Road Series at No. 11/12 Notre Dame Up Next For Spartans

Games 25-26: Michigan State (9-12-3 | 5-7-2-2 B1G) at No. 11/12 Notre Dame (13-8-2 | 6-6-1-1 B1G)
Dates | Times: Friday, Jan. 25 | 7:30 p.m. // Saturday, Jan. 26 | 7 p.m.
Location: Notre Dame, Ind. | Compton Family Ice Arena
TV: NBC Sports Chicago +, SNY
Web Stream: NBC Sports App
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Radio: Spartan Sports Network (Listen Live) | Local: WJIM-AM 1240
SSN Mobile App: iPhone/iPad | Android
Game Notes: Michigan State | Notre Dame | Big Ten
Social Media: @MSU_Hockey

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On The Fly…
• Off a sweep of Minnesota, Michigan State heads to No. 11/12 Notre Dame for a pair of games this weekend … The Spartans and Fighting Irish are separated by a point in the Big Ten standings as MSU is in fourth with 19 points (5-7-2-2) and UND in third with 20 points (6-6-1-1).

• The Spartans' sweep of Minnesota was their second of the season (No. 8 Cornell, Oct. 26-27) and first of a Big Ten opponent since Feb. 2016 at Wisconsin.

• Junior Taro Hirose had five assists last weekend and continues to lead the NCAA in points (40), assists (29), points per game (1.67) and assists per game (1.21).

• Hirose has a four-game point streak (2-7--9); has points in seven of the last eight games (4-10--14); and has 26 points (6g, 20a) over the last 15 games.

• With 106 points (29g, 77a) in 94 career games, Hirose's 1.13 points per game average is the highest among all Spartans that have hit the 100-point mark since 2000.

• The Spartans scored a total of 10 goals in their sweep of Minnesota and are averaging 4.17 goals per game in the month of January, which is ranks sixth nationally and second in the Big Ten during the month … For the season, the Spartans are averaging 3.0 goals per season, which ranks 22nd nationally.

• Michigan State boasts three of the top-eight scorers in the Big Ten in Hirose (1st; 11-29--40), Patrick Khodorenko (5th; 14-13--27) and Mitchell Lewandowski (T-7th; 11-14--25) … The KHL line has combined for 47% of the Spartans' point production as their 92 total points are just 16 short the trio's combined total from last season (36 games).

• Khodorenko is tied for the Big Ten lead in goals with 14, which is tied for third most nationally … He brings four-game point streak (2g, 4a) into Friday's game.

• Lewandowski was named the Big Ten Second Star of the Week after leading MSU with four goals, including a game-winner, in the sweep of Minnesota … His current four-game point streak (5g, 1a) is his second longest of the season.

• Khodorenko (14 goals), Hirose (11 goals) and Lewandowski (11 goals) make MSU one of five teams in the nation to have at least three double-digit goal scorers.

• The Spartan power play ranks 11th in the nation and third in the Big Ten at 23.0% (20-for-87) … MSU tied a season high with three power-play goals on Jan. 19 vs. Minnesota … MSU has power-play goals in three of the last four games (5-for-12) and five of the last seven (9-for-22).

• Dennis Cesana, who ranks fourth on the team in points, is tied for second nationally among all freshmen defensemen with 18 points (3g, 15a) … Cesana has had three, three-point games over an eight-game span since Dec. 30.

About Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish took five of six points from Wisconsin last weekend (6-4 W; 2-2 T, 3x3 W) … Notre Dame ranks 17th nationally in goals against per game at 2.39 … In the faceoff circle, UND is fifth nationally with a .545 winning percentage … Junior Forward Cal Burke leads Notre Dame in goals with nine, while seniors Dylan Malmquist and Bobby Nardella are tied for the team lead in both points (22) and assists (16) … Cale Morris has a .924 save percentage and a 2.37 goals-against average to go along with a 10-7-2 record.

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Hirose Continuing to Lead the Nation
Junior Taro Hirose has proven to be one of the most consistent offensive producers in the country and for the third straight week he leads the country in both points (40) and assists (29). He has had multiple points in 13 of the Spartans' 24 games this season.

Hirose has points in 20 of 24 games this season, including 13 of the last 15. Over the last 15 games (since Nov. 17), he has produced 26 points, including 20 assists, both of which are the most in the country over the span. His plus-21 rating since November 17 is tied for best in the nation.

The Calgary native has multiple points in eight of the last 13 games, including each of the last four (2-7--9), which is the longest multi-point scoring game streak of his career. On the Spartans' 25 goals in the month of January, Hirose has had a hand in nearly half (4g, 8a).

