Spartans Close January Action with OSU Series

Michigan State (11-12-1, 5-9-0 B1G) vs. [15/15] Ohio State (16-7-1, 8-5-1 B1G )
Dates/Times	Friday, Jan. 21, 7 pm \| Saturday, Jan. 22, 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 WVFN 730 AM / WJIM 1240 AM* 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 \| Ohio State
Social Media	Facebook Twitter Instagram
Game Program	Download this week's digital game program

Effective January 1, 2022, Michigan State athletics will require spectators at all indoor athletic events to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event.
Michigan State's indoor mask mandate remains in effect for all home athletic events. In addition, concession stand sales will be limited to water, coffee, and soft drinks.
Please visit the FAQ page for more information.

WEEKEND PARTICULARS
• Michigan State plays its third and final weekend series of January when it welcomes Ohio State to Munn Ice Arena.

• Both games will stream on B1G+. Links for webstreams are available on MSUSpartans.com.

• 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 (Friday) and WJIM 1240 AM (Saturday) in the Lansing area, as well as on the web via MSUSpartans.com.

THE OHIO STATE SERIES
• The Spartans split at Ohio State back in October, the first weekend of conference play for both teams. MSU won the first game 2-1, and the home team rebounded with a 5-1 win in the rematch, scoring three times in the final 12 minutes to blow open a 2-1 game.

• In the previous series, the Spartans got two of their three goals from Josh Nodler, who scored in each game in Columbus. Erik Middendorf had the other MSU goal - the game-winner - on Friday, along with an assist on Nodler's earlier goal in the game. Drew DeRidder posted 70 saves in the two games combined, allowing five goals.

•Steve Rohlik is in his ninth season behind the Buckeye bench. At 16-7-1 overall, the Buckeyes have won at least one game in each of their Big Ten series, including a win and an overtime loss last week at home against Notre Dame.

• MSU owns a 94-52-13 record all-time against Ohio State, which includes a 46-20-7 mark in contests played in East Lansing. MSU split the games at Munn a year ago, as well as two games earlier in the season at VCA.

• MSU forward Jagger Joshua's brother, Dakota, was a four-year letterwinner for the Buckeyes who graduated in 2019. He is in his second season with the St. Louis Blues organization, and is currently with the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL).

TEAM NOTES
• MSU Is looking to snap a four-game skid, with consecutive losses at home against Minnesota and on the road at Wisconsin.

• MSU went 5-7-0 in the first half of Big Ten play, suffering two losses to Minnesota and Michigan, sweeping Wisconsin, and splitting with Ohio State, Penn State, and Notre Dame. The Spartans sit in sixth place in the Big Ten standings with 14 points.

• With a 7-5-0 mark at Munn Ice Arena, the Spartans have as many wins at home as MSU has earned in any of the last three seasons. MSU won seven home games in both 2018-19 and 2019-20, and just five in 2020-21. The Spartans have six home games remaining in the regular season.

• The Spartans last had double-digit victories in their home rink in 2011-12, winning nine home games in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and eight in 2012-13 and 2017-18.

• MSU's strength of schedule ranks seventh nationally overall, and the second- toughest for remaining games. The seven Big Ten schools occupy top-21 spots in the overall SOS rankings in Division I.

• The Spartans are 7-4 in one-goal contests and 2-2 in two-goal games - and all four of those had an empty-net goal for the final margin. Seven of MSU's last 10 games were either one- or two-goal efforts.

• MSU is 7-1-0 when scoring three or more goals and is 4-10-1 when held to two or less. Meanwhile, the Spartans are 7-0-1 when allowing two goals or fewer.

• MSU's power play is at .205, converting on 15 of 73 chances to rank second in the Big Ten and 20th nationally. Michigan State has scored a power play goal in two of the last three games, including just 11 seconds into its only power-play chance in the finale vs. Minnesota.

• The Spartan penalty kill (.823, 79-96) is fourth in the Big Ten and 26th among D1 programs. MSU surrendered four PPG in the Wisconsin series - just the third and fourth times this season the Spartans have allowed multiple in the same game.

• With an average of 12.50 penalty minutes per game, the Spartans rank third in the Big Ten (20th nationally). MSU had just five power play chances in the Wisconsin series compared to 12 for the Badgers, while Minnesota had a 11-5 edge in the set the previous weekend.

• MSU's scoring defense, allowing 2.83 goals per game, is fifth in the Big Ten and 29th nationally.

