Michigan State's Taro Hirose (7-19-26).
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