The MSU hockey team has posted a 1-2-1 record since a 20-day winter break. And while those aren’t necessarily the most impressive numbers, head coach Rick Comley said the team needs to only work on a few skills to bounce back.
A fourth line
Comley wants more from icers
Senior forward Bryan Lerg battles for the puck with forward Troy Schwab of Lake Superior on Saturday. Lerg contributed one goal in the 3-3 tie.
An additional line could be in the works, which was important to last year’s national championship success, Comley said. But he’s struggling to figure one out.
“I’ve been trying to come up with a fourth line,” Comley said. “Last year, one of the keys was that fourth line. I just haven’t been able to come up with one.”
Sometimes players underestimate the importance of practice, which could contribute to Comley’s difficulty in finding that chemistry.
“They always feel if they don’t get the chance to play in games that they can’t convince me otherwise,” he said. “But I watch them every day.”
Slow start for stars
Players aren’t putting up gaudy statistics as in years past, but that isn’t to say they aren’t contributing.
“Our top guys, not one of them has numbers I thought they would have,” Comley said. “That’s not a criticism of them, they’ve played well. We just don’t finish as well as we need to.”
He added the team’s talent is there but has yet to blossom.
“We just haven’t come close to playing what we’re capable of playing,” Comley said.
“We don’t have attitude problems, discipline issues — you know, we just have productive issues.”
Junior forward Tim Kennedy, the Spartans’ leading scorer, has 13 goals on the season.
He has not scored a goal since late December at the 43rd annual Great Lakes Invitational in Detroit, however.
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Bruise brothers
Kennedy had six penalty minutes in the 3-3 deadlock with Lake Superior for roughing and slashing. Junior forward Justin Abdelkader also had two minutes for roughing. Both Kennedy and Abdelkader have played more physically as of late, which needs to continue, Comley said.
“Both (Abdelkader) and Kennedy have to be involved physically to be good players,” he said. “They’ve been relatively quiet. The more they’re into it … the better players they are.”
Strengthening defensively
Although the Spartans peppered Lakers goaltender Brian Mahoney-Wilson with 22 shots in the first period alone, Lake Superior bounded back in the second period — outshooting MSU 15-6.
“Defensemen are under such pressure with good dumps,” Comley said. “If you’ve got open ice, carry it. If you’re in the zone, carry it. I want to give creativity and freedom, but you want to eliminate and keep your turnovers low.”
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The Spartans take on Notre Dame at 7:35 p.m. Friday at Munn Ice Arena.
