Neil’s Notebook: Key Returners, New Faces Ready to Make an Impact
9/26/2018 10:03:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
By Neil Koepke
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
EAST LANSING – Mitchell Lewandowski, Michigan State's standout sophomore right wing and last season's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, believes this year's Spartans are going to surprise a lot of college hockey followers.
The reasons for his optimism?
"And we have a strong freshmen class. They're all good players and there's going to be a day when they're all in the lineup. We're looking forward to it.''
In the recent Big Ten Coaches' Preseason Poll, Michigan State was picked to finish seventh. It's probably not so much that the league's coaches believe that the Spartans aren't good but more than the conference is so strong that it's tough for teams to move up.
"We're not focusing on the rankings, but we're going into the season with a chip on our shoulder,'' said Lewandowski, a 5-foot-9, 177-pounder from Clarkson who was MSU's top goal-scorer with 19 and second-leading scorer with 34 points in 36 games in 2017-18.
"We'll go into every game with drive and try to prove people wrong. We want results and I think we'll turn heads.''
Lewandowski will be counted on heavily this season along with returning linemates Taro Hirose and Patrick Khodorenko. The trio last season developed into one of the most productive and exciting forward lines in the nation.
Hirose, a 5-foot-10, 165-pound left wing from Calgary, led the Spartans in scoring last season with 12 goals and a team-high 30 assists for 42 points, while Khodorenko, a 6-foot, 201-pound center from Walnut Creek, Calif., was third in team scoring with 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points. Both Hirose and Khodorenko also played in all of MSU's 36 games.
"Playing with my linemates and getting more chemistry is a big thing for me,'' Lewandowski said. "We can get better. We have to be better on the power play and on 5-on-5, it's keep pucks out of our net. Defense is a big one for our line. No being out there for goals against – just the ones we put in.''
Michigan State scored 91 goals and accumulated 245 points last season. The Hirose-Khodorenko-Lewandowski line accounted for 44 goals (48.3 percent) and 108 points (44 percent).
"It'll be a harder this season with teams watching us more so we just need to bring that consistency every night and have no off-nights,'' Hirose said. "If we show up every game and do what we can do, we give our team a good chance to win.''
Coach Danton Cole believes his high-scoring line can improve and be even more effective, especially defensively.
"Their consistency was amazing last year. They had the odd game where they didn't get some stuff done, but night-in and night-out they faced the other teams' top defensemen and top defensive line and produced and produced and produced right to the bitter end, playing Ohio State and Notre Dame at the end of the year,'' Cole said.
"But what we need out of that line is to bring a certain amount of swagger. If they make great plays and score goals or have a great shift or Taro makes a great pass, it buoys the bench and you can feel the energy and confidence.
"I think they can pressure the puck better on the way back (into the neutral or defensive zones), I think they can drive the net more on offense and not be quite as perimeter. Whether they get more points or not, I don't know, but I think they will be a better line and that will be good for all of us.''
So while the No. 1 line is set, the focus for Cole and his coaching staff is to develop two and three more lines that can provide secondary scoring and take some pressure off the Hirose-Khodorenko-Lewandowski unit.
The candidates for making an impact offensively include several returning forwards – seniors Cody Milan and Brennan Sanford, juniors Sam Saliba and Logan Lambdin and sophomores David Keefer, Tommy Apap, Jake Smith, Brody Stevens, Gianluca Esteves and Austin Kamer.
In addition, three freshmen will try to help MSU on offense – center Adam Goodsir, center Wojciech Stachowiak and center/left wing Mitch Mattson.
"I think Milan, Saliba and Lambdin will have big years,'' Hirose said. "And the freshmen – Mattson, Goodsir and Stachowiak – have looked good. They'll have a chance to play and I think they can put the puck in the net.''
Cole said two center spots are pretty much set – Khodorenko and Apap, a strong faceoff man and defensive player, on the fourth line. Experimentation and competition continue in practice for the next two weeks leading up to MSU's season-opening series against Northern Michigan, Oct. 12-13, at Munn Arena.
"We've been trying a lot of guys. Sam Saliba still does a good job for us, and while I think he'll eventually probably move back to the wing, where's he's more comfortable, as a junior and captain we might need him early on,'' Cole said.
