Michigan State University Athletics
Neil’s Notebook: Excited Spartans Ready to Begin a New Season
11/18/2020 11:40:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
By Neil Koepke
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
EAST LANSING – It's been eight months and 11 days since Michigan State last played a hockey game.
Finally, the Spartans are ready to end the drought and take the ice to start the delayed 2020-21 season with two non-conference games against Arizona State.
MSU, which hasn't played since March 7, and the Sun Devils (0-2) meet at 6 p.m. Thursday and 6 p.m. Friday at Munn Arena – about a month-and-a-half later than the Spartans usually start their season.
But that's life in the Covid-19 world which has impacted sports since mid-March. After all sorts of delays in workouts, practices and lots of coronavirus testing, Michigan State players and coaches are just happy to be playing games again.
"Even though we didn't play last weekend, the guys were excited that the Big Ten did get going and that there were games on TV,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "It had that in-season feel.''
While three Big Ten teams played last weekend – Wisconsin swept Notre Dame, 2-0, 5-3, and Michigan won two against Arizona State, 8-1, 3-0 - the Spartans continued to practice in preparation for their season openers.
"Our practices were good. We went Thursday and Friday and practiced at night and kind of simulated games the best we could with limited numbers,'' Cole said. "We had two lines and four defensemen on each bench. That was good for the guys.
"We took Saturday off and then skated Sunday (and Monday and Tuesday) to kind of approximate the Monday-Thursday (routine) and this week we're going Sunday through Wednesday. The guys had a lot of jump and there's excitement in the room. So, energy and excitement won't be an issue.''
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and delayed start, Michigan State could not play its usual Green and White Scrimmage and an exhibition game against a Canadian university.
"We'll be jumping in cold on Thursday with a bunch of freshmen but the energy and enthusiasm will be there,'' Cole said. "The execution, the sooner that catches up to game speed and the way we want it, the better off we'll be.''
The Spartans coach expects to see a much more competitive Arizona State team that it showed in two, one-side losses in Ann Arbor last Saturday and Sunday. The No. 6/6 Wolverines dominated in every area and controlled the puck so well that the Sun Devils had few quality scoring chances.
ASU had a 22-11-3 record and was ranked No. 13 in both major polls when the 2019-20 hockey season was canceled on March 12. The Sun Devils were headed to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.
"They ran into a very good Michigan team, and early on, skilled, offensive teams will have an advantage, and we saw that over the weekend,'' Cole said of ASU's series last weekend. "If you focus on Arizona State, they attack, and with their goaltending, it's the same guy as last year and they were very good.
"They're better than the results showed from last weekend. The advantage Arizona State has is they have two games under the belt. We'll try to ramp up speed as critically as possible. Right now, we're pretty healthy, excited and can't wait until Thursday.''
THE RIVALRY: Arizona State and Michigan State have played four times over the last two seasons and the Sun Devils lead the series, 3-1.
ASU swept the Spartans, 5-4 and 2-0, at 747-seat Oceanside Arena in Tempe, Arizona, Nov. 9-10, 2019. Last season, the teams split a series at Munn Arena. The Sun Devils won the opener, 4-3, and MSU prevailed in the series finale, 1-0, on a goal by Mitchell Lewandowski at 3:17 of overtime.
As part of this season's scheduling agreement between the Big Ten and Arizona State – the Sun Devils, an independent program, will play four games at each Big Ten team – ASU will get one return visit from all seven conference teams over the next few years.
So, the Spartans will play the Sun Devils in a non-conference series sometime after ASU finishes its $115 million, multi-purpose arena, which is expected to seat 5,000 fans. The target completion date is December, 2022.
SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS: ASU returns four of its top six scorers in seniors James Sanchez (10-30-40), Johnny Walker (20-18-38) and Willie Knierim (15-9-24) and junior PJ Marrocco (13-8-21), and the Sun Devils brought in a graduate transfer from Wisconsin - Sean Dhooghe, a 5-foot-3, 150-pound forward. Dhooghe had five goals and 14 points last season as a junior and 15 goals and 26 points as a Badger sophomore.
Walker, 24, a 6-1, 190-pound right wing, is ASU's most dangerous goal scorer. But he was injured in Sunday's game at Michigan and is expected to miss the series against Michigan State.
