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Behind the Mask is the only podcast devoted entirely to MSU men’s hockey. Impact 89FM hockey beat reporters talk about the latest in Spartan hockey and give their weekly game picks.
Welcome back. Episode five here of behind the mask. Hope you all had an amazing week, an amazing Thanksgiving as well. We had a great break over here with the behind the mask crew. I'm Oscar Henderson alongside my cohost Jack Volwinkel and Gabe Souza.
Speaker 1:Guys, how was the Thanksgiving weekend? How'd you enjoy watching that Spartan series against Colgate? And what was your favorite part of the break over this past week?
Speaker 2:Well, that that Colgate series was very refreshing, obviously, coming off the week before. My Thanksgiving was great. I don't know how well yours went, Jack, because you're still eating over there, apparently.
Speaker 1:Got some chicken tenders over there.
Speaker 2:Nice. But, no, yeah, was good fun seeing family, watching the Lions lose in embarrassing fashion. Frank Ragnell returning back to his couch. And but, yeah, it was Michigan lost. That was nice.
Speaker 3:Yeah. It was that was good. Yeah. Yeah. No.
Speaker 3:I I had a good Thanksgiving break. Spent it with my girlfriend's family and came home and spent it with my family. It's a little two for one. Sure. Washington Spartan basketball was great.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Oh, yeah. Really good against UNC. Lions with whatever. But, yeah, the Colgate series was great.
Speaker 3:The Wednesday game, I got the privilege to call it on TV. And then, on Friday, I was got the privilege to watch it as a fan. So it was, it was great. Both good games. And, I really liked Melvin Strawl's performance in game one.
Speaker 1:Yes. We're gonna get into that as well here as we start with our recap of this past series against Colgate. As Jack mentioned, he was on the broadcast for BTN Plus for this first game along with his partner, Jordan. Great call, by the way, for the game. Yes, sir.
Speaker 1:A very fun game to call too, by the way. Fireworks to start the first ten minutes of this game as Michigan State came in with a mission to make it felt like after that sweep against Wisconsin. Three goals by the Spartans to start off the first period. First one by Owen West, then Riker Lee, then Eric Nelson. We're gonna talk about here I I wanna start first before we get into the actual game.
Speaker 1:I wanna talk about some of the changes that Nightingale decided to make this season after the first sweep this team had had. This season, he finally made line changes for this team. First time he's done so this season, bearing any injury that anyone has had so far. So with the new lines come, Nilsen and Lee making their way up to that second line. Tomey also moved up to the third line.
Speaker 1:Tiernan was there, for that first game as well, but that was in place of Caden Lindstrom who ended up replacing Tiernan in that third line center spot. Tiernan went back down to the fourth line, but Austin Baker now is a consistent fourth line forward. He played both games against Colgate. He looks pretty good in both of those. So what do we think about some of these lineup make lineup adjustments?
Speaker 1:Why do we think Nightingale ended up making these adjustments? Did we think the sweep against Wisconsin necessitated or necessitated, I should say, these changes? Just what are the overall thoughts about what sort of you think went into the process of Nightingale making these adjustments?
Speaker 2:Well, I think, you know, obviously, you have a lot of new guys coming in this year, and, you know, it just takes time to learn who's gonna work well together. I think Riker Lee moves to the second line. That's probably because he takes ten, twenty shots on that every single game, and Adam Nightingale wants them him out there as many times as possible because you never know when he's gonna send one in. And then if you think Hustle doesn't get rewarded in college hockey, you're absolutely wrong because Manisto talked about his story. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:You know, fourth line warrior, and, you know, you just see it every single night that he plays just racing to every puck. And so he's gonna get rewarded and move up, you know, that's always good to see. But, yeah, it's just testing. You know, we're we're still I guess, well, we're not early on in the season. Man, it's flying by.
Speaker 2:But but, you know, you're still learning
Speaker 3:Are we almost to the midway point?
Speaker 1:Think we are at the midway point right now.
Speaker 2:I was gonna say we're still early on in the season, but we're really not.
Speaker 1:Yeah. But, no, you know, it takes time
Speaker 2:to learn who's gonna play well together. And so it's just it there's no need to overreact at it, but it's cool to see these guys getting rewarded moving up.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I really liked it too. Calling the game and just kinda get to see the guys on the ice for the first time work together. I thought Nelson and Lee played great in the second line. That line was great, the whole game.
Speaker 3:Manisto, his hustle is awesome. And I like Austin Baker too. I mean, I like all the players in the same company. Don't get me wrong. But I thought Austin Baker played really good for his, you know and he's being rewarded with it just being out there consistently and being able to dress every single time out.
Speaker 3:But, yeah, the line changes, like like Dave said, nothing to overreact about, just a little bit of changes. And I really like that that they were made against Colgate because it is we we won both games pretty handedly, and so it's it's a nice series. It was a nice series for Michigan State to have at that point because it was after a loss, and it was it gave Nightingale the ability to make some changes with his lines, and that they they they proved to be good. So I'm interested to see if he, like, was gonna keep them the way they were against Colgate or if he's gonna resort back to what they were earlier in the season against Michigan. But and Caden Lester coming back is big too.
Speaker 3:That's huge. So we're almost fully healthy. I mean, talk about every all the players come back. So the Michigan series is gonna be which I'm getting ahead of myself here. But but having everybody back very healthy is gonna be I don't think I
Speaker 2:don't think you're getting ahead of yourself. We've been talking about this Michigan series since we started doing this podcast. Yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean, this has been the series of the season, it felt like. So we've just been boiling up to this moment. Once we get to finally talk about it, it's gonna feel like Right. A big release. And we're just gonna spend at least twenty minutes talking about how amazing that series is gonna be.
Speaker 1:But, of course, we're gonna talk about this Colgate series a little bit more. I do agree with you guys. I don't think it is anything to overreact to. I think it is him. Just like you said, rewarding guys for their hard work and their effort, what they've done on the ice so far, and re and giving out those results for the team, like you said with Tome.
Speaker 1:And I think Eric Nelson and Riker Lee too are good examples of that, especially on the offensive side of the puck. You guys mentioned Riker Lee taking so many shots on goal. He's been so aggressive with the puck so far, and it's something that really that, know, not many you don't see a lot of 18 year olds out of out of, you know, the minor league come into college and be as aggressive and look as comfortable as Riker Lee does coming in. And, again, as you said, Nightingale rewarded him, and Riker Lee paid him right back. He scored a goal in both of the games.
Speaker 1:He has a goal now in five of his last six games, meaning he has a point streak of that two, I believe, now at three games, on the point streak. So he has been just absolutely phenomenal. He's been probably, I wanna say the second best freshman on the scene so far, which is no it is no short order because of the insane talent of freshmen that have come here so far this season. He has been the second one, I think, and right behind Puerto Martin. But, yeah, I I I think I liked it.
Speaker 1:I think it gave that second line a little bit more offensive juice than what we've been seeing the past couple of weeks. I mean, they it resulted right away. They scored those goals in the first three in the first ten minutes. Two of those came from that second line with Riker Lee scoring the first one, and then Nelson scoring the second one. Lee assisted on it as well.
Speaker 1:So I think it gave a big offensive juice that Michigan State was sort of looking for, and it paid off very well in that first period. They did not let go of the lead after jumping out to that three nothing goal or three nothing lead to start the first period. Colgate did respond back about eleven minutes into the period. Jack Brandt scored his sixth goal of the season, but Michigan State responded with two more after that. Chernan Shouty and Charlie Strammell both scored the goals, Tiernan in the second period, Charlie in the third, and then Colgate scored.
Speaker 1:A last one in the last five minutes. There were a couple, couple fights that happened too near the end there. Of course, Patrick Geary got himself the game disqualification, did not play in that second game as well. Ryan Sullivan also got disqualified from the game as from Colgate. Jack, I mean, you were at the game, obviously.
