Spartans Host No. 12 Ohio State in Final Regular Season Home Series

Games 31-32: No. 12/12 Ohio State (16-10-4, 9-8-3-1) at Michigan State (14-15-1, 10-9-1-0 B1G)
Dates | Times: Friday, Feb. 21 | 7 p.m. // Saturday, Feb. 22 | 7 p.m.
Location: East Lansing, Mich. | Munn Ice Arena
Tickets: MSUSpartans.com
Promotions:
Friday – Four Seats, Four Treats
Saturday – Senior Night (postgame), Family Four Pack
Web Stream: BTN +
Radio: Spartan Sports Network | Local: WJIM 1240-AM & 106.9-FM
Game Notes: Michigan State | Ohio State | Big Ten

On The Fly…
• Michigan State hosts No. 12/12 Ohio State on Friday and Saturday in its final regular season home series … Both teams are tied for fourth place with 31 points – two behind third-place Michigan and two ahead of sixth-place Notre Dame.

• This weekend will mark the final regular season home series for nine Spartan seniors – Anthony Scarsella, Damian Chrcek, Sam Saliba, John Lethemon, Spencer Wright, Butrus Ghafari, Patrick Khodorenko, Jerad Rosburg and Logan Lambdin … The nine players will be honored on the ice following Saturday's game.

• John Lethemon leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the nation in save percentage at .935, while his 2.12 GAA is second best in the conference.

• Patrick Khodorenko's 31 points rank fifth in the Big Ten, while his 15 goals are tied for second most … In league play, Khodorenko leads all players with 12 goals and is tied for fourth in points with 20.

• The Spartans have a power-play goal in three of the last four games, going 3-for-8 (.375) over the span, and in four of the last six contests, going 4-for-13 (.308).

• Despite yielding two power-play goals the last time out, MSU continues to lead the Big Ten in conference play with a .887 penalty kill percentage … The Spartans have extinguished 19 of the last 22 opponent power plays (.864) over the last nine games.

• MSU has outscored Big Ten opponents by a 35-25 margin in the second and third periods (not including empty-net goals), while in the third period of second games of a series, MSU holds a 12-5 edge (not including empty-net goals).

• MSU has four wins this season when trailing in the third period (Nov. 14 at Michigan; Nov. 23 vs. Notre Dame; Dec. 7 vs. Wisconsin; Feb. 8 at Minnesota).

• Sophomore Dennis Cesana brings a career best three-game point streak (2-1--3) into Friday's game ... Cesana is third among all B1G defensemen with 20 points, while his career high six goals are tied for the third most.

• Michigan State leads the Big Ten and is sixth in the NCAA in faceoff winning percentage at .542 … Junior Tommy Apap leads the Big Ten in faceoff wins with 325 and is third in winning percentage at .583.

• Sam Saliba's 10 goals rank second on the team and tie his career high from his freshman season … Saliba's 16 points are tied for fourth on the team and are two shy of his freshman-year total.

About Ohio State
OSU is coming off a bye; the last time out, Feb. 7-8, the Buckeyes tied (2-2) Penn State and then fell the following night (6-3) … OSU is 1-3-1 over its last five games … Ohio State ranks ninth in the country in power play percentage at .254 (29 for 114) … OSU also ranks in the top 20 nationally in goals against per game at 2.4 (18th) … Senior Tanner Laczynski leads OSU in points (27) and assists (20) … Sophomore Gustaf Westlund leads in goals (12) … Goaltender Tommy Nappier is third in the Big Ten in save percentage (.927) and GAA (2.13).

OSU graphic matchup Feb

The Wall of Lethemon
John Lethemon continues to be among the best the nation save percentage, entering Friday fourth at .935. Lethemon has allowed two or fewer goals in eight of the last 11 games (since Dec. 31), and in 17 of 27 starts this season.

In Big Ten play, Lethemon's numbers are even better as he leads the league in save percentage (.940), GAA (2.00), shutouts (4) and is tied for second in wins (10).

The Northville, Michigan native has made a remarkable improvement over his career numbers entering the season. Lethemon's current .935 save percentage is .037 better than his career average entering the year, while his 2.12 GAA is 1.01 below is average through his first three seasons.

Patty Paces the Offense
After being among the top Spartan scorers the last two seasons, Patrick Khodorenko leads the team this year in goals (15), assists (16) and points (31). His 31 points rank fifth in the Big Ten, while his 15 goals are tied for second most. He leads the Big Ten in conference games with 12 goals and is tied for fourth in points in league contests with 20.

The Hobey Baker candidate is tied for the Big Ten lead with 10 multi-point games, in which MSU is 8-2. Some of his notable multi-point games include: a hat trick in a 4-2 win over Penn State on Jan. 24; a two-goal game with an OT game-winner vs. Wisconsin on Dec. 7; and a two-goal game, including the tying goal, in a 4-3 comeback win at Michigan on Nov. 14. 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).

