Michigan State hockey's final series of the 2022-2023 regular season has arrived. The Spartans will play two games at Wisconsin this weekend.
On Thursday, after Michigan's shootout loss to Ohio State, Minnesota clinched the Big Ten regular season title and will receive a No. 1-seed for the Big Ten Tournament for the second consecutive season.
Michigan State and Michigan are still the only two teams that have yet to win a Big Ten regular season title.
Here are the current Big Ten standings:
1. z-Minnesota, 46 points (four games left)
2. Michigan, 36 points (three games left)
3. Ohio State, 33 points (three games left)
4. Michigan State, 31 points (two games left)
Notre Dame, 31 points (two games left)
6. Penn State, 30 points (four games left)
7. Wisconsin, 12 points (four games left)
MSU needs a sweep of Wisconsin to have a good chance at receiving home ice in the Big Ten Tournament’s first round. MSU’s strength-of-schedule remaining is the easiest. Fans hoping that MSU receives a No. 3-seed should be rooting for Michigan in Saturday’s game versus Ohio State.
The Buckeyes can hit a maximum of 42 points in the Big Ten standings, but the Spartans can only hit a maximum of 37 points. In other words, Ohio State needs to lose every game moving forward. Fortunately for Michigan State, Ohio State will face Minnesota after facing Michigan.
The most likely scenario for Michigan State is a No. 4-seed. If MSU sweeps Wisconsin, which has only won four conference games this season, the Spartans hold the tie-breaker against both Notre Dame and Penn State. Notre Dame faces Michigan to close its season and would need a sweep and a Michigan State loss to move up.
Penn State could effectively ruin Michigan State's chances at home ice. The Nittany Lions are 1-2-1 against the Spartans, but with a split against Minnesota this weekend and a sweep of Wisconsin next weekend, Penn State would move ahead of MSU.
A home series in the Big Ten Tournament would be the first in East Lansing, Michigan since the Big Ten launched in 2013.
Michigan State: Scouting Report
The Spartans come into play following a heartbreaking loss against Michigan last weekend, after Luke Hughes scored the overtime game-winning goal in the final second for the Wolverines. However, Michigan State didn’t end up losing much traction in the Pairwise rankings because Michigan is ranked so highly.
More importantly, though, this is Michigan State’s first series following the tragic attack on campus Monday night in which three students were killed and five more were injured. In memory of the deceased victims —Brian Fraser, Arielle Anderson and Alexandria Verner — and survivors, MSU will be wearing a “Spartan Strong” sticker on the back of its helmets. Michigan’s hockey team is wearing the Spartan helmet inside a heart out of respect to those effected by the tragedy.
In a statement, Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale said the following:
“This has been an incredibly difficult week for our Spartan family. Our team had a meeting with our Athletic Director Alan Haller on Tuesday, where we were able to review the options for the weekend and educate our players on the mental health resources available to them. Our team’s decision was to proceed with our series at Wisconsin, and we are thankful for all the resources available to us from the athletic department administration. Being together has allowed us to support one another, and when we pull on our jerseys this weekend, we will do it with immense pride and love for Michigan State University and our community. We will be Spartan Strong.”
Earlier this week, Michigan State Athletic Director Alan Haller offered his statement:
“The safety and physical and mental well-being of our students and staff is the primary focus of Michigan State athletics. In consultation with mental health professionals and in conversations with our student-athletes it became apparent that a return to practice and competition is a crucial part of their recovery. Student-athletes were given an active voice in the decision to return to competition, as well as the autonomy to make their own individual choices about participation.
“Athletics can be a rallying point for a community in need of healing, a fact many of our student-athletes have mentioned to me. The opportunity to represent our entire community has never felt greater. I also recognize that everyone grieves in their own unique manner, and there are some who aren't ready to return to athletic events. Those feelings are incredibly valid, and as Coach (Tom) Izzo so eloquently stated last night, I hope that we will all focus on taking care of one another.”
Michigan State played tightly with Michigan last week and should sweep Wisconsin. Three MSU players are tied for the team lead in points: Karsen Dorwart, Daniel Russell and Nicolas Müller all have 26 points this season.
Erik Middendorf has been hot lately, as he has points in three of his last four games. He earned the assist in Jeremy Davidson’s goal against Michigan on Saturday.
