Tom Anastos has his Spartan hockey team sitting at #16 in the nation and hosting Lake Superior this weekend at Munn Ice Arena. The Spartans started the season with low expectations, but came out of the gate on fire at 3-2. That optimism hit a freight train when they then headed north to LSSU for a big series and promptly got swept.
The Lakers will face a different Spartan squad this time around. Anastos said, “Were much better organized then we were then…A lot was a work in progress,” back when the new MSU staff took over to start the season.
Anastos thoughts on one of the big reasons the Spartans are different today? “I don’t think we worked as hard as we do today.” Not that the Spartans were lazy, but with the new staff coming in they still didn’t know their team and they didn’t know their coaches.
Anastos confessed that both teams will be different. “We’ve gotten better. I think they’ll be a better team.” One big area of concern when you face LSSU is their goal play. Sophomore LSSU goalie Kevin Kapalka will be a real test for the Spartans is a force in the net.
MSU hasn’t scored a power play goal in five games and when you add to the pressure a very good goaltender it makes the series and even bigger contest. Even Anastos who is not given to hyperbole gushed about Kapalka saying that LSSU has, “Excellent goaltending.”
I look for the Spartans to avenge being swept back in October and I think a big weekend in January does that. Look for MSU to win them both as they move up the national rankings and the CCHA standings.