Speaker 1:Can you just talk a little bit about what happened there at the end and what really quantified the refs to give them the full game disqualification for the next game on Friday.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I'll I'll say this, you know, for for being a nonconference game between two teams that don't really see each other that often, it was ridiculous for shipping. For for you know, it was day before Thanksgiving. I I just kept thinking myself, man, it's the holiday season. These guys are really aggressive.
Speaker 3:But, but I like I like the I like the intensity from Colgate that they brought in because they you know, they got nothing to lose. They're coming on the road against a big 10 team, top five team in the country, and, you know, why not? New Hampshire did it, so why not us? And then, Wrecker Lee actually kinda like he there was, like, this one play where I forget who it might have been Sullivan too or Jack Brandt, Ford Colgate. They got to do a little altercation in front of Moven Straw, and it was this whole thing.
Speaker 3:But, yeah, at the end of the game well, I I think that part of it for getting the damn game disqualification was because of the amount of times that they were just like, okay. Stop. Okay. Stop. Okay.
Speaker 3:Stop. So I think it finally was like, okay, dude. Get the hell out of here. So I think, honestly, that was probably what the official thought in his mind was like, okay. You've had enough.
Speaker 3:I've told you to stop five times. You know, leave. But, yeah, Gary, it was a full fledged fight. And something interesting to note, it's not allowed in college hockey. You cannot fight in college hockey.
Speaker 3:The officials don't usually let that go. And so for the the helmets to come off, the gloves to drop, and for it to be a full blown brawl on the ice, that was pretty it was I wanna I don't wanna say it's cool to see, but it's it was interesting to see because it just doesn't happen much. But then it was also weird to note that, you know, Gary got ejected and so did the guy from Colgate, eject Sullivan. And then so did Perdue Morton. Like, he just was, like, came in at the end and was like, whatever whatever whatever.
Speaker 3:Must have said something or something. But, yeah, two games for Michigan State, one for Colgate, albeit it didn't really matter. But I found it interesting that the officials let let kinda let it grind. But I think that the big majority of the reason that the fight kinda happened was just a boiling up of emotions. Colgate was angry.
Speaker 3:They were, you know, kind of out of the game the whole time and then, you know, just You know? And then they never let that happen. It's always the Mitchells get in the middle of it. And then but now Garrett once the helmets came off, were like, okay. We're gonna let him go.
Speaker 3:And Jordan and I were like, what the heck? This has not happened ever.
Speaker 1:Gary had been doing a really good job this year of staying out of the box. You know? Of doing a lot of, you know
Speaker 4:I know.
Speaker 1:Not being penalized as much as he was last year. That was a big knock on him last year. You know, you we loved how he played defensively, but he was just a little too aggressive sometimes, and it seemed like it just, you know, boiled over here. I mean, honestly, it didn't much matter. And either way, I mean, again, they still won that second game four to one.
Speaker 1:And again, the game was over by the time this fight happened. It was already, I think, four to two or five to one at that point. Yeah.
Speaker 3:So But I'll you this. I'm sorry to interrupt you. There's No. Go ahead. Penalties for Michigan State in that game, which is that's as high.
Speaker 1:Mean, I comparatively to the rest of
Speaker 3:the game that so, again, you have to, you know, take into account that this doesn't really matter, didn't know, whatever, but, like, two of them were disqualifications at the end of the third. But, it was I don't know. It was it was interesting to see how fired up everybody was for being a game that in reality, like, you know, doesn't really matter that much. I kinda found that
Speaker 4:to be cool too.
Speaker 2:It feels like Michigan State earns the right to get into these fights. Like, play they'll play well enough in the game. They'll get like, they'll control the game, and they'll get a lead, and they're like, alright, guys. We're not gonna blow this. Let's start swinging.
Speaker 2:You know?
Speaker 1:I guess so. Let's just start going.
Speaker 2:Looks for that green light from Adam Adam Nightingale, and he just starts swinging.
Speaker 1:Oh, yes. I am I can't imagine what he's going to do to some of these guys this weekend.
Speaker 2:This Michigan series, I mean, we're gonna have a thousand penalties. So many penalties.
Speaker 3:Remember against we were in Notre Dame. I don't know if any of you guys have watched the game, at home. But, in that first game at Notre Dame, Puerto Martone, like, he kinda got shoved a little bit, but he overdramatized it, which was funny. And then, like, took out the entire net out.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Yes.
Speaker 3:Yeah. He did. He did it again against Colgate
Speaker 4:in a second. Yes.
Speaker 3:Yes. The the I forget the Reed Reed Dick was the name of the goaltender for Colgate, and he just, you know, took the net out again. I was like, there's no way that this has happened twice.
Speaker 1:That's his go to
Speaker 3:move, man.
Speaker 1:This is his go to move.
Speaker 3:And then, of course, that causes some fighting and, you know, whatever. But I was like, there's no way that he did this twice. So
Speaker 1:I have I have never seen that from a hockey player No. In my life. It is such an interesting move.
Speaker 3:And the funny another funny thing is is he was one of the goals that he's well, they thought he scored. He stood right in the crease and just kicked the puck. Right? He got, like, he just kicked it in. And I was like, that's not allowed either.
Speaker 3:So I was like, what is this troll doing? He knows he knows this team is gonna win by, like, three goals. So, like, what? I was like, this guy is just unreal.
Speaker 4:So that
Speaker 3:was funny.
Speaker 2:He did his sellie with a smile.
Speaker 4:You know?
Speaker 1:He was trying to sell it too. He's like, yeah. We did. He was like, yeah. We scored.
Speaker 1:You know, I tried to give
Speaker 3:it a good call. Like, Martone scores for the moment. And I was like, wait a minute. This can't
Speaker 1:be right. This is not gonna count.
Speaker 3:It was a it was a fun game, though. It was good.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Good to see that they were having some fun out there at least before the Thanksgiving holiday. There was also another big change to the lineup. In the net in first game was Melvin Straw again making his second appearance this season for Michigan State. As we mentioned, he was a highly touted prospect coming out of Sweden.
Speaker 1:He was originally supposed to, you know, have that starting goaltender role this season. It was expected that Augustine was gonna probably go to the AHL or be with the Red Wings this year, but Augustine obviously made the decision to come back. So kinda threw straw for a loop there, but he decided to stick with his commitment. And Nightingale, I think, is really rewarding him for that and giving him some opportunities here in some games that, you know, aren't, you know, gonna be as close or maybe not gonna be as, you know, tightly matched as some of these other big ten games are gonna be.
Speaker 2:So That's a nice way to put it
Speaker 1:on this game. I'm trying to I'm trying to be nice, but, you know, night and Nightingales knows that too. Right? When he puts them in these games, I mean, we've only seen him against Northern Michigan in Colgate. We have yet to see him against a big ten opponent.
Speaker 3:Start him next weekend.
Speaker 1:Yeah. He's not gonna start him next weekend, obviously. But, what did you see from Melvin Straw? What did you like from him in this performance? And what do you see from him that sort of makes you think that what what was the reason that Nightingale went and got this guy and is really high on this guy too at goalie?
Speaker 3:Yeah. I like his composure. You know, coming into a game regardless of what the, you know, the circumstances is, whether it is a conference game or a game like it was on Wednesday night, like, you know, your nerves are there, and he didn't show any nerves. And and granted MSU didn't, you know, they kept it in their zone majority of the game, so it wasn't like Strawl had to face a lot, at least in the first period. But as the second and third were not, it was actually a pretty evenly matched game.
Speaker 3:Mhmm. Not to shy away from Strawl here, but, like, it was three nothing in the first ten minutes, and then from then on out, it was five two. So, like, it really was it was a two two game after that point. And both the teams kinda settled down Colgate more specifically, but, Schrull got his chances to make some saves, and Colgate had a couple of rakeways. Brant and Sullivan had a couple of their own, and he's and he did not let any of those go.