"The three freshmen – Mattson, Goodsir and Stachowiak – those are all centers. You've got Gino (Gianluca) coming back from last year, so we have some depth. And all of these guys can play the wing as well. The guys will sort it out. Players decide ice time.''
Watch Coach Cole's Media Day Press Conference
QUICK HITS: Although the Spartans don't start official practice until Oct. 6, they've been on the ice working on drills four hours a week since school started late last month. Under new NCAA rules, teams can have team activities for eight hours a week – four hours on the ice and four in meetings or conditioning – from the first day of classes until Oct. 6. Then, teams can start their regular-season practice routine.
MSU will play a Green and White intrasquad game, featuring two 15-minute periods, at 7 p.m. on Oct. 3 at Munn Arena and play an exhibition game against the University of Windsor at 4 p.m. on Oct. 7, also at Munn Arena.
The Spartans are coming off a seventh-place finish in 2017-18 with a Big Ten record of 6-16-2 and an overall mark of 12-22-2. Notre Dame finished first in the Big Ten, won the conference playoff title and advanced to the Frozen Four final, losing to Minnesota-Duluth, 2-1.
DEPTH ON DEFENSE: The only loss to graduation on the MSU defensive corps was senior Carson Gott, who logged a lot of minutes playing in key situations, including the power play. With six defensemen returning and three freshmen joining the group, the Spartans will have nine players competing for six spots. Although, since a new NCAA rule allows teams to dress 21 players, teams could dress seven defensemen and 12 forwards or 13 forwards and six defensemen.
Returning on the blue line are senior Zach Osburn, junior Jerad Rosburg, sophomore Tommy Miller, and juniors Butrus Ghafari, Damian Chrcek and Anthony Scarsella.
Three recruited freshmen will make solid cases to be in the lineup – Dennis Cesana and twins Cole and Christian Krygier, brothers of former Spartan defenseman Brock Krygier (2012-15).
Cesana, a 5-foot-9, 180-pound right-hand shooting d-man from Providence, R.I., is a highly skilled, puck-moving defenseman who is expected to anchor the power play. Cole Krygier, 6-2, 191 pounds, and Christian Krygier, 6-2, 193, are known as stay-at-home defensemen but are capable of joining the rush. The Krygiers, who are from Novi, both shoot left.
"Our freshmen defensemen have done a really nice job. I think their hockey pedigree and the amount of ice time they have had in high-level competitions have shown,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "Cesana is slotted in on the power play with the four guys back from last year (Taro Hirose, Patrick Khodorenko, Mitchell Lewandowski and Cody Milan).
"He's really a natural there. He's got a good hockey IQ and a real understanding of how to flow up top on the power play. He and Taro interchange and work the puck really well together.
"We paired him up with older guys and he's been with Jerad Rosburg a lot. Jerad has done a great job leadership-wise in helping him through practice. But defensively, (Dennis) is good. He's not big and physical but he's got an outstanding stick and defends fairly well and that will keep getting better.''
The Krygier brothers will provide MSU will some size back on the blue line.
"They're big guys, have a lot of reach, skate well and have good vision,'' Osburn said of Cole and Christian. "Cesana isn't as big but he brings good offensive ability. He's a good puck mover and good skater. I think we'll have more versatility in our defensive corps.
"With the freshmen coming in – forwards, too – we're going to be a lot bigger this year. This is the best team I'm ever going to be a part of here so I'm excited. I think the pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together.''
With new faces and strong competition for spots in the lineup, Rosburg believes the Spartans will be much better defensively this season.
"Last year we got a lot of valuable playing time with a defensive corps that's coming back, and we get three good, young defensemen,'' Rosburg said. "They've done very well in practice. The Krygiers bring good size and Cesana has poise and good offensive ability.
"With our experience from returning defensemen, depth and the freshmen, I think we'll mesh well.''
Since Rosburg red-shirted his first season after season-ending knee surgery, he's in his fourth year in the program and has two years of eligibility remaining. So, he's been around for three frustrating seasons and is eager to see things turn around starting this year.
"I just want to win. That's the more important thing for me,'' he said. "It's been a tough road the first few years I've been here. This year, it's really important that not only do we take a step but that we take a large step forward, get back in the win column and put this hockey school back on the map.''
