No. 20 Spartans Start Second Half of B1G Slate at Wisconsin

Games 23-24: Wisconsin (8-11-1, 3-8-1-1 B1G) at #20/- Michigan State (11-10-1, 7-4-1-0 B1G)
Dates | Times: Friday, Jan. 17 | 9 p.m. ET // Saturday, Jan. 18 | 8 p.m. ET
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Kohl Center
TV: Friday – ESPNU // Saturday – FS Wisconsin + (DirecTV 669-1; Dish 9581)
Web Stream: Friday – ESPN + // Saturday – BTN +
Radio: Spartan Sports Network (Listen Live) | Local: Friday – WVFN 730-AM // Saturday – WJIM 1240-AM
Game Notes: Michigan State | Wisconsin | Big Ten

On The Fly…
• The 20th-ranked Spartans start the second half of the Big Ten schedule by visiting Wisconsin on Friday at 9 p.m. ET (ESPNU) and Saturday at 8 p.m. ET (FS Wisconsin Plus) ... Michigan State and Wisconsin squared off at Munn last month (Dec. 7-8), with the Spartans winning both games, 3-0 and 5-4 (OT).

• After a split at home against Minnesota last weekend (W, 4-1; L, 2-0), the Spartans are 7-4-1-0 in league play and remain tied with Ohio State for second place in the Big Ten with 22 points – two points behind conference-leading Penn State … MSU enters the weekend 16th in the PairWise rankings.

• Goaltender John Lethemon has allowed two or fewer goals in four of the last five games – including both contests last weekend – and brings a .939 save percentage into Friday's game, which ranks fourth nationally and leads the B1G.

• Lethemon's 1.96 GAA is 10th-best nationally and third in the Big Ten, while his four shutouts are tied for second in the country and lead the league.

• Michigan State leads the league in Big Ten play in goals against per game at 2.0 … The Spartans' season average of 2.36 goals allowed per game is 18th best in the nation and 1.03 below its average from last season.

• Patrick Khodorenko ranks third in the Big Ten in points (23) and is tied for second in goals (11) … In Big Ten play, Khodorenko is tied for the lead in goals (8) and tied for second in points (12).

• With 49 career goals, Khodorenko is looking to become the first Spartan since Tim Crowder (2005-09) to hit the 50-goal mark.

• Both Patrick Khodorenko and Mitchell Lewandowski have points in five of the last seven games (since Dec. 7) - Khodorenko has 10 points (5g, 4a) over the span, while Lewandowski has nine (4g, 5a) ... Since Khodorenko, Lewandowski and Sam Saliba began playing together on Dec. 6, the trio has combined for 25 points (13g, 12a) while the Spartans have gone 5-3.

• Sophomore Dennis Cesana ranks third among Big Ten defensemen in both points (14) and assists (10).

• Michigan State leads the Big Ten in league play with a .907 penalty kill percentage … Over the last 10 games (since Nov. 30), Michigan State has a .925 penalty kill percentage (37-of-40), which is the sixth-best mark of any team in the nation over that span.

• MSU's .540 winning percentage in the faceoff circle is sixth best in the country and second to Notre Dame in the conference by .001 … Junior center Tommy Apap has taken more faceoffs than any player in the Big Ten and leads the conference in faceoff wins (235) and is second in winning percentage (.583).

• Nine different players have game-winning goals this season, that's the most Spartans with game-winners since 2013-14 (9).

About Wisconsin
The Badgers are coming off a split (L, 4-2; W, 5-2) with No. 8 Ohio State last weekend at home … Wisconsin averages 3.15 goals per game, which is 17th best in the country and second in the Big Ten … Freshman Cole Caufield leads the league with 13 goals and is fourth in points with 22 … The Badgers have played just six games since the beginning of December and are 2-4 over that stretch … UW has a .195 power play percentage (15-for-77) and .786 (55-of-70) penalty kill … Sophomore Daniel Lebedeff has started 17 of 20 games and owns a .895 save percentage and 3.35 GAA.

