MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

[Pirateasaur]

Anybody have an injury update? Just heard that two players are already ruled out this weekend with two more doubtful...Any ideas who they are?

This site had an article that mentioned Keller and Haag are out(which answers my Haag question a few posts ago)

As for who is doubtful, I have no idea. Let,s hope none are defensemen.

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

Team left yesterday, maybe Wednesday night again. So they'll be ready legs-wise.

Tonight's game will be on Root Sports (FS Colorado), so if you have a super duper TV package or can find a stream on the interwebs you'll be able to watch. Puck drop is 9:30.

Not really sure what to expect this weekend. Denver is ranked 5th but split with Air Force last weekend allowing five goals in an OT loss. Our offense looked good last week, although it's almost hard not to get as many PP goals as we did with the amount of penalties, but those games were against a green Maine squad and a not-so-good LSSU.

If we can split this weeekend, we should sweep next, and that would send us into the Halloween bye week with a 4-1-1 record. Pretty dang good start, even if three of those wins would be against Lake State.

[32 Degrees!]

Team left yesterday, maybe Wednesday night again. So they'll be ready legs-wise.

Tonight's game will be on Root Sports (FS Colorado), so if you have a super duper TV package or can find a stream on the interwebs you'll be able to watch. Puck drop is 9:30.

Not really sure what to expect this weekend. Denver is ranked 5th but split with Air Force last weekend allowing five goals in an OT loss. Our offense looked good last week, although it's almost hard not to get as many PP goals as we did with the amount of penalties, but those games were against a green Maine squad and a not-so-good LSSU.

If we can split this weeekend, we should sweep next, and that would send us into the Halloween bye week with a 4-1-1 record. Pretty dang good start, even if three of those wins would be against Lake State.

Anyone from Michigan make the trip out here? How you like our weather?

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

Lake State is in for a Thursday-Friday pair because of football Saturday. Frankly the only losers on campus this weekend should be the one of the intrasquad teams from Midnight Madness.

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

Also, has anyone purchased directly from the ticket window at the arena lately (can you still do that or is it just will call now)? A mass purchase of group seats notwithstanding, there are plenty of $10 seats left in the family section for Friday's game, but the online ticket office wants a six dollar "order charge" which increases the ticket cost 60%. If you can just get it for face at the arena without a BS charge I'd much rather "risk it" by waiting and save a brew or two's worth of cash.

[owslachief]

Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

Lake State is in for a Thursday-Friday pair because of football Saturday. Frankly the only losers on campus this weekend should be the one of the intrasquad teams from Midnight Madness.

It will be very interesting to see who is healthy enough to skate tonight. It sounds like by the end of Saturday's game at Denver, this team was completely out of gas in the Mile-High City and short several key players.

Ferrantino was out the whole weekend
Haag was iffy but did play on Saturday
Keller has been out since the first Ice Breaker game
Pavelek is recovering from a skate blade cut to the leg
Add: Matt DeBlouw, out 4-6 weeks

So all freshman except for the (red-shirting) Jerad Rosburg played, as well as rarely-appearing David Bondra and Connor Wood. I think to get a win or two this weekend, it's important that at least Ferrantino is on the ice, and Keller would be a bonus.

[owslachief]

Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

Nevermind.

Turnover-fest, and a game gift-wrapped for the Lakers.

It all started with an inexplicable gaffe by Gatt in the Spartan end ... and I think Hildebrand was so startled by it that he couldn't corral it either. Laker on the door-step -> Goal. The second goal was because of the first of two horrible turnovers by Osburn (the second happened in the third, and it looked for all the world like Lake State would have its 4th goal then).

Power-play, horrible. PK was OK.

The bright spot was that Haag looked much better this evening - but the whole team just was not on the same page tonight.

[gomsuman]

Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

Holy cow we scored 12 goals this weekend!!! But, serious question, how good is UNH supposed to be? Their goalie looked like he didn't have any confidence but after letting up all those goals I wouldn't have much confidence either... I thought it looked more like MSU outplayed UNH all weekend rather then UNH hurting themselves.

