In-State Rivalry Revisited With Games vs. Ferris State


Michigan State (4-5-1, 1-2 B1G) vs. Ferris State (4-6, 2-2 CCHA)
Dates/Times	Thursday, Nov. 11, 7 pm \| Munn Ice Arena, East Lansing, Mich.
	Saturday, Nov. 13, 7 pm \| Ewigleben Ice Arena, Big Rapids, Mich.
Tickets	Thursday: Spartan Ticket Office Ph: 517-355-1610 \| Gameday Answers
Radio	Spartan Media Network *Games air live WVFN 730 AM* Scott Moore (pxp) and Rob Woodward (Analysis) Broadcast on the Web: Thursday \| Saturday
Television	none
Webstreams	Thursday \| Saturday
Live Statistics	Thursday \| Saturday
Game Notes	Michigan State \| Ferris State
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 takes a break from B1G play to engage in a home-and-home with in-state rival Ferris State. The teams will play on Thursday in East Lansing, and Saturday's game in Big Rapids.

• Thursday's game 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 WVFN 730 AM in the Lansing area, as well as on the web via MSUSpartans.com.

• MSU owns a 75-38-15 record all-time against Ferris State, a former conference mate in the 'old' CCHA. MSU is 43-19-6 in games played in East Lansing, and 29-18-8 in Big Rapids.

• After the dissolution of the 'old' CCHA after the 2013 season, the Spartans and Bulldogs continued their in-state rivalry in six of the last nine seasons. MSU is 7-4 against the Bulldogs in those nine seasons, the most recent game a 5-2 victory for MSU in the 2019 GLI in Detroit.

• Bob Daniels, a 1982 Michigan State graduate, is in his 31st season as the bench boss in Big Rapids and owns nearly 500 collegiate victories. He has guided his team to a 4-6 record this season, including a split with No. 2 Minnesota State last weekend at home.

• The only common opponent so far this season for the Spartans and Ferris State is Miami. The Bulldogs split with the Red Hawks in the opening weekend of the season, and MSU swept Miami in the second weekend.

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.

• 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 has three of its next four games at home. The Spartans have the home half of their Ferris State series on Thursday, and then a home series against B1G rival Wisconsin next weekend.

• MSU ranks sixth nationally in overall attendance, welcoming 20,859 fans over four home dates. MSU's average attendance (2.515) is eighth.

• Despite not scoring on the man advantage last weekend against Michigan, the Spartans rank fourth in the Big Ten (20th nationally) in power play percentage (7-for-31 (.226).

• The Spartans have eclipsed their season total in power play goals from 2020-21, with seven Only Michigan (11) and Penn State (8) have scored more in the Big Ten and the seven ranks 19th among Division I schools.

• MSU owns a .838 penalty kill percentage, extinguishing 31 of 36 chances against. The Spartans rank third in the Big Ten and 25th nationally in that category.

• With an average of 13.00 penalty minutes per game, the Spartans rank third in the Big Ten (17th nationally).

• MSU leads the Big Ten in blocked shots (145, 14.5 per game).

• MSU's newcomers have contributed significantly to the team's offense, with 10 team's 21 goals and 23 of 63 points so far this season.

• 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 has missed the last five games, snapping a streak of 140 consecutive career games played, the most of any active player in Division I hockey. In five games, he compiled three goals and four assists and a +4 rating.

• Lewandowski is second among Spartans in points (7) and assists (4), despite missing half of the team's first 10 games. He is tied for 14th in the Big Ten in points and is averaging 1.4 points per game, which would rank second among lead leaders.

• Lewandowski owns the second-highest career point total among active NCAA skaters with 107. He also ranks fifth in power-play goals (18) and is tied for first in game-winners (10).

• Josh Nodler sits atop the Spartan scoring charts with three goals and five assists this season. He owns the team lead in assists and points, and ranks second in goals (3). He ranks tied for ninth in the Big Ten in assists and tenth points. He leads the team in power-play points as well (2-2--4)

• Nodler's 86 faceoff wins ranks seventh in the Big Ten, and he has won 52% of his faceoffs on the season (86-79).

• Two of Nodler's three goals this season have come with a man advantage. He is tied with Griffin Loughran and Jeremy Davidson for third in the B1G in that category.

• Griffin Loughran ranks in a tie for second on the team in points (7), scoring his third goal of the season on Saturday at home against Michigan He is second on the team in goals, assists, and points, as well as in penalties (7) and penalty minutes (22).

• 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, and has played in 98 career games overall with a 38-41--79 scoring line.

• With a 4-2--6 scoring line in 10 games, Jeremy Davidson has his career best in goals and points, and tied his career high with two assists this season. His four goals is tied for sixth in the Big Ten.

• Erik Middendorf sits in a tie for fourth on the team in points (2-4--6) scoring line this season, and both of his goals have been game-winners. He is second in the Big Ten and sixth nationally in that category.

• Mitchell Mattson had a goal and an assist in last Friday's game at Michigan, his first career multiple-point game and first points of the 2021-22 season in six games.

• Nicolas Muller scored his first goal of the season in the home game against Michigan last Saturday 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 leads the team and ranks second in the Big Ten (16th nationally) in faceoff victories with 84, 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 is tied for fourth on the team in penalties, all of which are minors.

PLAYER NOTES - DEFENSEMEN
• Cole Krygier scored his first goal of the season at Michigan, and seventh of his career. He has 11 blocked shots on the season and leads the team in penalty minutes (23)

• David Gucciardi had an assist in the road game at Michigan, and on the year is the top-scoring blueliner with a 1-3--4 scoring line, and ranks third among defensemen with 16 blocked shots (7th, B1G). Gucciardi is the lone freshman on the Spartan blue line and has played in all 10 games with Christian Krygier as his D-partner.

• Dennis Cesana shares the Big Ten lead in blocked shots (21), and had seven in the Michigan series and was a +1. He is second among MSU blueliners in points (1-2--3) behind Gucciardi.

• 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.

• Christian Krygier appeared in his 100th career game at UMass-Lowell (10/23), and has a pair of assists to his credit this season. He leads MSU in penalties (9) and is fourth among defensemen in blocks (12)

• Nash Nienhuis picked up his third assist of the season at Michigan, and has skated on the top pair with Cesana in all 10 games. He 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 10 games this season.

PLAYER NOTES - GOALTENDERS
• MSU has split its goaltending duties in four of five weekends this season, including the most recent home-and-home with Michigan.

• Drew DeRidder got the Saturday start vs. the Wolverines, and made 23 saves in a tough 3-2 loss. DeRidder is seventh in the B1G with a 2.30 GAA, but is third in the Big Ten and 11th nationally with a .935 save percentage. He also ranks second in the B1G in saves per game (25.13).

• 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, 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

Mitchell Mattson

Erik Middendorf

Nash Nienhuis

Josh Nodler

Kristof Papp