Speaker 3:So his his his, his he was locked in the whole time, and, '29 to 31 is a pretty good stat line. Yeah. And so I, I was really impressed with him. I like that I I really do appreciate Melvin Straw for sticking around because he could totally be a starting goaltender in a lot of other teams, even a lot of teams the Big Ten. So I think that next year, he will get his shot to shine, and he is most definitely, somebody to look out for to be somebody that's really special.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I don't have much more to add. I will say though, there is an obvious difference. Like, when when any, you know, Colgate player was on a breakaway, you kinda like, you know, you get a little nervous. It's funny when Augustine's in that, I'm just kinda like, oh, you know, this isn't a big deal.
Speaker 4:He's just
Speaker 2:gonna save this. Right? So no. But he he held his own, and it was good to see.
Speaker 4:He did. Yeah. Mhmm.
Speaker 1:Yeah. No. Definitely. Again, Nightingale has been really high on this guy, coming in. And, obviously, guys, like you said, I think it speaks to the Michigan State culture that a guy like Malvin Straw, who is a very highly touted prospect coming out of Sweden, decides to sit for a year in which he could very well be playing for another team right now and have starting time with another team, but he decides to sit behind Augustine and get his wait for his opportunity here at Michigan State.
Speaker 1:I think that says a lot about the culture. And, you know, in a time right now where it's really easy for people to leave, you got a lot of guys who are deciding to stay at MSU and wait for their opportunities. So very close sport. Right? Yes.
Speaker 1:At least in this sport. Unfortunately, we had some transfers over the past day, but that was what comes with the new coach territory, you know, unfortunate. Congratulations to Pat Fitzgerald, by the way, being announced as the new MSU football head coach officially. Gonna give a little football shout out right there in the hockey pod.
Speaker 2:Congratulations to Nick Marsh, either LSU Tiger or Crimson Tide, someone
Speaker 1:I think LSU. Yeah. Yeah. Probably LSU. Although Michigan might be throwing the If he goes to Michigan.
Speaker 2:They don't have
Speaker 3:to They don't throw the ball.
Speaker 1:Why would why would
Speaker 3:he wanna go there?
Speaker 1:They can't throw the ball, They
Speaker 4:might as well
Speaker 2:play an army at that point.
Speaker 1:Got the quarterback now. They gotta try to throw the ball. You know? They gotta keep the quarterback happy.
Speaker 3:Well, they they tried this year, and it didn't really go too well for us.
Speaker 4:I Did not. No. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Did not. But we're gonna move on to the second game here. We're gonna talk about it lightly. Obviously, they won the second game four to one. Little bit more handedly, just a little bit of a closer score there.
Speaker 1:They were only up two to one at one point, but, of course, Riker Lee and Daniel Russell put the game away for Michigan State. Russell had two goals in this game. Riker Lee had his second goal of the gay of the weekend as well in this game. Any extra thoughts that anyone wants to put on? Kaden Lindstrom came back in this game after being week to week with a minor groin injury.
Speaker 1:Good to see that he's finally healthy. How did he how do you guys think he looked? Do you think he's gonna be alright? And do you think he's gonna be a legitimate factor in this Michigan series coming up next weekend?
Speaker 2:Well, sorry. I was gonna make a comment about Danny Russell scoring two goals.
Speaker 1:Oh, right. That's okay.
Speaker 4:I I
Speaker 1:mean, you go right ahead, dude.
Speaker 2:I mean, listen. I don't know if I'm happy or not, to be honest
Speaker 4:with you guys. Like, this
Speaker 1:feels like this feels like an ex
Speaker 2:girlfriend situation. It's like, I don't know if I want him to be doing well.
Speaker 1:I was gonna say he had the secondary assist too on the Riker League goal.
Speaker 2:You know what? You know what? I'm proud of him. I I do I do wanna see him do well because he does play for Michigan State. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:But, man, I went through
Speaker 1:a lot with this guy. I went through a
Speaker 2:lot for this guy, now he's I don't know.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I I like that he is he's he's shooting the puck more. He looked like he was a little more willing on offensively since in terms of shooting the puck. Like, and Danny Russel has been so good this year passing the puck and and sort of, like, being a facilitator, like, you know, kind of being the Chris Paul on the ice, if you will. But in terms of scoring, he really hasn't that's and that's been okay.
Speaker 3:He hasn't really had to. I'm sorry. I really like to see that he opened up his sort of scoring desire in that in that series. Riker Lee is just fantastic. You know, I'm super glad that he's gonna play for the World Juniors.
Speaker 3:I think he's he's gonna be a really good addition to that team. He's a good addition to our team too, and he was he's just been great. I mean, five goals in your last in your last six games is incredible.
Speaker 1:It's insane.
Speaker 3:And and and he's you know, it it was rewarded because he he led the team in shots for the longest time and had pretty much nothing to show for it in terms of netting goals, and now he's got five of his last six, and this is it's it's been great to see, and I don't see him slowing down just because of how poised he is. Jordan made a comment on air in the first game, like, you know, Will Ruckerley's ability to, not dogging him by any means, we're just asking, you know, Will Ruckerley's ability, like, that he's so fancy and has all these moves in his bag, you know, sort of, like, you know, shying away from the fundamentals and kinda come back to bite him, and I I really I really don't think so because he's so talented that that the some the talent is just is gonna is gonna bring him to places, he's he's a he's a great player. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Sorry to cut you off there, but I would like to you made a great point about Riker Lee and his shot. He I think at one point, he led the team in shots about, like, 13 or 15 early on in this season, and he he actually didn't have the worst conversion rate. It was actually Danny Russell. So so
Speaker 1:so this is a true fact, by the way. I looked this up, like,
Speaker 2:a week or two ago. But I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I looked at Danny Russell. But I think one thing to know about Record Lee is, from a confidence standpoint, he tries crazier stuff, the worst the opponent.
Speaker 2:Like, we saw that. I guess Notre Dame, he tried to dribble that puck, you know, or whatever, and then Wisconsin, he didn't do it. And then now back at Colgate, you know, he's trying the behind the back and all that. So I'm curious to see if he still does it against Michigan
Speaker 3:this week. That's the good point too. Like like, he's smart enough to know, like, okay. Hey. Like, this is a chance for me to do this stuff.
Speaker 4:Mhmm.
Speaker 3:Right? And not and not do it because and I wonder if, know, if the coaching staff is like, hey. Have free reign in these games, but you better not do that against, you know, a conference opponent or, you know, or or or a higher higher conference opponent. But, yeah, that's a really good point that his picking and choosing of when he decides to do things is something to note too.
Speaker 2:Well, also, I mean, I guess him moving up a line would encourage that behavior. Right? Course.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Mhmm. I I I think, you know, I think you have to look at too. Him and Nightingale have had a relationship for a long time too. I mean, this was we were one of the very first schools to recruit Ryker.
Speaker 1:I mean, Nightingale talked about it in one of his interviews. I believe he was five eight when we first offered him to come to Michigan State. And so, obviously, he grow he grew. It was a great investment to make and has become one of the better school scorers in all of college hockey, one of the better skill players in all of college hockey right now. And so I think that is a little bit of an underrated aspect of it.
Speaker 1:I think Nightingale, the the relationship he has with Liker, I think he does have an understanding of I I think they both have an understanding with each other of he is able to do these insane crazy things, but sometimes he does just have to stick and keep it simple and keep it fundamental. But he does, you know, let him, like you said, against lower quality opponents sometimes, just let it loose and just let him go be Riker Lee out there sometimes. It's like, it's a very cool, you know, balance for them to see. And I think the I think the most, you know, crucial part of that aspect in allowing Riker Lee to be Riker Lee is the relationship he has with Nightingale and how long they've known each other even before he's come to MSU. And now that he's here, they're just able to really expand on that relationship now that he's in the building every day with Nightingale.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Well, I first of all, I appreciate you keep thinking of new ways to say bad opponents. So so I appreciate your professionalism there. But, I mean, to be honest with you, you know, we talk about his flashy moves. It it hasn't really cost ed the Spartans at this point.