Goaltending appears to be a strength as junior Evan Debrouwer (23, 6-3, 190) returns after a strong sophomore season. He had a 19-11-3 record, a 2.52 goals-against average and a .919 saves percentage.
Debrouwer will be backed up by 6-5, 180-pound Cole Brady, a 5th-round NHL draft pick by the New Jersey Devils in 2019.
Sanchez is starting his second season with Arizona State after transferring from Michigan, where he played two seasons from 2016-2018.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Sanchez, a center, played for MSU coach Danton Cole at the U.S. National Team Development Program's U-17 and U-18 teams in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
"He's a great young man. His dad used to bring us some great hot sauce from Chicago and we always appreciated that,'' Cole said. "Sanchez can make a lot of plays. He's big, rangy and he's deceptive with his speed and shot. He can get to the outside and get pucks on net, and last year they moved him to center and obviously the move was very good for him. He had a heck of a year last season.
"You have to account for him He plays hard within the dots. I've very happy for him. I enjoyed coaching him. The guys who played for me at (the U.S. program), they count as my guys no matter where they're at. I love seeing them do well.''
The Sun Devils' six-player freshman class includes Ryan O'Reilly, a 6-3, 205-pound forward from Southlake, Texas, who was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the fourth round of the 2028 NHL Entry Draft.
There are three players from the state of Michigan on the ASU roster – sophomore defenseman Jacob Semik (Canton), and freshman forwards Michael Mancinelli and Benji Eckerle, both of whom are from Northville.
FORMER TEAMMATES COLLIDE: Six Spartans are former junior hockey teammates with seven Arizona State players.
MSU senior defenseman Tommy Miller was a teammate of ASU senior forward Sean Dhooghe with the U.S. National Team Development Program's U-17 and U-18 teams from 2015-17.
Spartans senior forward Mitchell Lewandowski and Sun Devils senior right wing Johnny Walker played for the Chicago Steel of the U.S. Hockey League (USHL) in 2016-17 and won the league playoff championship together.
Josh Nodler, MSU sophomore center, played with two Sun Devils – freshman forwards Ryan O'Reilly and freshman Michael Mancinelli – with the Fargo Force of the USHL in 2018-19.
Mancinelli and MSU freshman forward Kristof Papp played together in the second half of last season with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL. Papp started the season with the Madison Capitols before being traded to Des Moines.
Spartans senior forward Gino Esteves played with two Sun Devils – senior defenseman Gvido Jansons and senior forward Dominic Garcia – with the Aston (Pa.) Rebels of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The trio finished as the Rebels' No. 2, 3 and 4 scorers. Garcia had 47 points, Janson 46 and Esteves 45 points.
And then there's Cal Dybicz, an MSU freshman defenseman, and Benji Eckerle, an ASU freshman forward. They were teammates the last two seasons for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL.
NO FANS CHALLENGE: With no fans in the stands, home ice won't be a big advantage this season in the Big Ten. Home teams won't be cheered and lifted up by a raucous crowd. Visiting teams won't be intimidated with boos, taunts and loud support for home side.
It'll all be new for players and coaches, just like what's been going in other college and pro sports.
"It favors the team that can generate its own excitement. The team that has guys coming off the bench building on that,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "I haven't gone through something like this. Even with the U.S. teams (I coached), we'd have tournaments oversees where there wasn't a lot of people in the stands, but we still had a couple thousand. It'll be different.
"Watching the NHL games and the (college) games last weekend, the crowd noise piped in when you're watching TV makes you forget about it. We'll have music going and hopefully we can feed off some energy.''
Cole said players have to bring energy and create their own atmosphere, on the bench and on the ice.
"The team has to bring that excitement celebrating a blocked shot or a save and not just waiting for a goal,'' he said. "We have to enjoy the little things. It'll favor the team that's mature enough to figure that out, especially when things aren't going well.''
MSU senior center and co-captain Tommy Apap is going to miss the atmosphere that's been created the last few seasons at Munn Arena. But he's ready for the challenge ahead, along with fellow upperclassmen, in providing energy and creating their own atmosphere.
"The last few years, Munn has been packed. The student section has been awesome, so now we're going to have to create our own emotion,'' he said. "I don't think we'll have any problem doing that. It's all about our starts. We're going to have to come out fast and be really heavy and create emotion.''
Said senior defenseman and co-captain Tommy Miller:
"It's going to be up to leadership to drive a good pace. If we find ourselves down and we need momentum, you're going to have to look at plays and actions in our game – like speed and hits and blocked shots that can get us going. That can turn games.''
