Final Month Opens With Trip to Minnesota


Michigan State (11-14-1, 5-11-0 B1G) at Minnesota (15-11-0, 10-6-0 B1G)
Dates/Times	Friday, Feb. 4, 8 pm ET / 7 pm CT Saturday, Feb. 5, 6 pm ET / 5 pm CT
Location	3M Arena at Mariucci Minneapolis, Minn. \| Fan / Vaccine Policy
Tickets	Minnesota Ticket Office
Radio	Spartan Media Network *Games air live on WJIM 1240 AM / WVFN 730 AM* Scott Moore (pxp) and Neil Koepke (Analysis) Broadcast on the Web: Friday \| Saturday
Television	Bally Sports North (both games) Bally Sports Detroit Plus (Friday) ; Bally Sports Detroit (Saturday)
Webstreams	B1G+: Friday \| Saturday TSN.ca
Live Statistics	Click Here
Game Notes	Michigan State \| Minnesota
Press Conference	Watch Danton Cole's Weekly Press Conference
Social Media	Facebook Twitter Instagram

WEEKEND PARTICULARS

• Michigan State opens the final month of the regular season with four straight road games. The Spartans begin that stretch Friday and Saturday at Minnesota.

• Bally's North will carry both games live in Minnesota. Friday's game will air on Bally's Detroit Plus, with Bally's Detroit carrying the Saturday tilt.

• Webstreams of both games will be available on B1G+ and in Canada on TSN.ca and the TSN App.

• Scott Moore and Neil Koepke 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.

THE MINNESOTA SERIES
• The Gophers were the only Big Ten foe MSU did not see until the 2022 portion of the schedule, and the teams are now meeting for the second time inside of five weeks. They also met the first weekend in January at Munn Ice Arena, where the visitors earned 4-1 and 6-3 wins.

• In the previous series, the Spartans got two of their four goals from Erik Middendorf, while Nash Nienhuis and Jeremy Davidson had single markers. Jesse Tucker was the only other multiple-point scorer, with a pair of assists. Both Drew DeRidder (32 saves, 4 GA) and Pierce Charleson (54 saves, 6 GA) patrolled the crease. (previous series box scores on pp. 44-47)

• Minnesota holds a 127-50-16 record all-time against the Spartans, and a commanding 65-18-8 edge in games played in Minneapolis. The Spartans won five of eight meetings between the teams in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, but dropped all five games to Minnesota (including an overtime heartbreaker in the Big Ten Tournament) in the Covid-impacted 2020-21 campaign and the first two of this year's four-game series..

• Minnesota enters the weekend with a 15-11-0 overall record and is 10-6-0 in Big Ten play, behind Michigan and Ohio State in the Big Ten standings.. The Gophers have split their last two Big Ten series with Michigan and Notre Dame, falling 3-2 in OT in South Bend last Saturday after a 5-1 series-opening victory.

• Bob Motzko is in his fourth season as the head coach of the Gophers, and previously was the bench boss for 13 seasons at his alma mater, St. Cloud State. He owns a 349-240-60 mark overall in his 17 seasons as a head coach.

• The Gophers will be missing the services of three players as they represent Team USA at the Beijing Olympics: Ben Meyers, Brock Faber, and Matthew Knies.

TEAM NOTES
• MSU Is looking to snap a six-game skid, with January series losses at home against Minnesota and Ohio State 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 seventh place in the Big Ten standings with 14 points, one behind sixth-place Wisconsin and three behind fifth-place Penn State - MSU's final-weekend opponent.

• With a 7-7-0 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 four home games remaining in the regular season, against Notre Dame and Penn State.

• 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 all occupy top-21 spots in the overall SOS rankings in Division I.

• The Spartans are 7-5 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. Eight of MSU's last 12 games were either one- or two-goal efforts.

• MSU is 7-1-0 when scoring three or more goals and is 4-12-1 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 .203, converting on 16 of 79 chances to rank second in the Big Ten and 20th nationally. Michigan State had gone three games without an extra-man tally (0-for-7) until the series finale with Ohio State, where MSU had one goal in four tries.

• The Spartan penalty kill (.835, 86-103) is fourth in the Big Ten and 20th among D1 programs. MSU was a perfect 7-for-7 on the kill against Ohio State after surrendering four PPG in the Wisconsin series -(two in each game).

• With an average of 12.15 penalty minutes per game, the Spartans rank fourth in the Big Ten (19th nationally). MSU has had more penalty minutes than its opponent just 11 times in 26 games this season.

• MSU's scoring defense, allowing 2.88 goals per game, is fifth in the Big Ten and 31st 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.

• 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 (529-462-60).

