Friday, October 11
Marquette, Mich.
7 P.M. ET
Michigan State University
at
Northern Michigan
Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communi
Spartans Travel to Northern Michigan to Begin 2019-20 Season
10/9/2019 4:48:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Games 1-2: Michigan State (0-0 | 0-0 B1G) at Northern Michigan (0-0 | 0-0 WCHA)
Dates | Times: Friday, Oct. 11 | 7 p.m. // Saturday, Oct. 12 | 6 p.m.
Location: Marquette, Mich. | Berry Events Center
Web Stream: FloHockey.tv
Live Stats: Friday | Saturday
Radio: Spartan Sports Network (Listen Live) | Local: Fri. - WJIM 1240-AM & 106.9-FM / Sat. – WVFN 730-AM
SSN Mobile App: iPhone/iPad | Android
Game Notes: Michigan State | Northern Michigan | Big Ten
On The Fly…
• Michigan State begins its 79th season this weekend when the Spartans travel to Northern Michigan to meet the Wildcats on Friday and Saturday.
• The two former CCHA rivals split a season-opening series at Munn last season (W, 4-2; L, 4-3) … MSU leads the all-time series 36-31-4 and is making its first trip to Marquette since November 2011.
• Michigan State topped Western Ontario in an exhibition game on Monday, 6-1, at Munn Ice Arena as six different players scored … MSU outshot the Mustangs 55-22 for the game.
• Michigan State returns 23 letterwinners and welcomes three freshmen for 2019-20.
• MSU brings back 65% of its point production from last season, including four of its top six point producers in Patrick Khodorenko (37 points – 2nd), Mitchell Lewandowski (34 points – 3rd), Dennis Cesana (24 points – 4th) and Jerad Rosburg (16 points – 6th).
• MSU returns 71% of its goal scoring, including its top two goal scorers in Patrick Khodorenko (18 goals) and Mitchell Lewandowski (16 goals) … Khodorenko's 18 goals were fourth best in the league, while his 37 points were eighth.
• Khodorenko's career totals entering 2019-20 are among the best in the nation as he's 11th among acitve players in points (87), eighth in goals (38), and fourth in power-play goals (18).
• Four Spartans were voted to the Preseason All-Big Ten teams, announced on Sept. 30, as Mitchell Lewandowski and Dennis Cesana were both voted by the coaches to the second team, while Patrick Khodorenko and Jerad Rosburg earned honorable mention.
• Dennis Cesana led all conference rookies in assists (21) and was second in points (24) last season as he was voted to the Big Ten All-Freshman team … His 21 helpers were sixth most among all freshmen nationally and second best among defensemen.
• Sam Saliba will wear the 'C' on his jersey for the second straight year, while junior Tommy Apap has been added as a captain as well this season … Seniors Patrick Khodorenko and Jerad Rosburg will be the Spartans' assistant captains.
• The Spartans return all but one defenseman from last season and for the first year under Danton Cole will have more than one senior blueliner on the roster with four in Jerad Rosburg, Butrus Ghafari, Damian Chrcek and Anthony Scarsella.
• MSU's nine-member senior class is its largest since 2011-12 when the Spartans also had nine seniors.
About the Wildcats
Northern Michigan defeated the USNTDP U-18 team in Plymouth on Oct. 5, 4-3 … NMU returns 14 letterwinners from a team that went 21-16-2 last season, which included going 18-8-2 in WCHA play to finish second … The Wildcats were picked fourth in the WCHA preseason poll … Senior defenseman Phillip Beaulieu is the team's top returning scorer as the first-team All-WCHA selection produced 35 points (6g, 29a) last season … In goal, Nolan Kent saw just 13:47 of action last year and is one of three freshman netminders on the roster … Junior goaltender transfer Connor Ryckman joined the Wildcats this season after playing at Wisconsin Stevens-Point … The NMU power play operated at .201 last season (32-for-159), while the penalty kill was at .845 (147-for-174).
Series History
MSU leads the all-time series, 36-14-4, while NMU leads in games played in Marquette, 30-23-8 … Michigan State is making its first trip to Marquette since November 2011 when the teams split a regular-season series.
Season Opening Notes
It marks the second time under head coach Danton Cole the Spartans have played their first game of the season on the road … MSU has opened the season away from Munn in seven of the last nine seasons … Michigan State is 42-31-5 all time in season openers.