GOALTENDING WIDE OPEN: Michigan State heads into the season feeling very good about its goaltending. John Lethemon, a junior, played in 34 of the Spartans' 36 games last season and played very well at times. He's looking to be a solid force in his third season in the program.
Lethemon will be challenged by highly touted freshmen Drew DeRidder, who spent last season playing for the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 Team in Plymouth.
Coach Danton Cole said he's not established a No. 1 goalie and that the starter will be determined by competition - who's playing better and gives the team the best chance to win.
"I'm not a fan of guarantees. Maybe if Ryan Miller is here and wants to come back and if he has another year, you sneak him in,'' Cole said with laugh. "It's going to be who is playing well. We'll go into it like we did last year where they'll battle it out – splitting some games and whichever way it goes, it goes.
"John did a great job for us last year and we expect that out of him this year. But we also expect Drew to push him.''
Lethemon won the starting job in a battle with Ed Minney early last season and he's eager to lift his game to higher level this year and play as many games as possible. That, of course, is DeRidder's goal, too.
"I'm taking things day by day and don't get to caught up in results. I want to getter every day, every game and work on things I can control,'' Lethemon said. "Drew and I will push each other but I don't see it as competing against each other. We're competing against the guys coming down the ice and shooting on us.
"He'll push me and I'll push him. But we'll support each other. We just want what is best for team and win. With so many players a year older, with more experience and us bringing in some top-notch players, there's a lot to be excited about.''
DeRidder, like all the freshmen and all but two of the returning players, has been on campus since early July. After three months, he's comfortable with school, has gotten to know his teammates well and is eager to show what he can do in the goal crease.
"This is probably the fastest I've ever bonded with the kids on a team. It was really cool being here in the summer and around the guys,'' said DeRidder, 18, a 5-foot-10, 167-pounder from Fenton. "I think I'm in a good place now. You can always get better. I can always get faster and stronger. I'm working with the coaches to improve everything I can.
"I definitely want to play a lot. Over the next four years, I want to win at least one national championship, if not more. I know I can be a big part of that.''
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
EAST LANSING – Mitchell Lewandowski, Michigan State's standout sophomore right wing and last season's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, believes this year's Spartans are going to surprise a lot of college hockey followers.
The reasons for his optimism?
- A more balanced offense.
- Better defense.
- Strong goaltending.
- Improved special teams.
"And we have a strong freshmen class. They're all good players and there's going to be a day when they're all in the lineup. We're looking forward to it.''
In the recent Big Ten Coaches' Preseason Poll, Michigan State was picked to finish seventh. It's probably not so much that the league's coaches believe that the Spartans aren't good but more than the conference is so strong that it's tough for teams to move up.
"We're not focusing on the rankings, but we're going into the season with a chip on our shoulder,'' said Lewandowski, a 5-foot-9, 177-pounder from Clarkson who was MSU's top goal-scorer with 19 and second-leading scorer with 34 points in 36 games in 2017-18.
"We'll go into every game with drive and try to prove people wrong. We want results and I think we'll turn heads.''
Lewandowski will be counted on heavily this season along with returning linemates Taro Hirose and Patrick Khodorenko. The trio last season developed into one of the most productive and exciting forward lines in the nation.
Hirose, a 5-foot-10, 165-pound left wing from Calgary, led the Spartans in scoring last season with 12 goals and a team-high 30 assists for 42 points, while Khodorenko, a 6-foot, 201-pound center from Walnut Creek, Calif., was third in team scoring with 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points. Both Hirose and Khodorenko also played in all of MSU's 36 games.
"Playing with my linemates and getting more chemistry is a big thing for me,'' Lewandowski said. "We can get better. We have to be better on the power play and on 5-on-5, it's keep pucks out of our net. Defense is a big one for our line. No being out there for goals against – just the ones we put in.''
Michigan State scored 91 goals and accumulated 245 points last season. The Hirose-Khodorenko-Lewandowski line accounted for 44 goals (48.3 percent) and 108 points (44 percent).
"It'll be a harder this season with teams watching us more so we just need to bring that consistency every night and have no off-nights,'' Hirose said. "If we show up every game and do what we can do, we give our team a good chance to win.''