B1G Lockdown
The Spartans have improved their overall goals-against average by just over a goal per game this season. Entering Friday, the Spartans' 2.47 goals-against per game ranks 20th nationally and is 0.92 better than last year's average. In Big Ten play, the Spartans have been even stingier at 2.3, which is second in the league.

Since league play began for the Spartans on Nov. 8 at Penn State, MSU has allowed two or fewer goals in 12 of 20 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…
• Ranks second in goals against per game at 2.3
• Ranks second in total goals allowed at 46
• Leads the league in penalty kill percentage at .887
• Leads the league in faceoff winning percentage at .542

Senior Class
The nine-member class is the Spartans' largest senior group since 2011-12 when they had 10. The class has combined for 18 Academic All-Big Ten selections and has helped the Spartans increase its conference win total over each of their four seasons.

Do NOT Count Us Out…
Michigan State has demonstrated a great deal of resilience this season with four wins when trailing in the third period. Three of those wins have come when trailing after two periods, including: Nov. 14 at Michigan (down 3-2; won 4-3); Dec. 7 vs. Wisconsin (down 3-1; won 5-4 in OT); and Feb. 8 at Minnesota (down 2-1; won 4-2). MSU was also trailing Notre Dame on Nov. 23, 2-1, 18 seconds into the third period, before scoring twice in the final 6:12 to win 3-2.

The Feb. 8 win at Minnesota marked the third time this season MSU has scored three goals in the third period. MSU has won all three games in which they've scored three goals in the third: Dec. 7 vs. Wisconsin (5-4 OT); Jan. 17 at Wisconsin (4-0); and Feb. 8 at Minnesota (4-2).

…We've Got 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 20 conference games, MSU has outscored opponents by a 35-25 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 12-5 edge (not including empty-net goals).

Michigan State vs. Penn State, Jan. 24, 2020

Michigan State vs. Penn State, Jan. 24, 2020

PK Getting The Job Done
The Spartans have a league-best 88.7% penalty kill percentage in conference play, which includes extinguishing 19 of the last 22 opponent power plays and allowing just four goals on the man-advantage in the last 14 conference games (40-of-44).

Earlier this season, MSU went six consecutive games without allowing a power play goal, extinguishing 20 consecutive power plays form Nov. 30 – Dec. 15, which was its best penalty killing stretch of year.

On the season, MSU ranks 20th in the country with an 82.6% PK percentage, which is 5.6% above its average from last season.

Career Years
With four regular season games to play, nine different Spartans have posted career-best numbers in several offensive categories:

Tommy Apap – goals (6), assists (5) points (11) Dennis Cesana – goals (6)
Gianluca Esteves – goals (2), assists (6), points (8) Butrus Ghafari - assists (2), points (4)
Adam Goodsir – assists (4) Christian Krygier – assists (3), points (3)
Cole Krygier – goals (3), points (6) Logan Lambdin – points (13)
Brody Stevens – assists (5), points (8)

Khodo Hits 5-0
Patrick Khodorenko's hat trick vs. Penn State on Jan. 24 gave him 52 career goals as he became the first Spartan since Tim Crowder (2005-09) to hit the 50-career goal mark and only ninth Spartan since 2000 to reach the milestone. Khodorenko's 53 career goals are the sixth most by any Spartan since 2000; the last player with more than 53 in a career was Bryan Lerg, who had 68 (2004-08). Earlier this season Khodorenko hit the 100-career point mark when he second goal at Michigan in a 4-3 win on Nov. 14.

The Captain is Coming Through
After producing a combined 19 points over the last two seasons, senior captain Sam Saliba is tied for fourth on the team this year with 16 points, while ranking second in goals with 10, which ties his career best from his freshman season.

Earlier this season against Notre Dame, he scored three of the Spartans' four goals in the series – including the game-winner on Nov. 23 with 1:10 to play – and was subsequently named the Big Ten First Star of the Week for his efforts.

Spartans, Apap Strong in the Dot
The Spartans lead the Big Ten and rank sixth in the country in faceoff winning percentage at .542. Junior center Tommy Apap leads the conference in faceoff wins (325) and is third in winning percentage (.583). The Spartans have won more faceoffs than their opponents in 20 of 30 games, including taking a season-high 69% of draws in a 5-1 win at Colorado College on Oct. 26.

Someone New Playing the Hero
Michigan State has game-winning goals from 10 different players this season, which is the most Spartans with GWGs since 2010-11 (10). Four Spartans have two game-winners, including Tommy Apap (Oct. 11 at Northern Michigan; Jan. 17 at Wisconsin) and Cole Krygier (Oct. 26 at Colorado College; Jan. 24 vs. Penn State), whose game-winning goals this season were the first of their careers. Other first-time game-winning goal scorers include: Gianluca Esteves (Jan. 10 vs. Minnesota), Tommy Miller (Dec. 6 vs. Wisconsin), Butrus Ghafari (Feb. 8 at Minnesota) and Josh Nodler (Nov. 16 vs. Michigan).