Exhibition Recap: Spartans 6, Western Ontario 1
Sixteen different Spartans recorded a point and six different players scored in Monday's win … The Spartans outshot Western Ontario 55-22 … MSU had 10 power-play opportunities and converted three times … MSU recorded 27 shots while on the power play … John Lethemon stopped nine of 10 shots in playing the first 29:53 of the game, while Drew DeRidder made 12 saves in 30:07 of work.
Schedule Notes…
• The Spartans' two home non-conference series will be against teams that made last year's NCAA Tournament (Cornell, Nov. 1-2; Arizona State, Dec. 14-15) … Cornell is ranked No. 5 in the USCHO.com preseason poll, while Arizona State is slotted No. 20 in the poll.
• The 24-game Big Ten schedule begins Nov. 8-9 at Penn State.
• The Spartans are currently slated to have 12 games televised, but that number could grow to 13, pending further network selections.
The Munn Project
The $18.8 million Munn Ice Arena expansion project broke ground in mid-July, while an official groundbreaking ceremony was held Sept. 6. The expansion will provide the Spartans a new locker room, weight room, video room, training room with hydrotherapy pools, team lounge, offices and a hall of history among several other amenities. Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo and his family have pledged $1.1 million toward the project.
...Speaking of Munn
The Spartans posted a winning record at home for the second straight season in 2018-19, going 7-5-2 at Munn … Home attendance average was up over 300 fans per game from the previous season as MSU ranked 10th nationally with an average of 5,461 in 2018-19.
New Faces on the Staff
The Spartans have welcomed back a pair of alums to the coaching staff as Dan Sturges was named director of hockey operations in August, while Jim Slater was named the program's volunteer assistant coach in September. Sturges, who played for the Spartans from 2005-09, returned to MSU from the University of Colorado where he coached two of the school's ACHA programs. Slater retired this past summer after playing four years in Switzerland following his 10-year NHL career. The program also welcomed Lindsay Fast as the program's executive secretary, replacing Kris Smith who retired after 49 years at MSU.
Khodorenko Gets Better With Age
Patrick Khodorenko had his best season in the Green and White last year with career highs in goals (18), points (37), shots (117), power-play goals (9) and game-winning goals (2). Khodorenko has increased his output in all five of those statistical categories over each season during his time at MSU.
The native of Walnut Creek, California, who played for Danton Cole with the USNTDP enters the season with 87 career points, which is the 11th best total among all active players, while his 38 career goals are eighth among all active skaters. Khodorenko will be wearing a letter for his first time as a Spartan, as he was named one of the team's two assistant captains in May.
Lewandowski Lights the Lamp
Mitchell Lewandowski, who has ranked first (19 goals, 2017-18) and second (16 goals, 2018-19), on the team in goals over the last two seasons, enters his junior season with 68 career points, including 35 goals. The last Spartan to score more than 35 goals over their first two seasons was Adam Hall, who scored a total of 42 from 1998-00 (16, 1998-99; 26 in 1999-00).
The junior from Clarkston was voted by the coaches to the preseason Big Ten All-Second Team.
Back End Support
The defensive pairing of Dennis Cesana and Jerad Rosburg combined for 40 points last season. Cesana, who was an All-Big Ten Freshman Team selection, led all conference rookies in assists (21) and was second in points (24). His 21 helpers were sixth most among all freshmen nationally and second best among defensemen. Rosburg had a career high in goals (4), assists (12) and points (16) a season ago and was voted winner of the team's outstanding defensive player award.
Christian Krygier in Running for Spot on Team USA
Sophomore defenseman Christian Krygier had a solid showing at this past summer's World Junior Summer Showcase and is in the running for a spot on Team USA's roster for the World Junior Championships. In two games for the USA Blue squad, he led his team in scoring with three assists and a plus-4 rating. After the Team USA roster merge, he played in all four games, posting a plus-2 rating. The 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship will take place Dec. 26, 2019, - Jan. 5, 2020, in Ostrava and Trinec, Czech Republic.
Camping NHL Style
The Spartans were well represented around the National Hockey League this summer with 11 Spartans attending NHL development camps: Calgary - Mitchell Mattson, Tommy Miller, Josh Nodler, Jerad Rosburg; Columbus - Patrick Khodorenko; Dallas - Jerad Rosburg; Detroit - Drew DeRidder; Florida - Cole Krygier; Los Angeles - Adam Goodsir, Wojciech Stachowiak; New York Islanders - Christian Krygier; Washington - Dennis Cesana.