GOALTENDING COMPETITON: Drew DeRidder, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound junior from Fenton, Michigan, has college experience. Pierce Charleson, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound freshman from Aurora, Ontario, does not.
So, after two seasons, DeRidder will get a chance to take over as the Spartans' starting goaltender, after sharing duties with John Lethemon as a freshman and playing only four games behind Lethemon last season.
If DeRidder plays at a high level early, he'll emerge as the starter. If not, Charleson will get an opportunity to take over as the No. 1.
"Drew has worked hard and looks really good,'' Coach Danton Cole said. "He's in the (starter's) spot right now, but that doesn't mean we play the first game with him and we don't play the second game with Charleson. Pierce has done a nice job and he's going to challenge and push, and we want it to be that way.
"I want to have to make a hard decision every week. Coach (Joe) Exter obviously weighs in heavily on that. We'll go game-by-game and see where it's at.
"It can go either way. I say it a lot – players decide ice time.''
IN THE BIG TEN: Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Michigan opened their 2020-11 seasons last weekend. Now, the other four Big Ten teams take to the ice for the first time from Thursday to next Tuesday.
In addition to the MSU-Arizona State series, No. 6 (USCHO poll)/No. 6 (USA Today/USA Hockey poll) Michigan plays at No. 14/13 Wisconsin and No. 11/11 Minnesota plays host to No. 10/10 Penn State, also on Thursday on Friday.
No. 9/9 Ohio State make its debut on Monday and Tuesday. The Buckeyes play at Minnesota and Penn State visits Wisconsin, also on Monday and Tuesday.
The Big Ten Network will televise Thursday's MSU-ASU game at 7 p.m., followed by the Penn State-Minnesota game at 8:30. On Friday, BTN carries Game 1 of the PSU-Minnesota series at 4 p.m. The Michigan-Wisconsin series will be carried by Fox Sports Detroit at 7 p.m. on Thursday and 7 p.m. Friday.
On Monday and Tuesday, the Big Ten Network will televise both games in series involving PSU and Wisconsin (6 p.m.) and OSU and Minnesota (8:30 p.m.).
MSUSpartans.com staff writer
EAST LANSING – It's been eight months and 11 days since Michigan State last played a hockey game.
Finally, the Spartans are ready to end the drought and take the ice to start the delayed 2020-21 season with two non-conference games against Arizona State.
MSU, which hasn't played since March 7, and the Sun Devils (0-2) meet at 6 p.m. Thursday and 6 p.m. Friday at Munn Arena – about a month-and-a-half later than the Spartans usually start their season.
But that's life in the Covid-19 world which has impacted sports since mid-March. After all sorts of delays in workouts, practices and lots of coronavirus testing, Michigan State players and coaches are just happy to be playing games again.
"Even though we didn't play last weekend, the guys were excited that the Big Ten did get going and that there were games on TV,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "It had that in-season feel.''
While three Big Ten teams played last weekend – Wisconsin swept Notre Dame, 2-0, 5-3, and Michigan won two against Arizona State, 8-1, 3-0 - the Spartans continued to practice in preparation for their season openers.
"Our practices were good. We went Thursday and Friday and practiced at night and kind of simulated games the best we could with limited numbers,'' Cole said. "We had two lines and four defensemen on each bench. That was good for the guys.
"We took Saturday off and then skated Sunday (and Monday and Tuesday) to kind of approximate the Monday-Thursday (routine) and this week we're going Sunday through Wednesday. The guys had a lot of jump and there's excitement in the room. So, energy and excitement won't be an issue.''
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and delayed start, Michigan State could not play its usual Green and White Scrimmage and an exhibition game against a Canadian university.
"We'll be jumping in cold on Thursday with a bunch of freshmen but the energy and enthusiasm will be there,'' Cole said. "The execution, the sooner that catches up to game speed and the way we want it, the better off we'll be.''
The Spartans coach expects to see a much more competitive Arizona State team that it showed in two, one-side losses in Ann Arbor last Saturday and Sunday. The No. 6/6 Wolverines dominated in every area and controlled the puck so well that the Sun Devils had few quality scoring chances.
ASU had a 22-11-3 record and was ranked No. 13 in both major polls when the 2019-20 hockey season was canceled on March 12. The Sun Devils were headed to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.
