Michigan State men’s ice hockey returns home this weekend to face off against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Earlier in the season, MSU lost 5-0 on the road in the first game against Notre Dame. Both teams played to a 1-1 tie with MSU winning the shootout in the second game.
The Spartans are now coming off of getting swept against top-ranked Minnesota on the road last weekend. A loss to Notre Dame would mean that MSU is at risk of falling below .500 for the first time since the opening weeks of the season.
Coming into this weekend’s matchup, Michigan State is ranked No. 17 in the latest USCHO poll. Notre Dame is ranked No. 20 after sweeping last-place Wisconsin over the weekend.
The Pairwise rankings tell a different story. Right now, MSU has six games to play: two against Notre Dame at home, one against Michigan at home, one against Michigan in Detroit and two against Wisconsin on the road. The Spartans are No. 18 in the Pairwise while the Fighting Irish are No. 14.
It looks like five Big Ten teams could make the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament. Currently, those are Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Notre Dame. This could be a pivotal series to decide who the final Big Ten team to make it in is.
As far as the Big Ten Tournament goes, MSU is only three points out of second place –one game. Here are the standings:
1. Minnesota, 43 points
2. Ohio State, 27 points
Penn State, 27 points
4. Notre Dame, 26 points
5. Michigan State, 24 points
Michigan, 24 points
7. Wisconsin, 9 points
Current projections place MSU at sixth place with a projected points total of 33. If MSU was able to finish in the top-five of the conference, it would be the first time since 2016 that it did so.
Michigan State: Scouting Report
As noted in this week’s film room session, Michigan State needs to be better in transition. On multiple occasions against Minnesota, the Spartans were slow to back-check or broke down on defense. At the same time, MSU’s power play continued to make strides as freshman center Karsen Dorwart made an entire goal happen by himself.
Dorwart is going to be a big part of MSU’s success in future years.
The freshman leads MSU in points (24), is third in goals (eight) and is second in assists (16). His top line also leads Michigan State in scoring with a combined 27 goals and 67 points. Senior left wing Jagger Joshua has 11 goals on the season, which is ninth in the conference.
Goaltender Dylan St. Cyr has been outstanding for Michigan State. This weekend, St. Cyr will face his former team, where he played for three seasons. The 5-foot-8 goalie is having a career season in which he is ranked No. 32 in total save percentage (.913). It took a big dip after allowing five goals in the first game against Minnesota and six the following night. However, he is third in the NCAA in total saves with 786.
“For me, knowing all the guys there, whether it’s the support staff or players,” St. Cyr said in MSU’s mid-week press conference. “I think that’s something that lights my fire and gets me going for the weekend.”
St. Cyr will look to get back to being impressive as he has been.
Michigan State: Impact Players
Karsen Dorwart, Daniel Russell and Jagger Joshua
MSU’s top line has complemented the offense well. Dorwart has impressed the most, but Russell and Joshua are no slouches. With Joshua’s physical presence, he’s able to sit in front of the net and screen the goalie.
The three have even been able to team up on the power play, which has been effective with them on the ice.
Dorwart leads Michigan State in plus-minus, far ahead of anyone else on the team (plus-13). It’s in head coach Adam Nightingale’s best interest to put Dorwart on the ice.
Dylan St. Cyr
St. Cyr has had a moderately surprising season. He surpassed his career high in several different statistics this season, including wins (12), saves (786) and minutes played (1,563). If any fans are attending Munn Ice Arena this weekend to see the games, look for the crowd to chant his name.
The crowd will be on its feet.
Notre Dame: Scouting Report
As mentioned, the Fighting Irish come into this weekend’s series below Michigan State in the USCHO poll (No. 20) but ahead of MSU in the Pairwise rankings. So to say this is an important series would be an understatement.
Perhaps the most notable performance in Notre Dame’s season is goaltender Ryan Bischel, who is fifth in the NCAA in save percentage (.928) and leads the league in saves made (879).
Head coach Jeff Jackson is in his 18th season, but this year has been anything but a success. For Notre Dame’s standards, there is much to be desired about this season, which is why MSU has a chance here.
In Jackson’s previous 17 seasons at Notre Dame, he has only missed the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament four times, the last being in 2015 when the program was a member of the Hockey East conference. Since joining the Big Ten in 2017, Notre Dame has made the tournament every season.
Michigan State hasn’t made the tournament since 2012.
Notre Dame’s points-leader is Ryder Rolston (20). The team’s led in goals by Trevor Janicke (8). The Fighting Irish have gotten where they are this season by having a good defense and solid goaltending. Offense has been a concern. But with Bischel, the team doesn’t need to be worried.
The Fighting Irish are averaging 2.46 goals per game while MSU is averaging 2.8 goals per game. This is still a good team, though. It helps that the program is well-coached.
Notre Dame: Impact Players
Ryan Bischel
Bischel could win the Mike Richter Award, honoring the season’s best goaltender. He has four shutouts on the season, which could be viewed as more impressive than Minnesota’s Justen Close (who has five) since Bischel doesn’t have the Minnesota powerhouse in front of him.
While it’s true that St. Cyr has had an outstanding season, Bischel has been a solid goaltender even if he’s not making the sprawling saves that St. Cyr is every week. Bischel’s best performance this season was in a road contest against Penn State where he allowed a single goal on 53 shots.
If Notre Dame does make the tournament, Bischel will be the reason why.
Ryder Rolston
Rolston, as discussed, leads Notre Dame in points (20). That figure comes from his seven goals and 13 assists. He’s also almost never in the penalty box, only getting called for a single penalty all season. It was in the first game, a 5-2 loss to Denver, when he served two minutes for tripping.
Series Breakdown and Prediction
Notre Dame and Michigan State come into this series with nearly identical records. MSU trails the Fighting Irish by two points. This week’s series is incredibly important for both MSU’s seeding in the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament at the end of the season, assuming MSU makes it in.
The most likely scenario here is a split between both teams, but MSU could absolutely sweep Notre Dame if lucky. Bischel is a very good, difference-making goalie.
Game 1
Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Michigan
Watch: B1G+
Listen: WJIM 1240 AM
Prediction: Notre Dame 2, Michigan State 1,
Game 2
Time: 4 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Michigan
Watch: Big Ten Network
Listen: WVFN 730 AM
Prediction: Michigan State 2, Notre Dame 1