Coach Danton Cole believes his high-scoring line can improve and be even more effective, especially defensively.
"Their consistency was amazing last year. They had the odd game where they didn't get some stuff done, but night-in and night-out they faced the other teams' top defensemen and top defensive line and produced and produced and produced right to the bitter end, playing Ohio State and Notre Dame at the end of the year,'' Cole said.
"But what we need out of that line is to bring a certain amount of swagger. If they make great plays and score goals or have a great shift or Taro makes a great pass, it buoys the bench and you can feel the energy and confidence.
"I think they can pressure the puck better on the way back (into the neutral or defensive zones), I think they can drive the net more on offense and not be quite as perimeter. Whether they get more points or not, I don't know, but I think they will be a better line and that will be good for all of us.''
So while the No. 1 line is set, the focus for Cole and his coaching staff is to develop two and three more lines that can provide secondary scoring and take some pressure off the Hirose-Khodorenko-Lewandowski unit.
The candidates for making an impact offensively include several returning forwards – seniors Cody Milan and Brennan Sanford, juniors Sam Saliba and Logan Lambdin and sophomores David Keefer, Tommy Apap, Jake Smith, Brody Stevens, Gianluca Esteves and Austin Kamer.
In addition, three freshmen will try to help MSU on offense – center Adam Goodsir, center Wojciech Stachowiak and center/left wing Mitch Mattson.
"I think Milan, Saliba and Lambdin will have big years,'' Hirose said. "And the freshmen – Mattson, Goodsir and Stachowiak – have looked good. They'll have a chance to play and I think they can put the puck in the net.''
Cole said two center spots are pretty much set – Khodorenko and Apap, a strong faceoff man and defensive player, on the fourth line. Experimentation and competition continue in practice for the next two weeks leading up to MSU's season-opening series against Northern Michigan, Oct. 12-13, at Munn Arena.
"We've been trying a lot of guys. Sam Saliba still does a good job for us, and while I think he'll eventually probably move back to the wing, where's he's more comfortable, as a junior and captain we might need him early on,'' Cole said.
"The three freshmen – Mattson, Goodsir and Stachowiak – those are all centers. You've got Gino (Gianluca) coming back from last year, so we have some depth. And all of these guys can play the wing as well. The guys will sort it out. Players decide ice time.''
Watch Coach Cole's Media Day Press Conference
QUICK HITS: Although the Spartans don't start official practice until Oct. 6, they've been on the ice working on drills four hours a week since school started late last month. Under new NCAA rules, teams can have team activities for eight hours a week – four hours on the ice and four in meetings or conditioning – from the first day of classes until Oct. 6. Then, teams can start their regular-season practice routine.
MSU will play a Green and White intrasquad game, featuring two 15-minute periods, at 7 p.m. on Oct. 3 at Munn Arena and play an exhibition game against the University of Windsor at 4 p.m. on Oct. 7, also at Munn Arena.
The Spartans are coming off a seventh-place finish in 2017-18 with a Big Ten record of 6-16-2 and an overall mark of 12-22-2. Notre Dame finished first in the Big Ten, won the conference playoff title and advanced to the Frozen Four final, losing to Minnesota-Duluth, 2-1.
DEPTH ON DEFENSE: The only loss to graduation on the MSU defensive corps was senior Carson Gott, who logged a lot of minutes playing in key situations, including the power play. With six defensemen returning and three freshmen joining the group, the Spartans will have nine players competing for six spots. Although, since a new NCAA rule allows teams to dress 21 players, teams could dress seven defensemen and 12 forwards or 13 forwards and six defensemen.
Returning on the blue line are senior Zach Osburn, junior Jerad Rosburg, sophomore Tommy Miller, and juniors Butrus Ghafari, Damian Chrcek and Anthony Scarsella.
Three recruited freshmen will make solid cases to be in the lineup – Dennis Cesana and twins Cole and Christian Krygier, brothers of former Spartan defenseman Brock Krygier (2012-15).
Cesana, a 5-foot-9, 180-pound right-hand shooting d-man from Providence, R.I., is a highly skilled, puck-moving defenseman who is expected to anchor the power play. Cole Krygier, 6-2, 191 pounds, and Christian Krygier, 6-2, 193, are known as stay-at-home defensemen but are capable of joining the rush. The Krygiers, who are from Novi, both shoot left.