Michigan state Wisconsin matchup Jan

Against Wisconsin
Patrick Khodorenko and Mitchell Lewandowski are both averaging over a point per game in their careers against Wisconsin … Khodorenko has 17 points (8g, 9a) in 14 meetings against the Badgers, while Lewandowski has 10 goals and 15 points in 10 contests … John Lethemon owns a 2.26 GAA and .927 save percentage in nine appearances vs. Wisconsin.

From the Minnesota Series
The two goals allowed by John Lethemon were the fewest total goals he's allowed in a series this season … The Spartans extinguished 10-of-11 Minnesota power plays, including three 5-on-3's that lasted a total of 3:35 in the 4-1 win … Gianluca Esteves got the first game-winner in the 4-1 victory … The line of Patrick Khodorenko (2g, 1a), Mitchell Lewandowski (1g, 1a) and Sam Saliba (1g, 1a) accounted for seven points in the win … MSU held Minnesota to seven shots through two periods on Friday.

Patty Paces the Offense
After being among the top Spartan scorers the last two seasons, Patrick Khodorenko leads the team this year in goals (11), assists (12) and points (23). His 11 goals are tied for second in the Big Ten, while his seven goals in conference play are also second most.

Khodorenko had his fourth three-point game of the season (1g, 2a) in the 4-1 win over Minnesota and has points in five of the last seven games with a 5-5--10 scoring line over the span. This span includes scoring an OT game-winner vs. Wisconsin on Dec. 7, and drawing the primary assists on Mitchell Lewandowski's OT winner against Arizona State on Dec. 15. He leads MSU with five game-winning points this season.

Earlier this season, Khodorenko compiled a career best six-game point streak from Oct. 26 - Nov. 14 over which he produced 12 points (6g, 6a).

… And Approaching 50
After scoring his 49th career goal against Minnesota on Jan. 10, Patrick Khodorenko has the highest goal total of any Spartan since Tim Crowder, who had 50 in 151 games from 2005-09. Khodorenko is looking to become the ninth Spartan since 2000 to reach 50-career goals.

Earlier this season Khodorenko hit the 100-career point mark when he second goal at Michigan in a 4-3 win on Nov. 14.

Michigan State vs. Minnesota Jan. 19, 2019

Michigan State vs. Minnesota Jan. 19, 2019

The Wall of Lethemon
Senior goaltender John Lethemon is among the top 10 nationally in both GAA (1.96 – 10th) and save percentage (.939 – fourth) heading into this weekend's series. Lethemon's current GAA is 1.17 better than his career average entering 2019-20, while his save percentage is .041 above where it was last year.

The native of Northville is coming off a weekend in which he allowed the fewest goals (2) in series this season. He's allowed two goals or fewer in four of the last five games in in 12 of 18 starts this season. Since Nov. 22, his GAA has never risen above 2.15, while his save percentage hasn't dipped below .936.

Lethemon has been named the Big Ten First Star of the Week twice, and most recently was named the league's No. 2 star after his performance vs. Arizona State (Dec. 14-15). His Big Ten-leading four shutouts this season have come at Penn State (48 saves); vs. Michigan (35 saves); vs. Wisconsin (41 saves) and vs. Arizona State (36 saves).

From the First Series vs. Wisconsin (Dec. 6-7)
The Spartans earned their second Big Ten sweep of the season, marking the first time since 2014-15 that MSU has had at least two conference sweeps … The Spartans averaged 40.0 shots on goal – their most in a series this season … The Spartans' eight combined goals were their most in a series this season … Patrick Khodorenko had his third two-goal game of the season in the 5-4 OT win … John Lethemon had a .949 save percentage and was named the B1G First Star of the Week … In the OT win, MSU trailed 3-1 entering the third period and took the lead with three consecutive goals in a span of 9:40, while UW tied the game with 21 seconds to play.