• MSU is just behind Wisconsin in the Big Ten in blocked shots (14.33 per game).

• In nine of MSU's 11 wins, the game-winner has come in the third period or later. In seven of the nine, the goal has been scored in the final seven minutes or OT, and five with four minutes or less remaining or in OT. The latest in regulation was a 19:40 goal that capped a three-goal third period at Ferris State. MSU's last two wins came in OT at Notre Dame and at home against Michigan Tech.

• The Spartans sit at 5-9-0 in the Big Ten, which is fifth (14 points). Minnesota leads the way with 29 points, Ohio State is second (27) and Michigan third (25).

• 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 (529-456-60).

• MSU ranks eighth in overall and seventh in average attendance among Division I hockey programs, welcoming 53,950 fans over 10 home dates. (5,395 average).


PLAYER NOTES - FORWARDS
• MSU shook up its forward lines between the games of the Minnesota series, and it gave the newly-formed top line a bit of a jump start. Erik Middendorf and Jeremy Davidson are centered on that line by freshman Jesse Tucker. The trio accounted for all three MSU goals on Saturday vs. Minnesota, and had a goal and four assists in the series at Wisconsin.

• Erik Middendorf has three goals and an assist in his last four games.

• Middendorf is second among Spartans in goals (8) and fourth in points (8-5--13). With four game-winning goals this season to his credit, the junior ranks third nationally (second, B1G) in that category.

• Jeremy Davidson leads the Spartans in goals (9), and his season scoring line of 9-7--16 is his career best all categories. His four power play goals ranks in a tie for second in the league, (15th nationally).

• Jesse Tucker centered a line with Mitchell Lewandowski and Davidson for 10 games, and now has Middendorf on his left wing over the last three.

• Tucker is the team's top-scoring freshman with a goal and 14 assists. He is MSU's leader and is tied for eighth in the Big Ten in helpers, He leads the Spartans in assists and is second on the team in plus/minus (+5). He has seven points in his last six games (all assists) after eight points in his first 18 collegiate games.
• Kristof Papp centered a newly-formed line with Jagger Joshua on the left and Josh Nodler on the right last weekend.

• Papp has already doubled his freshman season offensive output (0-4--4) with a 1-9--10 scoring line. He has had points in three of MSU's last four Big Ten series, including scoring his first collegiate goal at Penn State (12/4).

• Papp has won better than 60% of his draws (61.6%, 180-112) in the faceoff circle. He ranks third among Division I centermen in faceoff winning percentage, (minimum of nine faceoffs taken per game). At Wisconsin, Papp went 14-10 (.583) at the dot, despite the Spartans winning just 47.5% overall on the weekend.

• Josh Nodler moved to the wing after 22 games at center this season. Nodler ranks fifth on the team in points (5-7--12) and has won 52.4% of his faceoffs on the year (205-183).

• Nodler has established new career bests with five goals and surpassed his career-best output with 12 points. He also has earned career bests in power play goals (3), and doubled his penalty minutes (2-for-4).

• Joshua ranks second on the team in both penalties (15) and penalty minutes (38). He owns a 1-3--4 scoring line with 16 blocked shots this season.

• Nico Muller has a 1-4--5 scoring line in 2021-22, and leads all MSU forwards with 19 blocked shots. He ranks 14th nationally and second among B1G among forwards in that category.

• AJ Hodges has skated in 20 of 22 games this season, and has earned three assists in those games. He was on Muller's left wing with Tanner Kelly (1-0--1) on the right last weekend.

• MSU's fourth line last weekend featured senior Mitchell Mattson flanked by Adam Goodsir on the left and Kyle Haskins on the right.

• Goodsir has played in all 24 games this season, and scored his first of the year last Saturday at Wisconsin. He has blocked 15 shots, a total which ranks second among Spartan forwards.

• Mattson and Haskins each picked up an assist on Friday at Wisconsin on a Dennis Cesana score.

• Fifth-year senior and active career leading scorer Mitchell Lewandowski ranks fourth among active Division I players in career points (120), fifth in goals (56), fourth in game-winners (12), and sixth in power play goals (20).

• Lewandowski remains atop the Spartan leaderboard in points (18) and is a squad-best +11 in 14 games. He had 11 points (4-7--11) in the 10 games after an early-season five-game injury hiatus, but most recently missed the Minnesota and Wisconsin series.

