Column: Close CCHA ranks deserve more attention

By Dillon Davis | Originally Published: 01/17/12 8:18pm |Modified: 01/17/12 8:26pm | 1 comment

As often as he is prompted, Tom Anastos says he doesn’t pay too much attention to the CCHA standings.

He wants his players to exert the most effort on each shift in the short term and stay focused on the task at hand. By taking this approach, Anastos has the attention of his players, and the team can stay true to its “100 percent, 100 percent of the time” mantra.

And while that might be the case, the current race developing in the CCHA standings make it almost inhuman not to sneak a peak.

How could Anastos not?

That’s like saying you don’t care whether or not the top fell in “Inception.” It’s not something that you think about everyday, but it certainly creeps into your mind every now and again because it’s hard to ignore.

Four points. That’s how many points separate seven teams in the CCHA standings.

The No. 18 MSU hockey team currently sits in a tie for eighth in the CCHA with Northern Michigan, while rival Michigan sits in third place, ahead in the standings by just four points.

After a weekend where the Spartans nabbed five out of six points from the Wildcats at Munn Ice Arena, that one missing point remains a thorn in the team’s side. The Spartans blew a 5-4 lead in the final minute of regulation in Friday’s game and had to settle for a 5-5 tie and two points.

Five is good; six is better.

Six points gives the Spartans momentum along with a tie with Ferris State for seventh and a chance to make a run toward the top of the conference against Lake Superior State this weekend. Instead, the Spartans have the pressure of redeeming themselves against a tough Lakers team and digging out of the conference cellar.

Despite disappointment over what could have been, Anastos doesn’t want his team to get too caught up in scoreboard watching.

“We’re playing a shift at a time. We’re playing a period at a time. We’re playing a game at a time,” Anastos said. “And so you can’t look too far down the road. You have to really focus on the little details each week and then take the results.”

Heading down the stretch, the closeness of the conference race provides each series with vital importance for teams vying for high seeding in the CCHA Playoffs. Considering a win is worth three points in the standings, the importance of MSU’s 12 remaining games are not to be understated.

Considering the Spartans’ upcoming schedule has proverbial contenders No. 5 Ohio State, No. 10 U-M and closing on the road with No. 7 Notre Dame, the road to the CCHA Playoffs will not be an easy one.

Though the challenge will be great, Anastos knows what’s ahead, and he will keep his team on a course by keeping a level head.
But if he’s not watching the standings now, Anastos sure will be soon.