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MSU sitting pretty in CCHA logjam

By Alex DiFilippo

Created:
02/01/10 5:36pm

Last updated:
02/01/10 5:36pm

1 comment

A win on Saturday would have been H.U.G.E. for the MSU hockey team.

First off, battling back from a three-goal deficit after a horrible first period would have shown the Spartans that no lead is too big to overcome. Having that kind of confidence can be huge for a team, especially if they were able to battle back against archrival Michigan.

If the Wolverines would have lost the game — after garnering such a big lead — it could have killed their team morale and might have even taken them out of contention for an NCAA Tournament bid, barring a CCHA Tournament crown.

But most importantly for MSU, three points for the win would have been absolutely huge for the Spartans in the conference race.

The top four seeded teams in the regular season get a first-round bye and home-ice advantage in the second round. With the conference race tightening up, three points really could have separated MSU from the pack and, avoiding a major collapse, secured a spot in the top four for the Spartans.

Currently, MSU is in second place with 41 points, up only two points on Ferris State. However, MSU has played two extra games.

Then the conference picture becomes a log-jam. Lake Superior State and Notre Dame sit in fourth place with 32 points each and Ohio State and Nebraska-Omaha are way down in eighth place with 30 points. Yes, that’s right — six teams are within two points of each other in the middle of the conference.

MSU still has a really good shot to finish in the top four. The Spartans have an away series at Alaska, a bye week and then a home-and-home series against Ferris State and Bowling Green to wrap up the season. If MSU can at least split their final three series, the Spartans should be a lock in the top four.

But a win on Saturday would have made MSU a little more comfortable in the standings. And after losing all five games against U-M last year, the Spartans could really have used the extra confidence boost against their despised rival.

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log jammer
(02/01/10 9:31pm)
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i have no idea what this article is about, and have no intention of reading it, but MAN did i make a logjam earlier. thought i was gonna have to go to meijer and buy a plunger!

About Lighting the Lamp

Hockey reporter Dillon Davis takes you inside the MSU hockey team.

Follow Dillon on Twitter at @DillonDavis and the rest of The State News sports desk at @thesnews_sports.

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