Speaker 2:There hasn't been a moment where you can say, like, oh, we would have scored here if it wasn't for Riker Lee or, oh, we let this goal in because of Riker Lee. So it's just cool to watch, and I hope I hope he does, you know, through the legs behind the back something against Ivankovich.
Speaker 4:This is gonna be kinda cool.
Speaker 1:Be interesting to see
Speaker 2:Michigan against Michigan. How about that?
Speaker 1:Oh. That could be very interesting to see if that could possibly happen.
Speaker 3:Yeah. You know, I I wouldn't be able to call it. Oh, and Rucker Lee scores them. I'd have to be like, the wraparound. That I don't do
Speaker 1:you even, yeah, how do you even call that? Right.
Speaker 3:I'd I'd have to pull a u and come up with a different term to call it because I I don't necessarily know if I could call it a missionary.
Speaker 1:Maybe call it an Upper Peninsula potentially. There you go. Give it a new name. But you alluded a little bit to this to a little bit earlier, Jack. They had just announced the preliminary teams for the world junior championship team USA roster, and we have three Spartans who will be on the preliminary team hoping to make the final cuts for the roster.
Speaker 1:Of course, as you mentioned, Riker Lee was invited to the preliminary camp. He will be trying out for the USA roster team. Looks like he will most likely be on the final roster team. It'll be, I think, a little shocking if he doesn't make it. Him and Van Saagie, I think, are pretty much locks to probably be on that world junior team, I'd say.
Speaker 2:Record Lee has to do something stupid and he cannot make the team. And I I gotta be honest, fellas. He's he's the only guy who'd do something stupid enough to
Speaker 1:make He'd that find a way. But I I have confidence in him, and congratulations to those two current Spartans right now who will be going over. I don't know where the US War Junior Championship or I believe, is it here this year in The United States?
Speaker 2:I'm not sure. All I know is we don't have Canada on our stage, and I wanted to watch there in our group. Yeah.
Speaker 3:I was
Speaker 1:gonna say that might be the championship game in all honesty because that Canada team is going to be so loaded this year for world juniors. We also have a future Spartan Yeah. Who we get to talk about right now who will also be going and joining the preliminary roster for the Team USA World Junior Championship team. We're talking about Chase Reed, a defenseman for the Sioux Greyhounds. He has been tearing it up at the a a or the at the OHL.
Speaker 1:Excuse me. He has been a consensus top 10 draft pick by many of the prospect pools. He is third amongst defensemen and points in the OHL, third in plus minus. He has been phenomenal for the Greyhounds so far this season, and he has been invited to try out for the preliminary team. He is gonna be very, very fun to watch here in the green and white.
Speaker 1:A very good offensive defenseman, sort of like an Artem Levchinoff, someone that we've seen a couple years ago here who was a top three pick going into Chicago and now playing good for the blackhawks. So he reminds me a little bit of him, and he's gonna be really fun to watch. I believe he's gonna come up next year and join the team. So watch out for him if you're gonna watch any of the world junior championships if he does make the roster because, again, you'll move you'll be watching him in the green and white come next October. So, gonna be fun.
Speaker 1:Gonna hopefully see if these guys can make the
Speaker 2:roster too. Yeah. This guy's 17 years old. It's kinda ridiculous. I feel old to know these new recruits.
Speaker 2:He had he had 70 points in 68 games this year, which is obviously very impressive. It's it's it's it you know, I don't wanna discredit that at all, but Porto Martone had 98 through 57, which is almost like
Speaker 1:but Porto Martone was also a forward you gotta put in mind.
Speaker 2:That's true. That's true. But I still think Martone's is very impressive, honestly. But not, you know, not to discredit Reed at all.
Speaker 1:I mean, it's gonna be cool to
Speaker 2:see him play, and I hope I hope he makes the team this year makes the
Speaker 1:cut. Definitely.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I I I have no I have no doubt that I think all three of them can, honestly. I I think that if if I don't wanna put a ranking system, but I think Rikers first, Reid second, and Van Saghi's third, but I think it's a close one, two, three. I like Chase Reid. I've I've been following him for a while.
Speaker 3:You know, I think he's a great player. The OHL is a great league. Mhmm. I'm a big Firebirds fan, and Flint's right now, they are just playing lights out. So that's pretty awesome.
Speaker 3:Why Shout out, Firebirds.
Speaker 2:Do minor league hockey and baseball teams always have the best names?
Speaker 1:Have you seen the Ottawa OHL team's name?
Speaker 3:No. Wasn't.
Speaker 1:I believe it's the Ottawa six sevens.
Speaker 3:That's just not there's no way.
Speaker 1:I believe it is.
Speaker 2:No. You're right. It is.
Speaker 1:It is the Ottawa six sevens. That's absurd. I'm like, I I wish I was joking, but it it is it is the Ottawa six sevens.
Speaker 3:That's so funny.
Speaker 2:That's just I mean, that's just unfortunate for them for their social media. Right. Right.
Speaker 1:But it's like,
Speaker 2:you know, the Brampton steelheads, think that's such a cool name. And then like in baseball, I think there's like a Lake Erie moon elephant or something.
Speaker 3:Even the lug nuts are cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah. I know. It's like It's funny. It's like
Speaker 2:professional sports.
Speaker 3:They just stick with tigers and bulldogs and spiders.
Speaker 2:Red Wings is a cool name.
Speaker 3:Yeah. That's
Speaker 4:true. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Red Wings is unique. Yeah. Yeah. But no, I'm I'm looking forward to to seeing what Reed can do because if we can do this at the OHL level, there's plenty of players that'll be to prove themselves at the OHL level that have really come to college and and really made made a name for themselves. Mhmm.
Speaker 3:I'm really looking forward to it. And it's in Minneapolis. I'm sorry. I I was
Speaker 4:supposed I was supposed to
Speaker 3:chime in earlier. I forgot to I just but, yes, the the Bulls Juniors are in Saint Paul, Minneapolis. Yep. So, looking forward to that and, to see if, Lee and Reed and maybe Van Saagie can make the cut and, play in late December.
Speaker 4:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:Yep. Again, catch that, like you said, in late December over Christmas break. Can watch those guys perform for our country and hopefully take home another gold for Team USA and the World Junior Championships. It is now time, boys, to talk about the series we have been waiting for since the start of the year. We knew this had a chance to be one of the best series that Michigan State would have this season, and boy, has it delivered.
Speaker 1:We are talking, of course, about the number one team in the country facing off against the number three team in the country in the greatest and oldest rivalry in all of college hockey. Michigan Michigan State, it does not get any better than this, boys. I mean, just both of them at the peak of their powers. And for a chance at the big ten, this is going to, I think, make the course of a lot of what's going to happen for the Big Ten regular season title. And, man, just what an awesome environment is going to be in both Breslin and Yost for these games.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Mean, obviously, it's gonna be electric. And like we said, the the penalty minutes, I think, are gonna be absurd.
Speaker 1:Oh, yes.
Speaker 2:What's even cooler, though, and I hate to sweep keep switching sports, of course, but our basketball programs could be number one and number three when they play in their series. Michigan is obviously very good, and then Michigan State has held their own against all ranked opponents as well. But, no, yeah, I'm I'm very excited for this weekend. Obviously, we've been talking about it since we got here August, September.
Speaker 3:Yeah. It's Michigan's offense is up up ridiculous. Yep. Yeah. And and and and the Michigan State defense has played well this year.
Speaker 3:Mhmm. And I'm looking forward to seeing how they can you know, if they can continue that and also stay disciplined. And that's been a big problem for MSU is the penalties as we alluded to earlier against Colgate. But, you know, the Wolverines are are are are very good offensively. They're very sound.