Dylan St. Cyr will be matching up against Wisconsin goaltender Jared Moe. St. Cyr has 1,995 career saves and ranks No. 12 among active goalies. Moe has 1,964 career saves and ranks No. 13 among active goalies.
When MSU faced Wisconsin at home earlier in the season, MSU swept Wisconsin, outscoring the Badgers 10-1 combined. St. Cyr earned a shutout in the first game.
Michigan State: Impact Players
Karsen Dorwart
Dorwart has been impactful even when he isn’t scoring this season. His line leads the power play, which includes Russell, left wing Jagger Joshua, Müller and defenseman Matt Basgall. On both the power play and at even strength, Dorwart has been consistent for MSU and has gotten even better as the season has progressed.
The freshman isn’t afraid to score or make plays, which MSU will need this weekend.
Nicolas Müller
Müller, as mentioned, has played extremely well on Michigan State’s top power-play line. He’s also performed well as a second-line center. Midway through the season, Miroslav Mucha was moved down to the third line and Erik Middendorf was moved up to play with both Müller and Davidson.
The three players complement each other well and have acted as a really solid line.
Dylan St. Cyr
The most surprising player in college hockey this season has been St. Cyr. The goaltender transferred to MSU in the absence of Drew DeRidder, who left for North Dakota.
St. Cyr has the second-most saves this season, behind only former teammate Ryan Bischel of Notre Dame. He also has a save percentage of .915, although that has regressed in recent games.
Wisconsin: Scouting Report
The Badgers enter this weekend’s series with its lowest record in years. In fact, it’s Wisconsin’s worst season since the program’s final two seasons under former head coach Mike Eaves when it won two games in 2014-2015 and three the following season.
Tony Granato’s Badgers finished in second in the Big Ten in his first season, but rode the bottom of the conference for three seasons until Wisconsin won the Big Ten championship during the 2020-2021 season, eventually losing the Big Ten Tournament finals to Minnesota. Wisconsin also lost in the NCAA regionals to Bemidji State, the only year its been in the tournament since 2013-2014.
Backup goalie Kyle McClellan was named the Big Ten’s Third Star of the Week for his 52-save performance against Minnesota on Saturday. The Badgers have only won four regular season conference games this season, and somehow two are against both Michigan and Minnesota.
Wisconsin is led in points by freshman Cruz Lucius, who has 29 on the season. Unfortunately, the Badgers aren’t that deep. The next-highest points-leader is Mathieu De St. Phalle, who has 19.
For Wisconsin to have success against MSU this weekend, the team will need to play tough and have solid defense around either Moe or McClellan, or both.
Wisconsin: Impact Players
Cruz Lucius
Lucius is a freshman who has 10 goals and 19 assists. He even teamed up with Brock Caufield for the lone goal the Badgers had against MSU back in November.
Some Wisconsin fans are arguing for the dismissal of Granato, but one argument against his firing is Lucius, who has been excellent all season.
Brock Caufield
Caufield has been critical for Wisconsin this season as he brings maturity to the roster. Wisconsin has the eighth-youngest team in the NCAA, which is more good news considering that this team is due for some success.
The graduate forward has 10 goals and seven assists on the season, and will be looking to improve upon those stats this weekend.
Jared Moe and Kyle McClellan
Moe posts a goals-against rating of 3.12, which is definitely not glamorous, but that is representative of Wisconsin’s team, not necessarily Moe himself. McClellan, on the other hand, has been successful in the games he’s played in. Both players have been solid for a struggling Wisconsin team that has not been able to score many goals.
Neither are having immaculate seasons, but it’s tough to find another player who has the ability to impact a game more than these two. When things are going right, both can show up and have a great game.
Series Breakdown and Prediction
Wisconsin can steal a game or two, but the odds are not on the Badgers’ side. For MSU, it is time to step up and finish off a season filled with adversity.
Hockey is an emotional game, and following Monday's tragic events, it’s clear that emotions may come into play when both teams take the ice on Friday.
Game 1
Time: 9 p.m. Eastern Time/8 p.m. Central Time
Location: Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: Fox Sports app
Listen: WJIM 1240 AM
Prediction: Michigan State 6, Wisconsin 0
Game 2
Time: 8 p.m. Eastern Time/7 p.m. Central Time
Location: Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin
Stream: B1G+
Listen: WVFN 730 AM
Prediction: Michigan State 3, Wisconsin 1