Spartans Host Wisconsin In Weekend B1G Battle


Michigan State (6-5-1, 1-3-0 B1G) vs. Wisconsin (4-8-0, 2-4-0 1-0-0 B1G )
Dates/Times	Friday, Nov. 19, 7 pm \| Saturday, Nov. 20, 8 pm
Location	Munn Ice Arena, East Lansing, Mich.
Tickets	Spartan Ticket Office Ph: 517-355-1610 \| Gameday Answers
Radio	Spartan Media Network *Games air live on WJIM 1240 AM (Friday) and WVFN 730 AM (Saturday)* Scott Moore (pxp) and Rob Woodward (Analysis) Broadcast on the Web: Friday \| Saturday
Television	none
Webstreams	(B1G+/$): Friday \| Saturday
Live Statistics	Click Here
Game Notes	Michigan State \| Wisconsin
Social Media	Facebook Twitter Instagram
Press Conference	Watch this week's Danton Cole Press Conference
Game Program	Download this week's digital game program

In line with indoor mask mandates campus-wide, all fans, media, and individuals working at Michigan State hockey games at Munn Ice Arena will be required to correctly wear a mask.

WEEKEND PARTICULARS
• Michigan State returns to Big Ten play this weekend when it hosts Wisconsin on Friday and Saturday.

• Both games in East Lansing will have a live webstream via B1G+, the Big Ten Network's streaming system.

• Scott Moore and Rob Woodward will call the action on the Spartan Media Network. The games this week will air live on WJIM 1240 AM (Friday) and WVFN 730 AM (Saturday) in the Lansing area, as well as on the web via MSUSpartans.com.

• Wisconsin leads the all-time series by the slimmest of margins, 60-59-4, but the Spartans lead 31-22-2 in East Lansing. Wisconsin has won five straight games in the series, including four during the 2020-21 season.

• Tony Granato returned to his alma mater as the head coach in 2016, and owns an 86-90-13 record in his six seasons. His Badgers are the defending Big Ten champions, but lost its top four scorers from a year ago and enter the weekend with a 4-8 overall mark.

• The only common opponent so far this season for the Spartans and Badgers is Michigan - Wisconsin split with the Wolverines in Ann Arbor to open the B1G season, split at home with Minnesota, and most recently fell in two games at Notre Dame.

TEAM NOTES
• The Spartans are 1-3-0 through two weekends of Big Ten play, with three of those games on the road. MSU split at Ohio State and then lost both ends of its home-and-home with No. 3/4 Michigan in its most recent contests.

• MSU will be idle Thanksgiving week, but then plays back-to-back road series at Penn State (Dec. 3-4) and Notre Dame (Dec. 10-11) to close out the pre-holiday schedule.

• The Spartans took a break from B1G play last weekend, sweeping Ferris State in a home-and-home series (2-0, 4-3). MSU trailed the Saturday tilt in Big Rapids 3-0 before a goal late in the second by Josh Nodler. MSU still trailed by two entering the final seven minutes of the game, but rallied for a pair of defenseman goals by Cole Krygier and Dennis Cesana to tie the game at 17:08. Erik Middendorf scored the game-winner with 20 seconds remaining to give MSU the come-from-behind victory.

• Danton Cole won his 50th game as the Spartan head coach at Ohio State (Oct. 29). He has won more than 500 games in his 21 seasons as a head coach (522-451-60)
• MSU ranks seventh nationally in overall attendance, welcoming 27,564 fans over five home dates. MSU's average attendance (5,513) is sixth.

• MSU's scoring defense, allowing 2.58 goals per game, is fourth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally.

• The Spartans spotted Ferris State a 3-0 lead last Saturday but came back to win 4-3. It was the first time this season that MSU allowed three or more goals and won the game. MSU also outshot the Bulldogs (34-32), just the second time in a game this year that the Spartans had an advantage in shots on goal.

• The Spartans have eclipsed their season total in power play goals from 2020-21, with eight. The power play is at .216 (fourth, B1G), while the penalty kill is at .818 after allowing two goals last weekend on seven chances. Both the PP and the PK rank fourth in the Big Ten.

• With an average of 12.33 penalty minutes per game, the Spartans rank second in the Big Ten. Only five times in 12 games has MSU had more penalty minutes than their opponent, however.

• MSU ranks second in the Big Ten in blocked shots (161, 13.41 per game). Wisconsin leads the B1G with 180 (15.0 per contest).

• MSU has scored 14 third -period markers, one more than in the first (7) and second (6) periods combined. MSU has surrendered its fewest goals in the third period, however - allowing eight compared to 12 in the first and 10 in the second (and one in OT).

• Michigan State returns 19 letterwinners for the 2021-22 campaign and welcomes seven new players. Of the newcomers, four come in with previous college hockey experience, and there are three true freshmen.

• Of MSU's 15 forwards on the roster, nine are returning to the Green and White from 2020-21. With the bolster of some transfers, MSU's forward corps has a combined 678 college hockey games under its belt. Seven defensemen return with 346 games played (all at MSU), and the three goaltenders have a combined 52 games played.

• MSU's four newcomers with previous college hockey experience (Chris Berger, Jeremy Davidson, Griffin Loughran, and Erik Middendorf) bring 222 man-games to the Spartan lineup, and a combined 54-62-116 scoring line. All have at least two remaining seasons of eligibility.