"They ran into a very good Michigan team, and early on, skilled, offensive teams will have an advantage, and we saw that over the weekend,'' Cole said of ASU's series last weekend. "If you focus on Arizona State, they attack, and with their goaltending, it's the same guy as last year and they were very good.
"They're better than the results showed from last weekend. The advantage Arizona State has is they have two games under the belt. We'll try to ramp up speed as critically as possible. Right now, we're pretty healthy, excited and can't wait until Thursday.''
THE RIVALRY: Arizona State and Michigan State have played four times over the last two seasons and the Sun Devils lead the series, 3-1.
ASU swept the Spartans, 5-4 and 2-0, at 747-seat Oceanside Arena in Tempe, Arizona, Nov. 9-10, 2019. Last season, the teams split a series at Munn Arena. The Sun Devils won the opener, 4-3, and MSU prevailed in the series finale, 1-0, on a goal by Mitchell Lewandowski at 3:17 of overtime.
As part of this season's scheduling agreement between the Big Ten and Arizona State – the Sun Devils, an independent program, will play four games at each Big Ten team – ASU will get one return visit from all seven conference teams over the next few years.
So, the Spartans will play the Sun Devils in a non-conference series sometime after ASU finishes its $115 million, multi-purpose arena, which is expected to seat 5,000 fans. The target completion date is December, 2022.
SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS: ASU returns four of its top six scorers in seniors James Sanchez (10-30-40), Johnny Walker (20-18-38) and Willie Knierim (15-9-24) and junior PJ Marrocco (13-8-21), and the Sun Devils brought in a graduate transfer from Wisconsin - Sean Dhooghe, a 5-foot-3, 150-pound forward. Dhooghe had five goals and 14 points last season as a junior and 15 goals and 26 points as a Badger sophomore.
Walker, 24, a 6-1, 190-pound right wing, is ASU's most dangerous goal scorer. But he was injured in Sunday's game at Michigan and is expected to miss the series against Michigan State.
Goaltending appears to be a strength as junior Evan Debrouwer (23, 6-3, 190) returns after a strong sophomore season. He had a 19-11-3 record, a 2.52 goals-against average and a .919 saves percentage.
Debrouwer will be backed up by 6-5, 180-pound Cole Brady, a 5th-round NHL draft pick by the New Jersey Devils in 2019.
Sanchez is starting his second season with Arizona State after transferring from Michigan, where he played two seasons from 2016-2018.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Sanchez, a center, played for MSU coach Danton Cole at the U.S. National Team Development Program's U-17 and U-18 teams in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
"He's a great young man. His dad used to bring us some great hot sauce from Chicago and we always appreciated that,'' Cole said. "Sanchez can make a lot of plays. He's big, rangy and he's deceptive with his speed and shot. He can get to the outside and get pucks on net, and last year they moved him to center and obviously the move was very good for him. He had a heck of a year last season.
"You have to account for him He plays hard within the dots. I've very happy for him. I enjoyed coaching him. The guys who played for me at (the U.S. program), they count as my guys no matter where they're at. I love seeing them do well.''
The Sun Devils' six-player freshman class includes Ryan O'Reilly, a 6-3, 205-pound forward from Southlake, Texas, who was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the fourth round of the 2028 NHL Entry Draft.
There are three players from the state of Michigan on the ASU roster – sophomore defenseman Jacob Semik (Canton), and freshman forwards Michael Mancinelli and Benji Eckerle, both of whom are from Northville.
FORMER TEAMMATES COLLIDE: Six Spartans are former junior hockey teammates with seven Arizona State players.
MSU senior defenseman Tommy Miller was a teammate of ASU senior forward Sean Dhooghe with the U.S. National Team Development Program's U-17 and U-18 teams from 2015-17.
Spartans senior forward Mitchell Lewandowski and Sun Devils senior right wing Johnny Walker played for the Chicago Steel of the U.S. Hockey League (USHL) in 2016-17 and won the league playoff championship together.
Josh Nodler, MSU sophomore center, played with two Sun Devils – freshman forwards Ryan O'Reilly and freshman Michael Mancinelli – with the Fargo Force of the USHL in 2018-19.
Mancinelli and MSU freshman forward Kristof Papp played together in the second half of last season with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL. Papp started the season with the Madison Capitols before being traded to Des Moines.