Speaker 3:They have a lot of players. They have a lot of go to guys, and and that is something that has benefited them. I mean, they have three guys tied for the conference lead in points, all at 26, and it's Horkov, Hughes, and Hage. So, like, I I mean, that's that's absurd. And then Martone's in in in third place with 19.
Speaker 3:So, you know, they have they have
Speaker 1:They have six more points than third place.
Speaker 3:There's there's a five three way tie for first place in points. All three of them play for the Wolverines, and they have a five point lead over the third place guy. So it's it's gonna be big. It's gonna be, you know, flash versus grit. You know, it's kind of what I'm thinking, like, MSU is gonna try to beat him, you know, with all all the flashiness or with the exception of record Lee.
Speaker 3:MSU likes to play, you know, very, very aggressively defensively, you know, use that forward check. Michigan likes to, you know, get out and transition real fast, score a lot of goals, take a ridiculous amount of shots on that. So it's gonna be Trey's most locked in series or at least has to be Yep. Because, you know, he'll face the most amount of shots he's faced all season in this series, no doubt. And I'm I'm looking forward to seeing how it's gonna go, and it's it's a really, really, really big one on Friday night because it's the only home game that Michigan State has against Michigan.
Speaker 3:So Yep. It's it's it's sixty minutes of of of solid hockey has to be played. And, you know, if you're gonna win one in this entire series, it has to be Friday night because you're gonna have you know, that's the only one they're gonna have the crowd behind you.
Speaker 4:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:Yeah. You mentioned, I mean, just the absurdity that is this Michigan offense right now. I mean, they are just putting up video game numbers in terms of the stats. 5.1 calls a game that is 8.8 points higher than the second leading team Dartmouth who has basically played nobody this year. Michigan has played very much more quality opponents than Dartmouth has
Speaker 3:Go Dartmouth. And
Speaker 1:are at 5.1. They they could probably make the tournament, but just looking at that is absolutely insane. When you look at the total goals they have, Michigan is at 92. The second team is at 60. 60 they have a 32 they have a 32 goal differential between first and second place in terms of goals.
Speaker 1:They have just been on a ridiculous pace, second and shooting percentage in the country, converting 14.6% of shots into goals. You've mentioned the power play too, 30%, almost at 31%. It has been just a juggernaut for this offense. And like you said, a lot of it has really come down to those top three guys of TJ Hughes, Michael Hagee. Michael Hagee and Will Horcroft who have been phenomenal lead the top on the Hobie tracker right now, I believe.
Speaker 1:It's still the Plant brothers ahead of them a little bit now, but TJ Hughes and Michael Hagee are right there in the top 10 right now. This is one of the most talented teams Michigan has had since that god squad they had in around, I wanna say 2019, 2020 was when they had that really ridiculous squad of, like, Fantilly Hughes.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:I I I think. I can't I can't remember which year it quite was.
Speaker 3:2019.
Speaker 1:Yes. I wanna say it was 2019. But this is this is really comparable to that Michigan squad that was so so good for the wolverines that year. And as you mentioned, this is such a contrasting play style Yep. Between these two teams.
Speaker 1:We're talking about one of the most high powered offenses in all of college hockey going up against one of the best defenses
Speaker 4:Mhmm.
Speaker 1:In all of college hockey right now. Michigan State only allowing 1.7 goals a game, a third in the country right now, only behind Cornell and Dartmouth. They just lock everybody up. They are big, physical. They hit you hard.
Speaker 1:They wanna make sure you feel that they have that that you played Michigan State in a game. And this is going to be such an interesting two this is gonna be so interesting to see which style of play is going to end up winning out and which style of play are these games going to really come into? Are we going to see a shootout, you know, type game where we're seeing a six five score, seven eight possibly, which is good, where these two goalies just can't stop the sticks? Or are we gonna have a mud fight, rock fight, two one game against these guys? How do we think this game is these games are gonna go?
Speaker 1:And what do we think the pace of play is gonna be, and who's gonna really dictate
Speaker 4:it?
Speaker 2:Well, that's usually how it happens. Right? I mean, you have this high powered offense that you think is gonna go score, you know, five or six goals, and then it turns out to be, you know, two one contest in overtime or whatever. That's just usually how it is. But I think the phrase, you know, unstoppable object versus immovable force applies very well to this situation.
Speaker 2:You mentioned how they lead the nation or in goals. It was 32 was the lead?
Speaker 1:Yeah. 32 goals ahead of the second In best
Speaker 2:conference, they lead by 37. Right? But Michigan State has 10 less goals allowed than the next, and that's the Wisconsin for both, by
Speaker 4:the way.
Speaker 2:So Yeah. That speaks to how good Wisconsin is. But, yeah, I mean, this is gonna be a fun matchup. This is very representative of both schools. Think, you know, you have this, like, flashy, high powered Michigan team.
Speaker 2:You have this, like, scrappy Spartan dog team as well. So I think that this actually makes a lot of sense. And like I said, unstoppable object versus immovable force here this weekend.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I think that Michigan's penalty kill isn't actually the best. It's I think it's fourth in the conference. So and MSU's power play has kind of been lackluster this season. So if MSU can get on the power play, I think that's one area that they can take advantage of Michigan.
Speaker 3:Mhmm. But if it's the other way around, that's really unfortunate because Michigan's power play has been fantastic. It's, know, second in the conference behind Wisconsin and MSU. Their penalty kill has has has shown some some flashes, but it is nothing to write home about it. Yeah.
Speaker 3:We we are currently last in the conference or second to last in the conference only only in front of Minnesota. So getting on the power play and preventing Michigan to get on the power play is, you know, kind of a kind of a name to all hockey that you play, but specifically this series just because of statistically Michigan is so good on the power play, not so good on the penalty kill, and it's the opposite for Michigan State.
Speaker 2:You mean second to Wisconsin in the power play, by the way, is no. I mean, that's
Speaker 3:No. No. No. No. Not even Wisconsin it's it's and it's only by 2%.
Speaker 1:We saw that Wisconsin power play too. I mean, they're scoring goals in five seconds. Right. Yeah. It's face off, and then it's boom.
Speaker 1:It's over. But
Speaker 3:We do we do so I will say one thing that Michigan State does is sometimes they struggle to capitalize on opportunities. We talked about on breakaways. They've just, know, kind of one on one situations. MSU isn't really able to capitalize. You know, when they get on the power play, they don't capitalize as well as they can.
Speaker 3:And even in five on five scenarios where they get a lot of shots on that, they don't necessarily, you know, get them to the back of the net. And what we do, I'll shoot Michigan. You know, we'll shoot them by five shots a game. So I think that that's something to note too is is if we can finally figure out a way to capitalize on all the opportunities we create ourselves. Because Michigan State, they make every possible play almost except it seems like for execution.
Speaker 3:Like, they get get to the right spots. They get to the crease. They find the shots, and sometimes they just don't go. And so if we can find a way to get them to go, then Sparti's gonna have a have a have a series.
Speaker 1:Yeah. And you mentioned the the part that's gonna be most important for Michigan State is finishing off those plays, and that is going to be no small task right now because you're looking at one of the best big 10 goaltenders right now in the crease for the Wolverines. We're talking about Jack Ivankovich. He has been phenomenal, obviously, for the Spartans. Came in this year as a freshman second round pick out of Nashville from Mississauga, Uga, Ontario.
Speaker 1:I don't know if I'm saying that right.
Speaker 3:Fact, Michigan has the most players from Mississauga, Ontario in the entire country on the same roster. They have they have six.
Speaker 1:Shout out Mississauga, baby. The birthplace of Wolverines, it seems like, all the
Speaker 4:way out.