Nine Spartans on NHL Opening Night Rosters
Up Next
Michigan State will host the USNTDP U-18 team in an exhibition at Munn Ice Arena on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.
Dates | Times: Friday, Oct. 11 | 7 p.m. // Saturday, Oct. 12 | 6 p.m.
Location: Marquette, Mich. | Berry Events Center
Web Stream: FloHockey.tv
Live Stats: Friday | Saturday
Radio: Spartan Sports Network (Listen Live) | Local: Fri. - WJIM 1240-AM & 106.9-FM / Sat. – WVFN 730-AM
SSN Mobile App: iPhone/iPad | Android
Game Notes: Michigan State | Northern Michigan | Big Ten
On The Fly…
• Michigan State begins its 79th season this weekend when the Spartans travel to Northern Michigan to meet the Wildcats on Friday and Saturday.
• The two former CCHA rivals split a season-opening series at Munn last season (W, 4-2; L, 4-3) … MSU leads the all-time series 36-31-4 and is making its first trip to Marquette since November 2011.
• Michigan State topped Western Ontario in an exhibition game on Monday, 6-1, at Munn Ice Arena as six different players scored … MSU outshot the Mustangs 55-22 for the game.
• Michigan State returns 23 letterwinners and welcomes three freshmen for 2019-20.
• MSU brings back 65% of its point production from last season, including four of its top six point producers in Patrick Khodorenko (37 points – 2nd), Mitchell Lewandowski (34 points – 3rd), Dennis Cesana (24 points – 4th) and Jerad Rosburg (16 points – 6th).
• MSU returns 71% of its goal scoring, including its top two goal scorers in Patrick Khodorenko (18 goals) and Mitchell Lewandowski (16 goals) … Khodorenko's 18 goals were fourth best in the league, while his 37 points were eighth.
• Khodorenko's career totals entering 2019-20 are among the best in the nation as he's 11th among acitve players in points (87), eighth in goals (38), and fourth in power-play goals (18).
• Four Spartans were voted to the Preseason All-Big Ten teams, announced on Sept. 30, as Mitchell Lewandowski and Dennis Cesana were both voted by the coaches to the second team, while Patrick Khodorenko and Jerad Rosburg earned honorable mention.
• Dennis Cesana led all conference rookies in assists (21) and was second in points (24) last season as he was voted to the Big Ten All-Freshman team … His 21 helpers were sixth most among all freshmen nationally and second best among defensemen.
• Sam Saliba will wear the 'C' on his jersey for the second straight year, while junior Tommy Apap has been added as a captain as well this season … Seniors Patrick Khodorenko and Jerad Rosburg will be the Spartans' assistant captains.
• The Spartans return all but one defenseman from last season and for the first year under Danton Cole will have more than one senior blueliner on the roster with four in Jerad Rosburg, Butrus Ghafari, Damian Chrcek and Anthony Scarsella.
• MSU's nine-member senior class is its largest since 2011-12 when the Spartans also had nine seniors.
About the Wildcats
Northern Michigan defeated the USNTDP U-18 team in Plymouth on Oct. 5, 4-3 … NMU returns 14 letterwinners from a team that went 21-16-2 last season, which included going 18-8-2 in WCHA play to finish second … The Wildcats were picked fourth in the WCHA preseason poll … Senior defenseman Phillip Beaulieu is the team's top returning scorer as the first-team All-WCHA selection produced 35 points (6g, 29a) last season … In goal, Nolan Kent saw just 13:47 of action last year and is one of three freshman netminders on the roster … Junior goaltender transfer Connor Ryckman joined the Wildcats this season after playing at Wisconsin Stevens-Point … The NMU power play operated at .201 last season (32-for-159), while the penalty kill was at .845 (147-for-174).
Series History
MSU leads the all-time series, 36-14-4, while NMU leads in games played in Marquette, 30-23-8 … Michigan State is making its first trip to Marquette since November 2011 when the teams split a regular-season series.
Season Opening Notes
It marks the second time under head coach Danton Cole the Spartans have played their first game of the season on the road … MSU has opened the season away from Munn in seven of the last nine seasons … Michigan State is 42-31-5 all time in season openers.
Exhibition Recap: Spartans 6, Western Ontario 1
Sixteen different Spartans recorded a point and six different players scored in Monday's win … The Spartans outshot Western Ontario 55-22 … MSU had 10 power-play opportunities and converted three times … MSU recorded 27 shots while on the power play … John Lethemon stopped nine of 10 shots in playing the first 29:53 of the game, while Drew DeRidder made 12 saves in 30:07 of work.