Spartans senior forward Gino Esteves played with two Sun Devils – senior defenseman Gvido Jansons and senior forward Dominic Garcia – with the Aston (Pa.) Rebels of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The trio finished as the Rebels' No. 2, 3 and 4 scorers. Garcia had 47 points, Janson 46 and Esteves 45 points.
And then there's Cal Dybicz, an MSU freshman defenseman, and Benji Eckerle, an ASU freshman forward. They were teammates the last two seasons for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL.
NO FANS CHALLENGE: With no fans in the stands, home ice won't be a big advantage this season in the Big Ten. Home teams won't be cheered and lifted up by a raucous crowd. Visiting teams won't be intimidated with boos, taunts and loud support for home side.
It'll all be new for players and coaches, just like what's been going in other college and pro sports.
"It favors the team that can generate its own excitement. The team that has guys coming off the bench building on that,'' MSU coach Danton Cole said. "I haven't gone through something like this. Even with the U.S. teams (I coached), we'd have tournaments oversees where there wasn't a lot of people in the stands, but we still had a couple thousand. It'll be different.
"Watching the NHL games and the (college) games last weekend, the crowd noise piped in when you're watching TV makes you forget about it. We'll have music going and hopefully we can feed off some energy.''
Cole said players have to bring energy and create their own atmosphere, on the bench and on the ice.
"The team has to bring that excitement celebrating a blocked shot or a save and not just waiting for a goal,'' he said. "We have to enjoy the little things. It'll favor the team that's mature enough to figure that out, especially when things aren't going well.''
MSU senior center and co-captain Tommy Apap is going to miss the atmosphere that's been created the last few seasons at Munn Arena. But he's ready for the challenge ahead, along with fellow upperclassmen, in providing energy and creating their own atmosphere.
"The last few years, Munn has been packed. The student section has been awesome, so now we're going to have to create our own emotion,'' he said. "I don't think we'll have any problem doing that. It's all about our starts. We're going to have to come out fast and be really heavy and create emotion.''
Said senior defenseman and co-captain Tommy Miller:
"It's going to be up to leadership to drive a good pace. If we find ourselves down and we need momentum, you're going to have to look at plays and actions in our game – like speed and hits and blocked shots that can get us going. That can turn games.''
GOALTENDING COMPETITON: Drew DeRidder, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound junior from Fenton, Michigan, has college experience. Pierce Charleson, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound freshman from Aurora, Ontario, does not.
So, after two seasons, DeRidder will get a chance to take over as the Spartans' starting goaltender, after sharing duties with John Lethemon as a freshman and playing only four games behind Lethemon last season.
If DeRidder plays at a high level early, he'll emerge as the starter. If not, Charleson will get an opportunity to take over as the No. 1.
"Drew has worked hard and looks really good,'' Coach Danton Cole said. "He's in the (starter's) spot right now, but that doesn't mean we play the first game with him and we don't play the second game with Charleson. Pierce has done a nice job and he's going to challenge and push, and we want it to be that way.
"I want to have to make a hard decision every week. Coach (Joe) Exter obviously weighs in heavily on that. We'll go game-by-game and see where it's at.
"It can go either way. I say it a lot – players decide ice time.''
IN THE BIG TEN: Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Michigan opened their 2020-11 seasons last weekend. Now, the other four Big Ten teams take to the ice for the first time from Thursday to next Tuesday.
In addition to the MSU-Arizona State series, No. 6 (USCHO poll)/No. 6 (USA Today/USA Hockey poll) Michigan plays at No. 14/13 Wisconsin and No. 11/11 Minnesota plays host to No. 10/10 Penn State, also on Thursday on Friday.
No. 9/9 Ohio State make its debut on Monday and Tuesday. The Buckeyes play at Minnesota and Penn State visits Wisconsin, also on Monday and Tuesday.
The Big Ten Network will televise Thursday's MSU-ASU game at 7 p.m., followed by the Penn State-Minnesota game at 8:30. On Friday, BTN carries Game 1 of the PSU-Minnesota series at 4 p.m. The Michigan-Wisconsin series will be carried by Fox Sports Detroit at 7 p.m. on Thursday and 7 p.m. Friday.
On Monday and Tuesday, the Big Ten Network will televise both games in series involving PSU and Wisconsin (6 p.m.) and OSU and Minnesota (8:30 p.m.).
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