Speaker 3:Apparently. So, yeah, when I was making my broadcast spatter boards last night, I was thinking to myself, I kept writing in Mississauga on Terrorism. I was like, how many players? And it was it was six players that were from Mississauga on Terrorism.
Speaker 1:Look at that.
Speaker 2:It's like all the lions that came from Alabama. Right. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Wait. Wait a minute. Exactly. And what's going on here? Yeah.
Speaker 1:But, yes, he has been absolutely phenomenal for the Wolverines since he's gotten that starting job in net. Nine twenty two save percentage. Only two goals allowed a game. This is going to be the key matchup between these two teams. Michigan has not really had a goaltender over these last couple of years that they can really rely on in the way that they can rely on Ivankovich.
Speaker 1:And, obviously, we talk about goaltenders. I mean, Trae Augustine has been one of the best goaltenders in the entire nation. This is going to be one of the best goaltender, I think, battles we're going to see in all of college hockey this season. And I I'm just interested to see what do you guys think is going to be the edge for these goaltenders, and where do you think they can find that competitive edge against each other even though they're not really facing each other, but they sort of are in a way with how they're, you know, how much they're saving pucks.
Speaker 2:Well, you know what'd be funny is we've seen a couple times this year where teams will surprise Michigan State with starting the more experienced goaltender. How funny would it be if they don't start Ivanka Vinge?
Speaker 1:That would be I I mean, if he started he started all 18 games this season. If they pull out the backup somehow
Speaker 2:Julian Molinaro, I believe is how you say it.
Speaker 1:He he's not even on the he's not even on the college hockey news roster for this team right now in stats. Like, it is they that
Speaker 2:would be that would be funny if they come out with that, but obviously, no, they won't do that. Actually, one of my keys to the game, if you guys don't mind, I get into it real quick. I think that Michigan State needs to use Trae Augustine as an asset. I think a lot of times teams will go into this Michigan series thinking like, know, high power offense, we need to stop every shot. And they're gonna learn very quickly that you're not able to do that against Michigan because they're so talented.
Speaker 2:I think that they need to realize, like, Michigan State's like, hey. You know, we're not gonna be able to contain this offense at all. We do have a guy sitting in our net, you know, preventing pucks from going in. We don't need to over commit to these shots. They are, you know, they're high powered.
Speaker 2:And I think that if Michigan State doesn't because god. I can't remember. I believe it was the Penn State series. I saw Penn State overcommitting on a lot. They were sliding out.
Speaker 2:And I love that effort, but you're gonna get tired out pretty quickly playing this this top line for Michigan, obviously. So I think that Michigan State, you know, they need to bend but not break. Remember that Augustine, one of the best, if not the best goaltenders in that on their side, and then they can use that as momentum on the offensive side of the
Speaker 4:rink.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Ivankovich is very good. There's no question about it. He's but he's faced a 130 more shots than Augustine has this season. Albeit he's played in six more games.
Speaker 3:But I think that, Michigan State just needs to keep pressuring him, in shots. You know, he he's but the problem with that is it's not like you can say, oh, well, he hasn't faced a lot of shot. Well, he has. So, like, it's like, okay. Like, what so he's faced a lot of shots.
Speaker 3:He has saved a hell of a lot of shots. Like, you know, I don't I'm just trying to find a find a way for this Spartan offense in my mind. Like, okay. What's the thing that we need to to key in on? And I think it is just seriously just keep keep shooting and just hope they go in.
Speaker 3:I mean, that's the thing. Like, don't don't don't slow down, and, you know, just hope that Ivankovic can get a couple by him, but it's gonna be one of the greatest goaltending matchups I you know, I I've personally seen in college hockey, and I've been following the sport for a while. So it's really excited to see what what's what's gonna go on with it. Now, Augustine I think Augustine has something to prove tonight or not tonight, but this weekend because I think a lot of people are thinking, Ivankovic taking his his his throne, if I will, as the best goaltender in the Big Ten. I think that a lot of people are thinking, like, okay, Augustine isn't isn't the grim of the crop.
Speaker 3:But if Augustine can go out and, you pitch a pitch a shout out or two and or if MSC can sweep, and he and he, you know, has has a great save percentage and a lot of shots, I think he can really silence all the doubters. You know, Augustine has allowed the least amount of goals a game this year in the big tens, one and a half goals a game, which is very impressive. But Ivankovic isn't too far behind it too. So if Augustine can come out and say, hey. Listen.
Speaker 3:Those stats prove it, and it'll be a good series.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Definitely. I wanna point out one more thing about this series. Going into this season, these two were top five in age in terms of youngest teams in the entire nation. Michigan sits at number two with an average age of 20.9.
Speaker 1:Michigan State sits at number four, 21.1. Obviously, knowing how big this rivalry is for both of these schools, it doesn't feel like we have a lot of guys who are really from here in the state of Michigan, especially on the Wolverine side that have really lived or grown up with this rivalry. And obviously, you have a lot of guys who haven't even played in this game with both of these teams being so young. How do we think that's gonna play into the, I guess, fierceness of this rivalry? And how do we think that's going to, you know, affect how both of these teams view each other?
Speaker 1:Do you think these coaches are going to be able to instill, you know, how much this means for both of these schools into these players? Or do you do you think, oh, it's not more, you know, focused on the rivalry. It's more focused on, hey, you have a quality opponent that you're coming to face here. You gotta show up and show out.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I think that, both coaches are are coaching at their alma maters. Mhmm. So so so the coaching staff knows what this rivalry means. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And so I think that that that benefits too. It's not like it's you know, it's not like we have a coach behind the bench for Michigan State that's from Oregon State and has no idea, you know, what goes on in the Big Ten.
Speaker 4:What are referring to?
Speaker 3:We have we have an alum that played for this team and then then Brendan Naruto from Michigan, an alum that played for that team and that that have both taken both these programs to a really high level and have played the rivalry over and over and over again. So I think that having that starting from the top, the understanding of we know firsthand what this rivalry is like is gonna spread to the players. And when you come on to campus as a player at either the University of Michigan or Michigan State University, you're told to not like that school. And and I think that that's the biggest thing, you know, because these fans, you know, everybody hates the other place. And so, you know, you play for this school to defend your territory and and to defend your school and know that we don't like these guys.
Speaker 3:They don't like us. And so I think that I honestly think that this can be one of the better series of this entire rivalry's history even though there's not a lot of connections to it. There are there are at the coaching staffs, and so I think that's gonna be be none no different than any other rivalry.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. I mean, if there was any question with all these guys not being from Michigan or the state of Michigan or whatever, that this rivalry wouldn't be as intense, I think that's just incorrect because, you know, it's it is the number one team in the nation versus the number three team in the nation. So even if this Michigan Michigan State little brother, big brother, whatever you you wanna say, didn't exist, this is still gonna be a very intense matchup. And let me tell you what. I don't think that, you know, for example, Puerto Martone coming in.
Speaker 2:Right? You don't need to give this guy any any more excuses to lay hands on someone. Right? Yeah. If you tell this guy like, hey.
Speaker 2:We don't like these guys extra. You know? We really don't like these guys. Puerto Martone's like, you know, challenge accepted. So they'll be just fun.
Speaker 2:They'll be just fun.
Speaker 1:Alright. Yeah. I agree too. Man, you just gotta love rivalry week for any college, any sport that you get to play at your rival that week leading up to it. It just feels so exciting.
Speaker 1:And especially when the stakes are this high and the teams are this good, it just makes it so much more better. We had rivalry week last weekend in college football. Now we got it here in college hockey leading up for this Michigan Michigan State game. We will be live for both of these games from, of course, MUN Ice Arena and then on Saturday from Yost Ice Arena. Of course, the game on Friday will be me and Jack Volwinkle.
Speaker 1:Both games will be me and mister Volwinkle on the call. The first game, we will be on air at eight with pregame. 08:30 will be puck drop. And then, of course, we have the one at Yost Ice Arena. I believe that is a 07:00 start for us and then 07:30 puck drop time.
