By John Lachmann
WHO: Miami RedHawks (9-9-2) at No. 15 Michigan State Spartans (11-7-2).
WHEN: 7:05 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6 and Saturday, Jan. 7.
WHERE: Munn Ice Arena, East Lansing, Mich.
TV: None.
MIAMI RADIO: Friday—WKBV-AM (1490), Richmond, Ind.
MICHIGAN STATE RADIO: Both nights—WJIM-AM (1240), Lansing, Mich.
NOTES: Michigan State’s season has taken on an eerie parallel to Miami’s. The Spartans started playing well after a slow start but have won just one of their last four and suffered a 3-2 overtime loss in their last game.
Unlike Miami, Michigan State resumed play last weekend, beating Michigan Tech and losing to Michigan in the 12th minute of overtime in the finals of the Great Lakes Invitational in Detroit. So rust should not be a factor.
Taking a page out of Miami’s book from this season, Michigan State surrendered a 6-on-5 goal with 50 seconds left in regulation before the Wolverines won the game in the 12th minute of overtime.
Michigan State had pieced together an 8-1-1 stretch prior to its recent skid, which includes three games against Michigan in which the Spartans are 0-2-1.
Overall MSU has owned Miami, going 68-27-5 vs. the RedHawks and 36-13-3 in East Lansing, but MU has won eight of the last 12 meetings. The teams split when they played at Michigan State last season.
Under first-year coach and former CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos, the Spartans have had no problem letting their defensemen jump into the play.
Junior Torey Krug leads MSU blueliners with 14 points on five goals and nine assists, and senior Matt Crandell has two goals and 11 assists.
Senior Brock Shelgren, a former teammate of Miami goalie Cody Reichard who had 16 points in his previous three seasons, has also ventured into the offensive zone for two goals and eight assists.
Sophomore Jake Chelios, son of NHL Hall of Famer Chris Chelios, has moved into a defensive role, and rounds out the blue line with senior Tim Buttery and junior Matt Grassi.
Sophomore Lee Reimer, who racked up just seven points last season, leads the Spartans with 23 in 2011-12 (8-15-23). Sophomore Greg Wolf has six goals and 12 assists, and Anaheim Ducks draftee Brett Perlini has recorded six goals and 11 assists.
Senior Mike Merrifield had just six goals prior to this season but he is fifth on the team in scoring with 13 points and tied for the team lead with eight goals. Junior Kevin Walrod is another forward who has stepped up his game, notching six goals and six assists after recording just 11 his first two years.
Freshman Matt Barry has tallied five goals and six assists in his first 18 collegiate games, junior Dean Chelios – also a son of Chris Chelios – has five goals and four assists.
Rounding out the significant Spartans forwards are senior Winnipeg Jets draftee Daultan Laveille and freshman Brett Darnell, who have posted three goals and five assists each.
A side effect of letting defensemen pinch in a high numbers of shots allowed, and Michigan State’s goalies have faced a ton. Opponents are averaging 31.9 shots per game, and they surrendered 94 SOG in last weekend’s tournament.
Senior Drew Palmisano and sophomore Will Yanakeff have split time in net, with Palmisano seeing most of the workload recently. Palmisano turned aside 90-of-94 shots in the Spartans’ tournament last weekend.
Palmisano’s save percentage has been slightly better while Yanakeff has fared better in goals-against average. Palmisano is 5-4-2 with a 2.56 GAA and .923 save percentage while Yanakeff has posted a 6-3 record with a 2.46 goals-against and .915 save percentage.
Anastos has ridden the hot hand so far this season, and that means Miami should see Palmisano for the beginning of the series at least. Palmisano is 2-1 with a 3.28 GAA vs. the RedHawks lifetime.
Granted it is Enrico Blasi decided who starts in net for Miami, but senior Connor Knapp is the odds-on favorite. Blasi has been rotating him and fellow senior Cody Reichard recently, and last season Knapp blanked the Spartans after Reichard was pulled the night before.
None of the current RedHawks skaters have had much success against the Spartans – senior defenseman Chris Wideman has a team-best five points in eight games vs. MSU.
The freshmen have been the most exciting thing about this Miami team, and hopefully they will continue to excel in the second half.
Jimmy Mullin had a goal and two assists in the final two games of 2011, Austin Czarnik scored twice for Team USA in the Under-20 World Championships in Alberta and Blake Coleman scored five goals in his last eight games.
Tyler Biggs was banged up and was not the same when he returned, but 26 days off should help the 18-year-old first-round draft pick.
And Ben Paulides, the frosh defenseman who sat in favor of junior Garrett Kennedy much of the first half, played his first two-game series vs. Ohio State in the last two games before the break, and was solid defensively.
After three weeks off, Miami could either come out full of energy and dominate, or show up full
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