Puck Preview: Michigan State Comment Count

Brian

635491874635460024-MSU-Mich-Hoc-2318[1] THE ESSENTIALS

WHAT Michigan (15-7, 7-1 B10)
vs
MSU (9-11-2, 3-3-2 B10)
WHERE Joe Louis Arena,
Detroit, Michigan
WHEN 7:30 pm ET, Friday
LINE nope
TIX the box office will have lots
TV Fox Sports Detroit

THE THEM

I haven't done a hockey preview for a while because I've never had much to say other than "this guy has a lot of points and this guy is drafted," but I guess it's better than nothing.

Michigan State is in their Nth consecutive year of mediocrity or worse, their fourth under former CCHA commissioner and non-hockey-coach Tom Anastos. After an opening year a few games above .500, Anastos's teams have lingered in a territory above terrible but below average; this year they are still that at 9-11-2. They're coming off a sweep of a drastically undermanned Ohio State team, so they've got that going for them.

Anastos teams tend to be defensively responsible and hopelessly dull, and this year is no exception. State is 45th of 59 in scoring and 25th in defense. They stay out of the box, kill penalties well, and struggle on the power play. They have a couple guys with a modicum of skill and a bottom six that tries to grunt their way towards goals. They have a couple of high draft picks on the defensive end and play a conservative system that tries to shut down space in the neutral zone, so at least that hasn't changed.

This is a Ron Mason team without an NHL top line or, you know, Ron Mason.

THE GENTLEMEN OF NOTE

  1. Matt Berry. The diminutive senior is State's most skilled player. He leads the team in points with 16 despite missing several games due to injury earlier this year and is the only MSU player on a PPG. He's in the little puck wizard mode.
  2. Mackenzie MacEachern. MacEachern is a rare breed indeed, drafted in the third round out of Michigan high school hockey. Reminiscent of Justin Abdelkader minus the dumb penalties, MacEachern is the most physically imposing opposition forward.
  3. Villiam Haag. Is named "Villiam Haag." (Try-hard Swede is also active defensively and has established a spot on the top line thanks to two-way play. Think Matt Rust.)

THE GOALIE

Junior Jake Hildebrand has seen every minute of MSU's season; his .918 save percentage is middling but significantly better than Michigan's platoon.

THE LAST TIME

Michigan won the GLI final 2-1 with Zach Hyman and Andrew Copp scoring; Michigan was actually outshot 29-32. MSU was missing Berry; Michigan was down their four WJC participants (Werenski, Larkin, Compher, Motte). They skated seven defensemen in that game, in fact.

THE STAKES

Michigan has played itself into an at-large bid for the tournament and must keep winning to stay there. The Big Ten offers no favors to Michigan's schedule strength.

Michigan State has no hope of an at-large bid. At this point Anastos has to be on the verge of losing his job if anyone in East Lansing still realizes the hockey team exists. It's been four years of mediocrity with no light at the end of the tunnel and a retiring Red Berenson is kicking MSU's ass on the recruiting trail.

It's time for Michigan State to get a real coach and start winning some games—crappy MSU was fun for a while but I'm over it. If Anastos wants to keep his job winning against Michigan is the best way to do it.

THE GUY WHO HASN'T CHANGED

Kampfer-assaulter Andrew Conboy was just dropped by his ECHL team for cross-checking a dude in the teeth. Stop hiring this man, hockey teams.

THE PREDICTION

Hockey predictions are dumb, but whatever: Michigan is still vulnerable to turnovers and WTF defensive play but if this was an even game last time they should have a major advantage now that they've got four of their six best players back in the lineup versus just Berry for MSU. Stay out of the box and get solid goaltending and this train should keep rolling.

Comments

WCHBlog

January 30th, 2015 at 12:33 PM ^

They moved the needle, but in the wrong direction. There was really no reason they should have been playing at a school like Michigan State except for their last name. A good example of how that program absolutey rotted from within under Rick Comley.

Anastos probably will get fired this year or next, but he hasn't been terrible. He took over a team with terrible talent and had no resources to improve things. Michigan State is going to be bad as long as the school is more concerned about multi-million dollar upgrades to their basketball facilities every decade than anything concerning the hockey program.

It's too bad for Michigan too. The Big 10 is basically Atlantic Hockey with much better marketing this year because three of the six programs in the conference could not care less about hockey.  It's hard to take Zach Hyman seriously as a Hobey candidate when he's only scored three points all season against teams currently inside the NCAA tournament bubble and he won't play another decent team until the NCAA tournament.

Alton

January 30th, 2015 at 1:54 PM ^

If your argument is that Wisconsin fans still care about hockey, I would have to agree with you.  But I don't think we are talking about the fanbase here.

Something to think about is that Michigan is in a hockey conference where 1/3 of the schools (Wisconsin, Ohio State) don't have a hockey rink.  Michigan's hockey team has as much ice time in the Kohl Center so far in 2015 as Wisconsin's hockey team.  The rest of the time, Wisconsin has been practicing in the Women's hockey arena next door.

So instead of having the conference champion host the conference tournament (the original plan), Wisconsin & Ohio State lobby the conference to go to a "neutral site."  And now Yost will never see playoff hockey again.

gwkrlghl

January 30th, 2015 at 2:10 PM ^

I'm always impressed by Wisconsin and Minnesota's home attendance. In a world where Yost is bigger, I have a hard time envisioning us be able to get 10,000+ at home consistently. In the last few years we haven't even been maxing out our 6,000 person capacity

gwkrlghl

January 30th, 2015 at 12:26 PM ^

I remain astounded that MSU hired Anastos as their coach. Still have no clue why they thought that would work.

Edit: Oops. I thought both the Joe and the Chicago game were this weekend. Didn't realize it was a one-off. Michigan always seems to playt well at the Joe. Not sure if that's true or I'm imagining it

Michigan 6-1

Sac Fly

January 30th, 2015 at 12:43 PM ^

Rick Comley stopped recruiting after the 2007 season. Anastos got the job because it was in such a bad place no one wanted it.

Anastos doesn't get enough credit for rebuilding that blueline but he could never go head to head in the state against Red Berenson recruiting forwards.  

ThadMattasagoblin

January 30th, 2015 at 4:27 PM ^

A bad MSU team doesn't bother me in the slightest. Since about 2008, I hope that Breslin, Munn, and Spartan Stadium all burn to the ground. We get all of the good players in Michigan if they are down.