Speaker 1:So make sure you tune in to the Impact WDBM radio livestreams eighty eight point nine FM to listen to that and catch the Spartans and the Wolverines facing off in a one three matchup that will most likely decide maybe the outcome of the big ten regular season championship who comes out of the series victorious. So gonna be a great series to listen to. Make sure you do that. Make sure you read Gabe Seuss' preview of the series and recap afterwards on the impactwdbm.org website. Going to be a lot of fun.
Speaker 1:A lot of content this week coming out for us for this game. Gonna be a lot of fun. Now let's go on to some other happenings in college hockey as we talked extensively about this game. There were a lot of games that happened over the Thanksgiving weekend. A lot of teams decided to celebrate, stay home with the family, and who can blame them?
Speaker 1:But we did have the college hockey hall of fame game happen this weekend at Ball Arena in Colorado. Denver had the home field advantage or I should say home ice advantage right there against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Still didn't matter as Minnesota was able to pull out the overtime win and maybe one of the oddest box scores I have ever seen for a hockey game in my life. This was a six to five game Minnesota. Like I said, one in overtime.
Speaker 1:I think the goalie stat lines just perfectly encapsulate how backwards this game might feel in terms of the final score. Look at the Pasquale, former Michigan State Spartan, shout out him. He went 47 of 52 in this game. Meaning, saw 52 shots, saved 47 of them in sixty four minutes of play. Quentin Miller only saw 25 shots and only saved 19 of them.
Speaker 2:You know what I learned throughout this this beat that I've done? Well, first of all, I I guess I've learned two things. Number one, you never know what's gonna happen. They talk about any given Sunday. In college hockey, it's any given any day,
Speaker 3:I guess,
Speaker 2:at this point.
Speaker 1:Right? Any given weekend, honestly. Number two,
Speaker 3:I I I learned that I, as
Speaker 2:a person, stick to my opinions well. Or, you know, if I think if I want something to happen, I'll stick to it. I want Danny Russell to score, I stick with him. Right? I want Dartmouth to do well.
Speaker 2:I'm rooting for them every week. I've hated on Minnesota every single episode, and and so it's hard for me to say something nice about them. So I'll just say, congrats. Denver still leads the NCHC by two games. So Minnesota just ruined their nights, but nothing's gonna happen here.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I, couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that they won. Minnesota has been one of the weirdest teams this season. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Start starting in the top 15 and then, know, falling all the way out after losing to a couple of really, really low quality opponents, and then they they go and and they they they split with Penn State, which was crazy and and didn't ever think that that that that happened. And they go on the road and ball arena, there's 20,000 Denver fans there and Golden Gophers score and then have the Pasquale face 52 shots. Like, what? And
Speaker 1:they still win.
Speaker 3:They still win. And and and and to only take, you know, and to only have 25 shots on goal for the offense and then still to win. You know, we'll talk about a little later, but, this team is seven and nine right now. They're still unranked. Mhmm.
Speaker 3:But they have a lot of opportunities to, obtain high quality wins, and if they can do so, they they have a legitimate chance to be the Penn State of 2025, '26, and and and really sneak into that tournament.
Speaker 2:Only three games back in Michigan right now, by the way. So Look
Speaker 1:at that. Hey. It it anyone's conference though right now. I know I mentioned that the Big Ten regular season title could really be decided by that Michigan Michigan State series, but Wisconsin still really much in the mix. Penn State can still find their way in the mix.
Speaker 1:Minnesota with that little bit interesting start to the post the Big Ten play, but still find themselves in the mix. There are a lot of teams that could jump up here, and if they have a strong second half, could end up cap away capturing that big ten regular season title. The second stat I wanted to look at for this game that just makes no sense, expected goals. Minnesota, 2.8 on this game. They weren't even they scored more than half of what they were expected to score in this game.
Speaker 1:Denver scored expected goal percentage was 5.7. This was one of the most lopsided wins in terms of how did this happen in in in history in it feels like. Yeah. That was great. It was just insane.
Speaker 1:Shout out to shout out to Bob Mox Motzko for pulling that one out. Great head coach there from Minnesota. And as you mentioned, Jack, there's just so much ahead for this team right now in terms of quality opponents that they're gonna face. If they if they can squeeze out some of these wins, I feel like one of them would have to be a sweep of either Michigan or Michigan State in one of those series. I think they get them, but they'll have four opportunities to do so.
Speaker 1:I think they're gonna have to win potentially both of those regular season series maybe, at least split one and win another if they wanna make the tournament because I think at this point, they're really just worried about resume. I think that's really what they're looking at right now. They're not really worried about record. They can really I they you can still really make it in college hockey with resume. And if they have the quality wins that they can they can compile here with the benefit of playing in the big ten, I I mean, there is a legitimate route, I feel like, for this team to find their way up the NPI rankings and and and rate themselves right into the tournament just because of how tough their schedule is going in this back half of the season.
Speaker 3:I think that if they beat Michigan twice, beat Michigan State twice, Penn State once, and they even if they lose to Wisconsin, I think they could still make it. I I do. I I and because you have
Speaker 4:the Big Ten. I I do.
Speaker 3:Don't don't look at me like that. I do. Listen. I I I think that and they also will have a chance for the Big Ten tournament, and let's say they pull I don't know. Let's say they pull a Penn State or something and and and the Nittany Lions or even if they I don't know.
Speaker 1:If they make it to the championship game.
Speaker 3:Right. Of course. That that could that could work too. You know? Know?
Speaker 3:And so I think
Speaker 4:that there's Absolutely.
Speaker 3:There's plenty of opportunities for this Gopher's team to get back on track, and, really, the the the big ten was predicted to put six teams into the national tournament this year. Right now, it's only looking about five. Ohio State and Notre Dame are or or sorry, about four. Ohio State, Notre Dame, Minnesota are are expected to miss the tournament, but, you know, the the Golden Gophers the Golden Gophers have a chance to to to really to really pull back in it, and and so does really honestly, the rest of the league too. You know, Notre Dame and Ohio State right now sit at the bottom of the conference, but, who's to say that they can't go on a little bit of a run themselves, and then turn the New Year and, you know, because you think about they're all three of those teams are under 500 right now, but, so was Penn State.
Speaker 3:And then last year, and then they went all the way to the frozen four.
Speaker 1:So I'm saying, like, looking at these MPI rankings right now too, you you wanna find yourself if you're trying to get an that large bid, you need to find yourself in around the one to 13 range of, you know, the MPI rankings. Otherwise, the last three are usually filled with those automatic qualifiers that the lower conferences get here in college hockey. So, I mean, it it looking at the bottom, you know, 13 through 16, it it it's not impossible for them, I feel like, to get in there. Quinnipiac, think, is very underrated right now on the MPI. Only eleven, three, and two, but a lot of that is because of the conference that they play in.
Speaker 1:They just don't play that many good teams, but I think they're probably gonna win the ECAC. So that takes that automatic bid. So you'll probably have Dartmouth outside of that who gets the automatic bid just because of this start or out at large bid, excuse me, because of the start they got into. But I I don't think Cornell's gonna be able to stick at the spot that they are right now at six and three. Saint Cloud looks like they haven't been playing really good hockey, and they play in a really tough conference too that is looking to put in a lot of teams in the tournament right now.
Speaker 1:Harvard also plays in the ECAC, so they're gonna have to look for an at large bid too. Like, and and they just got swept by Michigan.
Speaker 3:Got a vote to be number one.
Speaker 1:Oh. I can't believe that, by the way. I can't believe that. You seen who they play?
Speaker 2:Smart voter right now.
Speaker 1:They seen who they played?
Speaker 3:Nobody. But it's okay. They're the only undefeated team left
Speaker 1:in college hockey. Exactly. Nobody. Wait. The schedule is actually cake.