PLAYER NOTES - FORWARDS
• Fifth-year senior and active career leading scorer Mitchell Lewandowski returned to the lineup last weekend after missing the previous five games, snapping a streak of 140 consecutive career games played, the most of any active player in Division I hockey. He ranks first among active players in career games played (142) and second in career points (112). He also ranks fifth in power-play goals (19) and is tied for first in game-winners (11).

• Lewandowski quickly announced his return, with the game-winning goal on Friday and a pair of assists - including the primary on the game-winner - for a three-point weekend. He shares the team lead in goals (4), assists (6) and points (10). He is tied for 10th in the Big Ten in points and is averaging 1.43 points per game, third among league leaders.

• Josh Nodler shares the lead with Lewandowski atop the Spartan scoring charts with four goals and six assists this season. His three power play goals ranks third in the league, and his career best.

• Nodler's 105 faceoff wins ranks fifth in the Big Ten, and he has won 52% of his faceoffs on the season (105-96).

• Nodler is the team's top scorer in Big Ten games this season, (2-2--4)

• Erik Middendorf sits in a tie for third on the team in points with a 3-4--7 scoring line this season. All three of his goals have stood as game-winners (including last Saturday's with 20 seconds remaining in regulation), which ranks second nationally in that category.

• Griffin Loughran ranks in a tie for third on the team in points with linemate Middendorf, as the two share an identical 3-4--7 scoring line. He also shares the team lead in penalties (8) with Cole Krygier, a number which leads the Big Ten, and his 24 penalty minutes ranks third.

• Loughran is the top-scoring transfer to join the Spartan lineup this season. He scored 72 points (35 goals, 37 assists) in three years at NMU. He will skate in his 100th career game on Friday, with a 38-41--79 scoring line.

• With a 4-3--7 scoring line in 12 games, Jeremy Davidson has his career best in goals, assists, and points. His four goals is tied for 10th in the Big Ten.

• Freshman Jesse Tucker had assists in both games against Ferris State last weekend, and has four on the season, good for a tie for the second-highest total on the team.

• Nicolas Muller scored his first goal of the season in the home game against Michigan (11/6) and has a 1-3--4 scoring line on the year. He has nine blocked shots this season - three in the Michigan series - which is first among forwards on the team.

• Kristof Papp has already tied his freshman season offensive output with four assists on the season. He ranks second in the Big Ten in faceoff victories (101), and owns a team-best .583 success rate.

• Jagger Joshua had an assist on Muller's goal on Saturday vs. Michigan, and has seven blocked shots on the year. He ranks second on the team in penalties (7), all of which are minors.

PLAYER NOTES - DEFENSEMEN
• Cole Krygier has goals in each of the last two series. He has 12 blocked shots on the season and leads the team in penalty minutes (27). He enters the weekend with 98 career games played.

• Dennis Cesana shares the Big Ten lead in blocked shots (22). He scored his second goal of the season on Saturday to tie the comeback at 3-3 and also had an assist to bump his scoring line to 2-3--5.

• Cesana has been one of the Big Ten's top-producing defensemen over the last three seasons. The two-time All-Big Ten selection has 61 points (13g, 48a) in 109 career games for the Green and White. He earned Preseason Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors this fall.

• First-year blueliner David Gucciardi owns a 1-3--4 scoring line, and ranks third among B1G defensemen with 19 blocked shots.

• Christian Krygier had assists in both games against Ferris, and now has career bests in both assists (4) and points (4). He leads MSU in penalties (10) and is fourth among defensemen in blocks (13).

• Nash Nienhuis picked up his third assist of the season at Michigan, and is one point shy of matching his freshman year point total.

• Powell Connor is fourth in the Big Ten with 18 blocked shots. He has played in nine of 12 games this season.

PLAYER NOTES - GOALTENDERS
• MSU has split its goaltending duties in four of six weekends this season, with Drew DeRidder getting both starts in the Ferris series.

• DeRidder picked up his first shutout of the season (third career) in last Friday's 2-0 victory over Ferris, in which he had 26 saves. On Saturday, his 30 saves in MSU's come-from-behind victory kept his team in the game after falling behind 3-0.

• DeRidder is fourth in the B1G with a 2.10 GAA, and is third in the Big Ten and ninth nationally with a .938 save percentage. He leads the B1G in saves per game (25.70).

• DeRidder made a season-best 41 saves in MSU's 2-1 win at Ohio State (10/29) and owns four of the top five single-game save performances in the Big Ten this season: he also made 37 at Lowell (10/22), 36 vs. Air Force in the season opener (10/8) and 35 stops against Miami (10/16).

• DeRidder was named the Spartans' MVP and winner of the most improved player award last season. The native of Fenton posted a 2.76 GAA and .923 save percentage. DeRidder led the Big Ten in total saves with 723 and saves per game at 30.12.

• Sophomore Pierce Charleson started the Friday game at Michigan (11/5), his fourth start of the season - one more than he had as a freshman. He owns a 3.26 GAA and .895 save percentage and 2-2 record.

• Charleson made three starts and appeared in seven games for Michigan State in the crease last season. He compiled a 2.57 GAA and .938 save percentage in those contests, making 210 saves in 326:49.

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Players Mentioned

Chris Berger

Dennis Cesana

Pierce Charleson

Powell Connor

Jeremy Davidson

Drew DeRidder

David Gucciardi

Jagger Joshua

Christian Krygier

Cole Krygier

Mitchell Lewandowski

Griffin Loughran

Erik Middendorf

Nash Nienhuis

Josh Nodler

Kristof Papp

Jesse Tucker