MSU clinches 2nd place, now looks foward

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Minutes after entering the locker room Saturday with heads hanging low after losing in a shootout to second-to-last place Bowling Green, the No. 12 MSU hockey team heard the good news.

Ferris State had lost in a shootout to Western Michigan, meaning the Spartans closed out the regular season in second place in the CCHA with their 2-2 tie through regulation and 1-0 loss in overtime.

Sure, it wasn’t the way the Spartans wanted to clinch second place, especially with the ball in MSU’s court for Saturday’s road tilt at Bowling Green.

The Spartans controlled their own destiny in the second leg of the home-and-home series and could have locked up second place with a win, regardless of the Ferris State result. A win drastically would have improved MSU’s NCAA Tournament stock, which has been on a downward slide of late.

Instead, the Spartans took second place by default and the team’s NCAA Tournament future still is up in the air.

After Friday’s 5-2 win over the Falcons, MSU head coach Rick Comley said he thought Saturday was a must-win for the Spartans. If the team didn’t win on Saturday, Comley said he thought the Spartans were going to have to win the CCHA Tournament to make it to the big dance.

But we all know that’s easier said than done. If the Spartans are going to win the conference playoffs, they likely will cross paths with powerhouse No. 2 Miami (Ohio).

Yes, the Spartans were one of only two CCHA teams to beat the RedHawks during the regular season. But Miami has been rolling this year, clinching the regular-season conference title with five games remaining. Oh yeah, and they also have racked up a whopping 20 more points than the second-place Spartans.

Despite the disappointing four-point weekend against one of the worst teams in the league, the Spartans did look better than in weeks past.

Friday’s performance at home certainly was a rout. The Spartans were flying all over the ice and looked like the team we all saw prior to winter break.

Saturday was the same story for the Spartans. The end result wasn’t favorable, but MSU dominated the game. Solid goaltending from Bowling Green freshman netminder Andrew Hammond frustrated the Spartans all night. And with 22 penalties called, resulting in limited 5-on-5 time, MSU’s usual line rotations were corrupted and the game lacked any flow.

A major concern for the Spartans is their record away from home since the winter break. MSU hasn’t won a road game since Dec. 11, 2009, at Bowling Green.

Isn’t it amazing how that can happen? You’d think such a sketchy road record would drop MSU deep into the middle of the CCHA pack.

But that’s a testament to how even the conference has been this season. And that could create problems for the Spartans in the CCHA Tournament.

Anyone can beat anyone in this league and the Spartans can’t afford to lose another game before the CCHA Tournament finals. That means reaching the finals would take three straight wins, something the team hasn’t done since the beginning of January.

If the Spartans do drop a game along the way, their NCAA Tournament bubble might burst.

Everything still is on the line. But a win on Saturday would have been huge, especially with Ferris State’s struggles this weekend.

The Spartans need to turn it up a notch and take control of their own destiny throughout the CCHA Playoffs or their surprisingly impressive season might come to an abrupt end.

Alex DiFilippo is the State News hockey reporter. He can be reached at difilip3@msu.edu.

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