I was pleasantly surprised by our 85+ shots on goal in two games and some of the great individual efforts from some of the goal scorers. This looked like a team that could be a real contender for the Big Ten championship this year. Finally MSU seems to have confidence in passing it back to the D in the offensive zone and thus getting them involved in the offense. For the past few years they would just try to cycle it in the corners with the forwards and never pass it back to the D, making our offense very easy to stop.

Seemed like almost every line scored at least one goal this weekend and played very well together. Makes you wonder what will happen with Pavelek and DeBlouw when the get healthy.

I am really starting to like the way Wood has been playing. Seems like a good mix of speed, skill, and work ethic. Pleasant surprise of the year in my book so far.

[UMICH]

Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

I'm actually very proud of you guys for having quite the quality schedule. It is light-years better than the chicken-ch!t butthole Brandon left us with.

[aallenpollreisz]

Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

UNH didn't strike me as a good team. Better than average? Yes. Good? No. They looked like a middle-of-the-pack Hockey East team. (I'm pretty sure that's where the coaches slotted them during the preseason, actually.)

Their goaltender was terrible and had no rebound control. We scouted him well. Our plan was to shoot from wherever and crash the net, and, clearly, that worked pretty well last weekend.

However, there were a couple chunks where we looked, frankly, bad on Saturday, but we were lights-out in the first and last 10 minutes.

That said, this team is definitely better than they were last season, but I'm still concerned about the depth at the blue line. If we can weather the issues back there, though, I think this is a 20-win team and a conference championship contender.

Appleton is going to be something really special, too.

[Pirateasaur]

I'm actually very proud of you guys for having quite the quality schedule. It is light-years better than the chicken-ch!t butthole Brandon left us with.

It's a great schedule as long as we win a few of them. And wow, that's quite a home non-con slate you guys have! Going the Penn State route, it seems.

[Pirateasaur]

UNH didn't strike me as a good team. Better than average? Yes. Good? No. They looked like a middle-of-the-pack Hockey East team. (I'm pretty sure that's where the coaches slotted them during the preseason, actually.)

Their goaltender was terrible and had no rebound control. We scouted him well. Our plan was to shoot from wherever and crash the net, and, clearly, that worked pretty well last weekend.

However, there were a couple chunks where we looked, frankly, bad on Saturday, but we were lights-out in the first and last 10 minutes.

That said, this team is definitely better than they were last season, but I'm still concerned about the depth at the blue line. If we can weather the issues back there, though, I think this is a 20-win team and a conference championship contender.

Appleton is going to be something really special, too.

I honestly have been too active on weekends and the only times I have seen this team play were the Wedtern Ontario game and the LSSU loss. I did not leave that game excited about where we were headed, especially after the sweep in Denver. I hope the bye did us well and the team is turning a corner. I'd love to see us average more than 3 goals a game.

[gomsuman]

Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

Maybe I'm just all sunshines and rainbows after all that goal scoring last weekend, but I still think this team can be leaps and bounds better then they were last year. I would say 1 or 2 in the Big Ten this year (not saying much) is my expectation at this time.

Yes I agree the defensemen have been a little shaky at times, especially in our own zone. They have gave up some bad turnovers and, frankly, it is a good thing we have Hildebrand to bail them out at times.

Appleton reminds me a lot of Abdelkader. Great skill and work ethic at both ends of the ice. Also not afraid to play the physical game every now and then. The physical game is about the only difference between him and Mac.. Mac tends to shy away from it. Hopefully the points keep coming from that line of Mac-Ferrantino-Appleton.

Anybody think Minny gets a start at goalie this year? Or will Anastos ride Hildebrand like he did last year? I thought Hildy could have used a little bit of rest last year... but hey this isn't the NHL and a goalie of his caliber should be able to handle two games a week.

[aallenpollreisz]

Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?

Anybody think Minny gets a start at goalie this year? Or will Anastos ride Hildebrand like he did last year? I thought Hildy could have used a little bit of rest last year... but hey this isn't the NHL and a goalie of his caliber should be able to handle two games a week.

It would be very wise for Minney to get some PT before he becomes the everyday guy next season. Unfortunately, there's not a lull in the schedule where he can start, except for the exhibition against tNTDP.

[Pirateasaur]

has anybody noticed that BC has shut out their opponent in 6 of their last 7 games?

That's...nice.