"Our freshmen defensemen have done a really nice job. I think their hockey pedigree and the amount of ice time they have had in high-level competitions have shown,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "Cesana is slotted in on the power play with the four guys back from last year (Taro Hirose, Patrick Khodorenko, Mitchell Lewandowski and Cody Milan).
"He's really a natural there. He's got a good hockey IQ and a real understanding of how to flow up top on the power play. He and Taro interchange and work the puck really well together.
"We paired him up with older guys and he's been with Jerad Rosburg a lot. Jerad has done a great job leadership-wise in helping him through practice. But defensively, (Dennis) is good. He's not big and physical but he's got an outstanding stick and defends fairly well and that will keep getting better.''
The Krygier brothers will provide MSU will some size back on the blue line.
"They're big guys, have a lot of reach, skate well and have good vision,'' Osburn said of Cole and Christian. "Cesana isn't as big but he brings good offensive ability. He's a good puck mover and good skater. I think we'll have more versatility in our defensive corps.
"With the freshmen coming in – forwards, too – we're going to be a lot bigger this year. This is the best team I'm ever going to be a part of here so I'm excited. I think the pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together.''
With new faces and strong competition for spots in the lineup, Rosburg believes the Spartans will be much better defensively this season.
"Last year we got a lot of valuable playing time with a defensive corps that's coming back, and we get three good, young defensemen,'' Rosburg said. "They've done very well in practice. The Krygiers bring good size and Cesana has poise and good offensive ability.
"With our experience from returning defensemen, depth and the freshmen, I think we'll mesh well.''
Since Rosburg red-shirted his first season after season-ending knee surgery, he's in his fourth year in the program and has two years of eligibility remaining. So, he's been around for three frustrating seasons and is eager to see things turn around starting this year.
"I just want to win. That's the more important thing for me,'' he said. "It's been a tough road the first few years I've been here. This year, it's really important that not only do we take a step but that we take a large step forward, get back in the win column and put this hockey school back on the map.''
GOALTENDING WIDE OPEN: Michigan State heads into the season feeling very good about its goaltending. John Lethemon, a junior, played in 34 of the Spartans' 36 games last season and played very well at times. He's looking to be a solid force in his third season in the program.
Lethemon will be challenged by highly touted freshmen Drew DeRidder, who spent last season playing for the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 Team in Plymouth.
Coach Danton Cole said he's not established a No. 1 goalie and that the starter will be determined by competition - who's playing better and gives the team the best chance to win.
"I'm not a fan of guarantees. Maybe if Ryan Miller is here and wants to come back and if he has another year, you sneak him in,'' Cole said with laugh. "It's going to be who is playing well. We'll go into it like we did last year where they'll battle it out – splitting some games and whichever way it goes, it goes.
"John did a great job for us last year and we expect that out of him this year. But we also expect Drew to push him.''
Lethemon won the starting job in a battle with Ed Minney early last season and he's eager to lift his game to higher level this year and play as many games as possible. That, of course, is DeRidder's goal, too.
"I'm taking things day by day and don't get to caught up in results. I want to getter every day, every game and work on things I can control,'' Lethemon said. "Drew and I will push each other but I don't see it as competing against each other. We're competing against the guys coming down the ice and shooting on us.
"He'll push me and I'll push him. But we'll support each other. We just want what is best for team and win. With so many players a year older, with more experience and us bringing in some top-notch players, there's a lot to be excited about.''
DeRidder, like all the freshmen and all but two of the returning players, has been on campus since early July. After three months, he's comfortable with school, has gotten to know his teammates well and is eager to show what he can do in the goal crease.
"This is probably the fastest I've ever bonded with the kids on a team. It was really cool being here in the summer and around the guys,'' said DeRidder, 18, a 5-foot-10, 167-pounder from Fenton. "I think I'm in a good place now. You can always get better. I can always get faster and stronger. I'm working with the coaches to improve everything I can.
"I definitely want to play a lot. Over the next four years, I want to win at least one national championship, if not more. I know I can be a big part of that.''
All business...well, kind of...at media day today 😎 pic.twitter.com/0gygsRG4az
— MSU_Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) September 26, 2018
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