• Griffin Loughran owns a 3-9--12 scoring line with a pair of power-play markers. With 84 career points, he is for second among active Spartan players (38g, 46a). He skated in his 110th career game on Jan. 7 vs. the Gophers, but missed the Wisconsin series.

PLAYER NOTES - DEFENSEMEN
• Dennis Cesana ranks second overall in the Big Ten (11th nationally) in blocked shots (43), his new career best after getting in front of the 36 he had as a sophomore. He skated in his 120th career game in the Minnesota series, and has compiled a 18-5--68 scoring line in his career.

• Cesana is the top-scoring defenseman and ranks seventh overall for Michigan State with 11 points (6g, 5a). He has been one of the Big Ten's top-producing defensemen over the last three seasons. He earned Preseason Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors this fall.

• Nash Nienhuis had a point in each game of the Minnesota series, including his first career goal in the Friday game. With a 1-7--8 scoring line this year, he had already surpassed his freshman year point total (6). He has a pair of two-assist games this season to tie his career best, and has skated in all 24 games. He has 17 blocked shots.

• Cole Krygier has surpassed his career-best point total (9), posting four goals and five assists. He scored his career-best fourth goal of the season at Wisconsin, and has surpassed his scoring line he posted in all of 2019-20 (3-3--6). He is a +5 (good for second on the team, and tops among defensemen) and also has 35 penalty minutes and 36 blocks.

• Christian Krygier has doubled his single-season career best points total with a 1-5--6 scoring line. He has 35 blocked shots, ranked third on the team behind Cesana and his brother. Christian had a team-best seven blocks in the series last weekend in Madison. Oneof his five assists on the year came in the October series at OSU.
• Both Krygier twins scored in the first game at Penn State (12/3), marking the first time in their Spartan careers that they lit the lamp in the same game.

• Sophomore Aiden Gallacher has appeared in 20 games for MSU this season after skating in 25 as a freshman. He had an assist on Adam Goodsir's Saturday goal, and has himself scored once this season, his first collegiate goal, at home against Ferris State (11/11).

• David Gucciardi has four goals and five assists for nine points on the season, with 30 blocked shots. He ranks second among defensemen on the team in both points and goals.

• Powell Connor has earned significant time as the season has worn on. He has played in 16 games for MSU and is fifth among Spartans with 25 blocked shots.

• Five of MSU's seven regular defensemen average at least one blocked shot per game, compiling between 25-43 blocks on the year.

PLAYER NOTES - GOALTENDERS
• MSU has split its goaltending duties in eight of 12 weekends this season, including the last four B1G series (Penn State, Notre Dame, Minnesota, and Wisconsin).

• Drew DeRidder played both ends of the weekend series in Columbus in October. He made 41 stops in the 2-1 Spartan victory, and 29 in the game two loss.

• DeRidder's GAA (2.30) is fourth in the B1G and 38th nationally, while his .937 save percentage tops the Big Ten and is fifth among Division I goaltenders. He is third in the B1G and is sixth nationally with 554 saves, his average of 34.62 is first both in the league and among Division I goaltenders, and he has surpassed his career best with eight victories.

• DeRidder not only earned both of MSU's OT wins this season, but picked up assists on the game-winning goals in each contest.

• Pierce Charleson averages 35.25 saves per game, which was augmented with a 42-save performance in last Saturday's game at Ohio State. He has two 50+ - save efforts this season (50 on 12/4 at Penn State, and 54 vs. Minnesota, 1/8) His effort against the Gophers is the most saves for a Division I netminder in a game this season, and his 50 saves against the Nittany Lions ranks in a tie for third.

• In eight starts this season, Charleson owns a 3.52 GAA, .910 save percentage, and 3-5 record. He made three starts and appeared in seven games for Michigan State in the crease last season as a freshman, and compiled a 2.57 GAA and .938 save percentage in those contests, making 210 saves in 326:49.

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Players Mentioned

Dennis Cesana

Pierce Charleson

Powell Connor

Jeremy Davidson

Drew DeRidder

Aiden Gallacher

Adam Goodsir

David Gucciardi

Kyle Haskins

Jagger Joshua

Tanner Kelly

Christian Krygier

Cole Krygier

Mitchell Lewandowski

Griffin Loughran

Mitchell Mattson

Erik Middendorf

Nash Nienhuis

Josh Nodler

Kristof Papp

Jesse Tucker