Spartans Set to Host No. 5 Minnesota Thursday & Friday at Munn

Games 5-6: No. 5/5 Minnesota (4-0, 4-0-0-0-0-0) vs. Michigan State (2-1-1, 1-1-0-1-0-0 B1G)
Dates | Times: Thursday, Dec. 3 | 8 p.m. // Friday, Dec. 4 | 8 p.m.
Location: East Lansing, Mich. | Munn Ice Arena
TV: FOX Sports Detroit & FOX Sports North | Friday – TSN2 (Canada)
Web Stream: BTN + | FOX Sports Go | TSN.ca (Canada)
Radio: TCF Bank Spartan Media Network >> MSUSpartans.com & MSU Spartans app | Local: WJIM 1240-AM (Thursday) WVFN 730-AM (Friday)
Game Notes: Michigan State | Minnesota | Big Ten

* Munn Ice Arena is closed to all fans until further notice *

On The Fly…
• Michigan State starts a four-game homestand by taking on No. 5 Minnesota on Thursday and Friday at Munn Ice Arena … MSU is coming off a 1-1 Big Ten opening weekend at No. 10 Ohio State, while Minnesota has swept both Penn State and OSU at home to begin the year.

• The two teams split last year's series, with both going 1-1 on home ice.

• The Spartans enter the series leading the Big Ten and ranking fourth nationally in shots on goal at 38.75, having put at least 40 shots on goal in each of the last three games (40, 45, 44) … MSU is outshooting opponents in the second and third periods by a combined margin of 112-73 so far this season.

• MSU is seventh in the country and third in the B1G in goals against per game at 1.75.

• Michigan State leads the nation in faceoff winning percentage at .618 - .003 head of Minnesota … MSU is led in the circle by Tommy Apap (.658) and Josh Nodler (.588).

• The trio of juniors Mitchell Mattson (2-1--3), Adam Goodsir (1-2--3) and freshman Kyle Haskins (0-3--3) has been the Spartans' top-producing line so far this season, combining for nine points … All three players carry three-game point streaks into Thursday's game.

• Graduate transfer Charlie Combs (2-1--3) scored his first two goals of the season last weekend at Ohio State, both on the power play, and joins Mattson, Goodsir and Haskins for the team lead in points.

• Junior goaltender Drew DeRidder owns a .943 save percentage and 1.46 GAA through four games … He picked up his first career shutout with 30 saves vs. Arizona State on Nov. 20.

• Senior Mitchell Lewandowski (1-1--2) entered the season in the top 10 among NCAA active career leaders in a trio of categories, including: second in goals with 43; tied for first in game-winning goals with 10; and ninth in points with 88.

• Charlie Combs put up a total of 36 goals in his three seasons at Bemidji State, which is the 10th highest career total among all players in the NCAA entering the season.

• Junior defenseman Dennis Cesana and Lewandowski were both voted by the league's head coaches to the Preseason All-Big Ten Teams ... Cesana was voted to the first team, while Lewandowski was selected to the second team.

• Michigan State is welcoming 10 newcomers, including nine freshmen and one graduate transfer … It's the Spartans largest group of newcomers under Danton Cole and largest since they had 11 (all freshmen) in 2016-17.

About Minnesota
The Gophers enter the series ranked fifth in both polls (USCHO and USAToday/USAHockey) … The last time out (Nov. 23-24), Minnesota topped Ohio State 4-1 and 2-0 … Minnesota's 1.0 goals against per game average is second best in the nation … The Gophers have yet to allow a power-play goal, nixing all nine opponent power plays … Senior forward Brannon McManus leads the Gophers in points (5) and assists (4), while fellow senior Scott Reedy leads in goals (3) … Senior Jack LaFontaine has played all four games in goal and owns a .961 save percentage and 1.00 GAA.

vs. Minn matchup

The Matchup
The two teams split last year's four-game series, each going 1-1 on home ice … Dating back to Nov. 2018, MSU is 5-2 in the last seven meetings … The series features the nation's top two teams in the faceoff circle as MSU leads the country in faceoff winning percentage at .618, while Minnesota is second at .615 … Senior Mitchell Lewandowski has averaged a point per game in his career vs. the Gophers with eight goals (one game-winner) and four assists in 12 contests.

Against The Top-5
MSU was 1-2-1 (0-2 vs. No. 4/5 Cornell; 1-0-1 vs. No. 3/3 Notre Dame) in its four games against teams in the top five last season, all of which came at Munn.

Mattson, Goodsir and Haskins Making an Impact
The line of juniors Mitchell Mattson and Adam Goodsir along with freshman Kyle Haskins has been one of the Spartans' most effective so far this season. Through playing together through the first four games, the trio has combined for nine points – more than any other line. Mattson, who had one assist through 36 games in his first two seasons, is tied for the team lead in goals (2) and points (3). Goodsir, who had four assists last year, also has three points, including a goal and assist. Haskins leads all Spartans with three assists.

All three players bring three-game point streaks into Thursday's tilt.

Michigan State vs. Minnesota, Jan. 10, 2020`

Michigan State vs. Minnesota, Jan. 10, 2020`

Pucks on Net
Head coach Danton Cole stressed the importance early this year of getting more shots and the Spartans have received the message. Through four games, MSU leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally in shots per game at 38.75. For the first time since the CCHA Playoffs in March 2008, MSU has recorded at least 40 shots on goal in three straight games. The Spartans had 40 in their 2-0 win over ASU on Nov. 20; put 45 on goal in the 3-2 OT win at OSU on Nov. 28; then had 44 in a 4-2 loss to the Buckeyes the following night. By comparison, MSU had over 40 shots on goal in two games in 2019-20.

The Spartans have generated more offense as the games go on. On the season, MSU has outshot opponents over the final two periods by a combined margin of 112-73. In fact, the Spartans' average of 28.0 shots on goal in the second and third periods combined is just 0.28 behind their complete game average from last season.

Last weekend at Ohio State, MSU outshot the Buckeyes 20-6 and 15-11, respectively, in the second periods, and 14-7 and 21-12, respectively, in the third periods.

Stingy Defensively
A year after posting the program's best goals against average (2.44) in five seasons, MSU is again proving to be stout defensively. MSU's 1.75 goals against per game average is seventh nationally and third in the Big Ten. The one goal allowed through the first two games was the fewest surrendered by the Spartans in the opening two contests of the season since 2005-06 when MSU topped Wayne State, 5-1, and North Dakota, 3-0, respectively.

A Busy Stretch
The Spartans are in the midst of a stretch of six games in a span of 12 days. This includes four games in a stretch of seven days (Dec. 3-4 vs. Minnesota; Dec. 8-9 vs. Wisconsin), all of which will come at Munn.

DeRidder Starts Strong
Junior goaltender Drew DeRidder, who was voted to the All-Big Ten Freshman team two seasons ago, got 2020-21 off to a solid start as he turned away 52 of 53 shots in going 1-0-1 vs. Arizona State. DeRidder's 30 saves, which included 16 in the final period, of the 2-0 win earned him his first collegiate shutout. On Nov. 25, DeRidder was named the Big Ten Second Star of the Week, marking the first time he had received the honor since Dec. 2018.

While DeRidder made four appearances last season in backing-up John Lethemon, perhaps his best start of 2019-20 came vs. Ohio State on Feb. 21 where he made 33 saves in a 1-0 loss at Munn.