B1G Lockdown
The Spartans have improved their goals-against average by just over a goal per game this season. Entering Friday, the Spartans' 2.36 goals-against per game ranks 18th nationally and is 1.03 better than last year's average. In Big Ten play, the Spartans have been even stingier, leading the league at 2.0.

Since league play began for the Spartans on Nov. 8 at Penn State, MSU has allowed three or fewer goals in 10 of 12 conference games. Earlier this season, the Spartans allowed three or fewer goals from Nov. 9 – Dec. 6 (all in conference play), marking the first time MSU allowed three or fewer in seven consecutive games since the 2013-14 season.

In Big Ten Games, MSU…
• Leads the league in goals against per game at 2.0
• Leads the league total goals allowed at 24
• Leads the league in penalty kill percentage at .907.
• Ranks second in faceoff winning percentage at .539.
• Is third in goals per game at 2.5.

PK Getting The Job Done
The Spartans have a league-best 90.7% penalty kill percentage in conference play, which includes allowing just one power-play goal in the last six conference games. Over the last 10 games, MSU has extinguished 92.5% (37-of-40) of opponent power plays. Earlier this season, MSU went six consecutive games without allowing a power play goal, killing 20 consecutive power plays form Nov. 30 – Dec. 15.

On the season, MSU ranks 27th in the country with an 82.2% PK percentage, which is just over 5% above its average from last season.

Over the Last 14 Games, the Spartans Have a…
• .904 penalty kill percentage (third in the country)
.082 above season average
• 2.00 goals against per game (seventh in the country)
.36 below season average

Sure, We'll Go To OT
The Spartans have two overtime wins this season – both coming in December – for the first time since 2011-12 when they also had two. The Spartans topped Wisconsin, 5-4, on Dec. 8 to complete a sweep of the Badgers. A week later on Dec. 15, MSU earned a split with No. 16 Arizona State with the first 1-0 OT win in program history.

The same three players have accounted for the two OT goals as Patrick Khodorenko – set up by Mitchell Lewandowski and Dennis Cesana – got the winner vs. Wisconsin, while Lewandowski – via Khodorenko and Cesana – gave MSU the win over ASU.

Michigan State vs. Minnesota Jan. 19, 2019

Plenty of Gas in the Tank
One key to the Spartans' success in Big Ten games has been their ability to outscore opponents over the final two periods. In its 12 conference games, MSU has outscored opponents by a 23-13 margin in the second and third periods (not including empty-net goals). Further, in the third period of second games of a series, MSU holds a 7-2 edge (not including empty-net goals).

The Spartans have trailed in the third period in three of their seven B1G wins: Nov. 14 at Michigan (trailed 3-2 entering the third); Nov. 23 vs. Notre Dame (trailed 2-1 18 seconds into the third); Dec. 7 vs. Wisconsin (trailed 3-1 entering the third).

Spartans, Apap Strong in the Dot
The Spartans rank sixth in the country in faceoff winning percentage at .540. Junior center Tommy Apap has taken more faceoffs than any player in the Big Ten and leads the conference in faceoff wins (235) and is second in winning percentage (.583). The Spartans have won more faceoffs than their opponents in 14 of 22 games, including taking a season-high 69% of draws in a 5-1 win at Colorado College on Oct. 26.

In the Rankings
The Spartans held at No. 20 in the USCHO.com top-20 poll this week. For first time since Oct. 7, 2012, Michigan State appeared in the USCHO poll on Nov. 25, coming in at No. 20, following a tie and win with Notre Dame.

No. 20 Spartans Start Second Half of B1G Slate at Wisconsin

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tommy Apap

Dennis Cesana

Gianluca Esteves

Patrick Khodorenko

John Lethemon

Mitchell Lewandowski

Sam Saliba

No. 20 Spartans Start Second Half of B1G Slate at Wisconsin

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tommy Apap

Dennis Cesana

Gianluca Esteves

Patrick Khodorenko

John Lethemon

Mitchell Lewandowski

Sam Saliba

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