• MSU ranks seventh in both overall average attendance among Division I hockey programs, welcoming 75,012 fans over 12 home dates. (5,358 average).

• MSU has a pair of alums in Beijing for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Justin Abdelkader is an alternate for Team USA, and is representing the US for the fifth time in his hockey career: he played for the US in the 2016 World Cup and the 2012 and 2014 World Championships, as well as capturing a bronze medal at the 2007 World Junior Championships. Meanwhile, blueliner Jake Chelios will be a member of Team China - China will utilize the roster of Kunlun Red Star, a Beijing-based entry in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for which Chelios is in his third professional season.

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 has five goals and eight assists over the five games they have played together.

• Erik Middendorf has four goals and an assist in his last six games. He is tied for the team lead in goals (9) and fourth in points (9-5--14). With four game-winning goals this season to his credit, the junior ranks sixth nationally in that category.

• Jeremy Davidson shares the team lead 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 third 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 five.

• Tucker is the team's top-scoring freshman with a goal and 16 assists. He is MSU's leader and is tied for sixth in the Big Ten in helpers, and is second among Spartans in points (17) and plus/minus (+4). He has nine points in his last eight games (all assists) after eight points in his first 18 collegiate games.

• Freshman Tanner Kelly scored once in each of the two games against Ohio State, pushing his season total to three. He scored his first collegiate goal in December at Notre Dame, and has appeared in 24 of 26 MSU contests this season.

• Josh Nodler centers the line with Kelly on the right and Jagger Joshua on the left. Nodler ranks fifth on the team in points (5-7--12) and has won 52.8% of his faceoffs on the year (225-201).
• 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 (16) and penalty minutes (40). He owns a 1-4--5 scoring line with 19 blocked shots this season, tied for the most among forwards.

• Kristof Papp has already doubled his freshman season offensive output (0-4--4) with a 1-9--10 scoring line. While he did not have any points in the OSU series, he did share the team lead in blocked shots in the series (4).

• Papp has won better than 60% of his draws (61.63%, 196-124) in the faceoff circle. He ranks seventh among Division I centermen in faceoff winning percentage, (minimum of nine faceoffs taken per game). Papp went 16-12 (.571) at the dot in the Ohio State series.

• Nico Muller has a 1-4--5 scoring line in 2021-22, and shares the lead among MSU forwards with 19 blocked shots.

• AJ Hodges has skated in 22 of 26 games this season, and has earned three assists in those games. In the Saturday game against OSU, he shared the team lead with five shots on net.

• 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 26 games this season, and scored his first goal of the season at Wisconsin (1/22). He has blocked 15 shots, a total which ranks second among Spartan forwards.

• Mattson and Haskins each picked up an assist at Wisconsin on a Dennis Cesana score (1/21).

• 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 missed the three B1G series in January.

• 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.

PLAYER NOTES - DEFENSEMEN
• Dennis Cesana ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 19th nationally in blocked shots (46), his career best. He skated in his 120th career game in the first Minnesota series, and has compiled a 18-51--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 previous 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 26 games. He has 20 blocked shots.

• Cole Krygier has surpassed his career-best point total (11), posting four goals and seven assists, sharing the team's points lead among blueliners. He has surpassed his scoring line he posted in all of 2019-20 (3-3--6). He is a +6 (good for second on the team, and tops among defensemen) and also has 39 penalty minutes and 37 blocks.

• Christian Krygier has doubled his single-season career best points total with a 1-5--6 scoring line. He has 37 blocked shots, ranked second on the team behind Cesana and tied with his brother.

• 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 22 games for MSU this season after skating in 25 as a freshman. He has a 1-1--2 scoring line and tallied his first collegiate goal at home against Ferris State (11/11).

• David Gucciardi has four goals and six assists for 10 points on the season, with 34 blocked shots. He ranks third among defensemen on the team in points and is tied for second in goals.

• Powell Connor has earned significant time as the season has worn on. He has played in 18 games for MSU and is fifth among Spartans with 27 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 13 weekends this season, including four of the last five B1G series against Penn State, Notre Dame, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

• Drew DeRidder played both ends of the most recent Ohio State series, combining for 62 saves and six goals against in the two games.

• DeRidder's GAA (2.38) is fifth in the B1G and 26th nationally, while his .935 save percentage is second in the Big Ten and is fifth among Division I goaltenders.

• DeRidder is third in the B1G and is 11th nationally with 616 saves, his average of 34.22 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.

• In his career, DeRidder's .921 save percentage ranks 13th among active Division I netminders.

• Pierce Charleson averages 35.25 saves per game. He is the only goaltender in the country with two 50+ - save efforts this season: he stopped 50 at Penn State (12/4) and a career-best 54 vs. Minnesota at home (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