Speaker 1:That's weird. This is the Indiana of college hockey. That's weird. You said they
Speaker 2:played nobody, but it appears they have eight wins and zero losses.
Speaker 3:Yeah. They're the only undefeated team left
Speaker 1:in the top You know what I mean. You know what I mean. Let's see. At Stonehill, Yale, Colgate, Cornell, St. Lawrence, Clarkson, Vermont, and Merrimack.
Speaker 1:What a resume right there.
Speaker 4:I hear you.
Speaker 3:Clarkson beat Penn State.
Speaker 2:That's true. Well, alright.
Speaker 1:But this is crazy. This is crazy what we've
Speaker 2:come to, guys. We're defending Minnesota, but we're hating on the only undefeated ranked team left in the NFL.
Speaker 1:What what are you doing? Sorry, man. I you know what? I actually think this is crazy. I think this team is actually going to make the tournament, this Dartmouth team.
Speaker 1:I think they're going to make it because I
Speaker 3:thought you were
Speaker 2:about to say Minnesota. Would
Speaker 1:love to. I I mean, I think they have it. Have an outside chance looking at, you know, the 13 through 16, and who knows how much this Dartmouth resume is going to actually weigh. I think they have to go undefeated if they wanna stick at how high they are right now.
Speaker 3:I don't know. They play in the ECAC. Right?
Speaker 1:Yes. So
Speaker 3:they have chances to beat Quinnipiac and then to beat Union, who just fell out of rankings, the but is still a good team. And they have a chance to beat so I I think Dartmouth is it could 100%. Yeah.
Speaker 1:I don't know, man. I have to I have to see them against a quality opponent. If they if they win that ASU series
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:I will start taking them semi seriously.
Speaker 4:Okay.
Speaker 1:And if they put up a game
Speaker 3:I want you to to to purchase a Dartmouth shirt if they sweep them.
Speaker 1:Guys, I really I'll on put record right now. I'll put that on record. I'll buy a Dartmouth shirt
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:If they win that if they win that series against Arizona State, they sweep.
Speaker 3:Alright. Well done. K.
Speaker 4:Good luck. I will
Speaker 1:buy a Dartmouth shirt.
Speaker 3:It's a deal.
Speaker 1:Oh, man. And then if they I don't even no. You know what? I'm not even gonna say anything for that Quinnipiac game. Not even gonna say anything for that Quinnipiac game.
Speaker 1:You're afraid you're afraid
Speaker 2:of Dartmouth right now.
Speaker 1:I'm not afraid of Dartmouth. I am I am fine with Dartmouth. I just this team is so fake to me. I'm sorry. I can't I can't believe it.
Speaker 1:This is this is the problem.
Speaker 2:There's four elite teams in college hockey right now. They all received first place votes. It's Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Dartmouth. Those are the
Speaker 1:down was Dartmouth, and they still received the first place
Speaker 4:of 11.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Or somewhere like that. They're tenth. Oh, sorry. That's a top 10 team in the nation right now, guys.
Speaker 3:Yeah. We we got a roof for them. They they they do go green over there. Yeah. We don't.
Speaker 3:They're the big green. That's their nickname.
Speaker 1:How are they a top 10 team? I'm we're saying they're a better team than Maine?
Speaker 3:I am. The voters are. The vote one one guy thinks they're number one.
Speaker 1:Oh, boy. Guys, that was me.
Speaker 2:I asked
Speaker 1:him to come clean. Was me.
Speaker 4:Was he
Speaker 1:actually has a USCHO vote, and it was him. It was him. But, yeah, I mean, I I we we have not talked about the Dartmouth team just because I It wasn't. I don't want to. Don't want to.
Speaker 2:Okay. I don't want to.
Speaker 1:I can't. For the record, What is there to say?
Speaker 2:For the record, guys, I jumped on the train last episode. You guys are welcome aboard,
Speaker 1:I but can't can't jump on any train. See station soon. See the schedule, and I see the conference they play in, and I just this is the fakest, like, this will be the fakest one, two seed. If they get a two seed, oh my god. They whoever is a whoever's a three is chomping at the bits, I feel like.
Speaker 1:Whoever gets that three seed
Speaker 3:They're undefeated this late into the season for the first time since pre World War two.
Speaker 4:Wow. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Shout out Dartmouth.
Speaker 1:I mean, congrats to them, but it's just like Oh.
Speaker 2:See how see how quickly this guy switch ups?
Speaker 1:He's like, he's like, shout out
Speaker 2:to Dartmouth, and then he's about to say something negative about them.
Speaker 1:You know? But it's just it's so it's not real. It is not real. It can't be real. But we'll we'll see.
Speaker 3:We'll see.
Speaker 1:Yeah. It's not real. Crazy these days, dude. It's not real.
Speaker 2:Dartmouth winning.
Speaker 1:It's crazy, dude. I can't believe it. But I just I will wait. If they if they win against a serious opponent, a real opponent, a top a top tier opponent who plays in an actual conference, I will I will respect Oh, this is gonna make you so mad. Will respect.
Speaker 1:Make you
Speaker 2:so mad when Michigan and Michigan State split this series so voters don't know who to vote for, and Dartmouth gets thirty first place votes.
Speaker 4:It's not gonna happen.
Speaker 1:Gonna happen. It's not gonna happen. Wisconsin will go to number one before Dartmouth hits the top five. Alright? I I'm betting that.
Speaker 1:I'll bet that. But, yeah, that's gonna be my little rant on Dartmouth. That's gonna be our so one Dartmouth segment we're gonna
Speaker 2:have until One Dartmouth segment segment.
Speaker 1:We've had January.
Speaker 2:We've had two in the last two episodes. I mean Rip?
Speaker 1:Back on them when we come back from break on January, and whether or not I will be wearing a Dartmouth shirt to our next recording on that break, we will see. They'll also have that Quinnipiac game too. So I guess we can throw we'll throw that in there. If they sweep Arizona State and if they win against that Quinnipiac game or if they don't lose by more than two plus goals, I will wear the shirt. Alright.
Speaker 1:I will buy the shirt.
Speaker 2:They have they have a bunch of Ivy League schools coming up here, so that's gonna make them look good. Yeah. But they have they have army, you know? Alright. Sorry.
Speaker 2:I'm trying to defend Dartmouth here. They don't really play anyone until it was it was on
Speaker 1:the stage. He knows the silence as you said army right there too.
Speaker 3:Their head coach's name in football is always fun. I always like this. His name is Samuel Blaine McCorkle the second.
Speaker 1:At that, dude. So That's a that's an army football coach right right there. That is an army football coach. Alright. That'll do it for us here on behind the mask.
Speaker 1:Fun episode as we get ready for the series of the season so far. Michigan versus Michigan State. Gonna have the first one here in Mud Ice Arena on Friday. Tune in to impact eighty eight point nine FM as me and Jack Volwinkle will give you full coverage of the game all three periods, and hopefully Michigan State can come out with the victory there. And then, of course, on Saturday, we will go to Yost Ice Arena and visit the Wolverines as they take on Michigan State in that second game of the series.
Speaker 1:Tune in once again on Impact eighty eight point nine FM for that. And also tune in beforehand to listen to Joe Dez and Jack Stager call for the number seven versus number four basketball game, talking, of course, about Michigan State versus Duke. Going to be an insane Saturday with those two games. Going to be a lot of fun. Make sure you tune in to Impact eighty eight point nine FM to catch all the coverage of Michigan State sports and catch that huge Saturday.
Speaker 1:We'll be here next week to talk about the series and talk about the upcoming Christmas break in December that the Spartans will have for our last podcast of the calendar year next week. Thank you guys so much for listening. For Oscar Henderson, Joe Jack Volwinkle, and Gabe Souza, thank you all for listening, and have a wonderful week.
Speaker 3:Go Bruin.