Schedule Notes…
• The Spartans' two home non-conference series will be against teams that made last year's NCAA Tournament (Cornell, Nov. 1-2; Arizona State, Dec. 14-15) … Cornell is ranked No. 5 in the USCHO.com preseason poll, while Arizona State is slotted No. 20 in the poll.
• The 24-game Big Ten schedule begins Nov. 8-9 at Penn State.
• The Spartans are currently slated to have 12 games televised, but that number could grow to 13, pending further network selections.
The Munn Project
The $18.8 million Munn Ice Arena expansion project broke ground in mid-July, while an official groundbreaking ceremony was held Sept. 6. The expansion will provide the Spartans a new locker room, weight room, video room, training room with hydrotherapy pools, team lounge, offices and a hall of history among several other amenities. Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo and his family have pledged $1.1 million toward the project.
...Speaking of Munn
The Spartans posted a winning record at home for the second straight season in 2018-19, going 7-5-2 at Munn … Home attendance average was up over 300 fans per game from the previous season as MSU ranked 10th nationally with an average of 5,461 in 2018-19.
New Faces on the Staff
The Spartans have welcomed back a pair of alums to the coaching staff as Dan Sturges was named director of hockey operations in August, while Jim Slater was named the program's volunteer assistant coach in September. Sturges, who played for the Spartans from 2005-09, returned to MSU from the University of Colorado where he coached two of the school's ACHA programs. Slater retired this past summer after playing four years in Switzerland following his 10-year NHL career. The program also welcomed Lindsay Fast as the program's executive secretary, replacing Kris Smith who retired after 49 years at MSU.
Khodorenko Gets Better With Age
Patrick Khodorenko had his best season in the Green and White last year with career highs in goals (18), points (37), shots (117), power-play goals (9) and game-winning goals (2). Khodorenko has increased his output in all five of those statistical categories over each season during his time at MSU.
The native of Walnut Creek, California, who played for Danton Cole with the USNTDP enters the season with 87 career points, which is the 11th best total among all active players, while his 38 career goals are eighth among all active skaters. Khodorenko will be wearing a letter for his first time as a Spartan, as he was named one of the team's two assistant captains in May.
Lewandowski Lights the Lamp
Mitchell Lewandowski, who has ranked first (19 goals, 2017-18) and second (16 goals, 2018-19), on the team in goals over the last two seasons, enters his junior season with 68 career points, including 35 goals. The last Spartan to score more than 35 goals over their first two seasons was Adam Hall, who scored a total of 42 from 1998-00 (16, 1998-99; 26 in 1999-00).
The junior from Clarkston was voted by the coaches to the preseason Big Ten All-Second Team.
Back End Support
The defensive pairing of Dennis Cesana and Jerad Rosburg combined for 40 points last season. Cesana, who was an All-Big Ten Freshman Team selection, led all conference rookies in assists (21) and was second in points (24). His 21 helpers were sixth most among all freshmen nationally and second best among defensemen. Rosburg had a career high in goals (4), assists (12) and points (16) a season ago and was voted winner of the team's outstanding defensive player award.
Christian Krygier in Running for Spot on Team USA
Sophomore defenseman Christian Krygier had a solid showing at this past summer's World Junior Summer Showcase and is in the running for a spot on Team USA's roster for the World Junior Championships. In two games for the USA Blue squad, he led his team in scoring with three assists and a plus-4 rating. After the Team USA roster merge, he played in all four games, posting a plus-2 rating. The 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship will take place Dec. 26, 2019, - Jan. 5, 2020, in Ostrava and Trinec, Czech Republic.
Camping NHL Style
The Spartans were well represented around the National Hockey League this summer with 11 Spartans attending NHL development camps: Calgary - Mitchell Mattson, Tommy Miller, Josh Nodler, Jerad Rosburg; Columbus - Patrick Khodorenko; Dallas - Jerad Rosburg; Detroit - Drew DeRidder; Florida - Cole Krygier; Los Angeles - Adam Goodsir, Wojciech Stachowiak; New York Islanders - Christian Krygier; Washington - Dennis Cesana.
Nine Spartans on NHL Opening Night Rosters
Up Next
Michigan State will host the USNTDP U-18 team in an exhibition at Munn Ice Arena on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.
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