MSU hockey: This time, it's for survival

EAST LANSING - The stakes are extremely high and are the same for both teams.

It's win two second-round playoff games or the season comes to a sudden end.

One goal, one turnover, one bad decision could spell heartbreak for Michigan State or Michigan in this weekend's Central Collegiate Hockey Association best-of-three, second-round playoff series.

"That's really scary, but that's what you play for. You want to play in big games like this,'' Spartans senior captain and center Nick Sucharski said.

"Without two wins, our season could be over. It's with our biggest rival, it's my last games at home and it'll be a fun series to play in.''

The Spartans (19-11-6 overall) and Wolverines (21-17-1) collide at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Munn Arena. If a deciding Game 3 is necessary, it'll be played at 7 p.m. Sunday, also at Munn Arena.

The winner advances to the CCHA Championship next weekend at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit and keeps its NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

The Spartans have had a solid overall season, finishing second in the CCHA. But MSU is only 5-5-4 since the start of January and hasn't swept a series since the Great Lakes Invitational.

"We haven't played as well the last 5-6 weeks as we did earlier in the season, but perhaps that's because we've played a better schedule,'' MSU coach Rick Comley said. "This is a good matchup. Most of the games we've played against (Michigan) have been really tight.''

The Wolverines have had sporadic problems on offense and defense and their overall inconsistency has led to a disappointing season. U-M's seventh-place finish in the CCHA is its worst since 1985-86 (8th).

Since early January, Michigan is 11-7-1 and has played better in the last three weeks, going 4-3.

"We've been consistently inconsistently most of the season. We've had a hard time sweeping teams,'' said Michigan junior forward Carl Hagelin, the team's top scorer with 16 goals and 41 points in 39 games.

"We'd play well one night and not well the next. But lately, we're more focused and playing much better. Some guys have picked it up offensively. A guy like Louie Caporusso has been really good and he's a good goal scorer. There is a sense of urgency to be more productive.''

Based on the always-changing PairWise Rankings, the formula used by the NCAA to select and seed teams in the 16-team tournament, the Wolverines have to win the CCHA playoff title and earn an automatic berth to get into the NCAAs for a record 20th consecutive season.

U-M is ranked No. 25 with 1 PWR comparison won.

"We feel that if we can win this weekend and get to Detroit for the CCHAs, we have a good chance at the NCAAs,'' said Hagelin, a 6-foot,181-pounder from Sodertalje, Sweden.

The Spartans, ranked No. 12 with 12 comparisons won, most likely would qualify for the NCAAs by getting to Detroit and winning one game, either in the semifinals or third-place game.

"We're on the bubble,'' MSU junior left wing Andrew Rowe said. "It's a must-win weekend.''

Rowe, who has scored a goal in each of MSU's last five games against U-M, said he's happy about matching up with the Wolverines, who swept a flu-ridden Lake Superior State team, 5-2, 6-0, last weekend in a CCHA first-round series.

"It's the rivalry, how intense it is and how everyone is more into these games,'' said Rowe, who has five goals and four assists in nine games vs. U-M. "It's our biggest rival ... our biggest enemy on the ice and I get excited playing them.''

After going 0-5 against the Wolverines during last year's dreadful season, the Spartans have turned things around this year, winning three of the four CCHA matchups.

MSU swept U-M in mid-November, winning 3-2 in Ann Arbor and 2-0 at Munn Arena. On Jan. 29, the Spartans held on for a 3-2 victory at home, but the Wolverines rallied with two late goals to win the next night at Joe Louis Arena, 5-4.

Rowe said the four games against U-M have given the Spartans some confidence for this weekend.

"We shut down their offense and their transition play, at times, but they're still a great team and they've turned things around in the playoffs,'' Rowe said. "We have to play at our top level.''

It appears that Michigan will be without starting goaltender Bryan Hogan, a junior who suffered a groin injury against Notre Dame on Feb. 25. Backup Shawn Hunwick, a junior with limited experience, has started the last three games.

In addition, standout senior defenseman Chris Summers, who often has great games against MSU, has a lower-body injury and he also could be sidelined this weekend.

Despite MSU's second-place finish and U-M placing seventh, the teams are very close in several statistical categories.

In overall games, the Wolverines and Spartans are No. 2 and 3, respectively, in the CCHA in goals scored - 3.18 goals-per-game for U-M to 3.08 for MSU.

Defensively, Michigan ranks No. 4 (2.33 goals against) and MSU No. 5 (2.42).

On the power play, the Wolverines hold a miniscule edge - 18.4 percent to 18.0-but U-M's penalty killing is better - 87.6 percent to 83.2 for MSU.

Michigan's top five goal scorers - Hagelin (16 goals), Caporusso (16), Matt Rust (12), Chris Brown (12) and Brian Lebler (12) - have accounted for 68 goals in 39 games.

MSU's top five scorers - Corey Tropp (20), Rowe (15), Derek Grant (11), Dustin Gazley (9) and Sucharski (8) - have combined for 63 in 36 games.

"Both teams can create offense and score so it comes down to how well each team plays on defense,'' said Hagelin. "You expect things to be close so it come down to defense and goaltending.

"Usually, the best goaltending will win the game. We have to be able to shut down their best players and our top guys have to be our best players.''