Dating back to the end of last season, he has points in 27 of the Spartans' last 33 games.

Hirose on Pace With Elite Company
Taro Hirose's offensive pace is placing him with some of the best Spartan point-producers since 2000. With 106 points in 94 games, he became just 15th Spartan to hit the 100-point mark since 2000 (69th in program history).

Most impressively are Hirose's points and assists-per-game averages. Of the 15 Spartans to reach 100 career points since 2000, Hirose has the highest point-per-game average at 1.13, above even Jim Slater (1.1 points per game/172 career points) and Shawn Horcoff (0.98 points per game/152 career points).

With 77 total helpers, Hirose's 0.82 assist per game average is the highest of any Spartan that reached the 100 point mark since 2000. The 77 assists are the sixth most by a Spartan since 2000.

In his career (94 games), Hirose has more games with multiple points (30) than games without a point (27). Hirose has 13 multi-point games this season, including seven three-point games.

Goals, Goals, Goals
The Spartan offense has begun to heat up with the beginning of the new calendar year. The Spartans' 25 goals in January are the third most in the country during the month, and their average of 4.17 during the month ranks sixth in the country and second in the Big Ten over the span.

MSU has scored at least five goals in each of the last three games, which is the first time the Spartans have done so since Feb. 2008. Their 10 total goals in the sweep of Minnesota were their most in a series since an Oct. 2017 sweep of Lake Superior State (4-3, 6-0).

Eleven of the Spartans' 25 goals during January have come in the third period, which is tied for the second most in the country in the final stanza over the stretch.

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Of Note From the Last Notre Dame Series (Nov. 16-17 | L, 3-1; L, 2-1)
The Spartans outshot Notre Dame both nights (28-21; 29-22) … Patrick Khodorenko scored both MSU goals … MSU extinguished 6-of-7 UND power plays … The five goals (including one empty-netter) tied for the second fewest allowed by MSU in a series this season.

Khodorenko's Scoring Touch
Patrick Khodorenko is on the best stretch of his career with 20 points (9g, 11a) over the last 16 games, and brings a four-game point streak (2-4--6) into this weekend's series. His team-leading 14 goals, which is one more than his total from last year, are tied for the most in the Big Ten and third nationally.

The native of Walnut Creek, California, who played for Danton Cole with the USNTDP has found a good amount of success on the power play as his seven goals on the man-advantage are tied for the Big Ten lead and are third most in the nation.

On Jan. 4 vs. Ohio State he became the first Spartan since Greg Wolfe in 2011 to have four assists in a game. It was his second four-point game of the season as he was named the Big Ten First Star of the Week on Nov. 6 for the first time in his career after a hat trick and assist on Nov. 2 in a win over Ferris State.

Cesana Leading Spartan Rookies
Rookie Dennis Cesana has made an immediate impact on the Spartan blue line as he ranks fourth on the team with 18 points (3g, 15a). He's tied for second in points nationally among all freshmen defensemen and is also tied for second among all Big Ten rookies.

The native of Providence, R.I., who led all defensemen in the AJHL in points (75) last season, has produced three three-point games since Dec. 30. Cesana had a goal and two assists against Lake Superior State in the GLI; scored the tying goal with 47 seconds to play - and added two helpers - in the 7-7 tie vs. Ohio State on January 4; and had three assist in the Jan. 19 5-3 win over Minneosta. He has 10 points (2g, 8a) over the last eight games.

Of Note From the Minnesota Series
The sweep was the Spartans' first of Minnesota since 1976; first Big Ten sweep since Feb. 2016 at Wisconsin and first home sweep of a Big Ten opponent since March 2015 vs. Wisconsin … The Spartans scored in all three periods in back-to-back games for the first time this season … MSU scored 10 goals in a series for the first time since Oct. 2017 … The Spartans averaged 38.0 shots on goal – their highest in a series this season.

A Weekend of Firsts
The Spartans' last three wins have been aided largely by production from up and down the lineup. In last weekend's sweep of Minnesota, four players notched their first career goals or assists. Freshmen Cole Krygier and Adam Goodsir both scored in Sunday's 5-3 win, while Christian Krygier and goaltender John Lethemon got their first career points with assists in Saturday's 5-3 win. Lethemon's assist on Jerad Rosburg's empty-net goal was the first by a Spartan goaltender since Jake Hildebrand on Jan. 29, 2016, in a 4-2 win at Ohio State.

Lewandowski Regaining Form
After being held without a point in the final three games of December, Mitchell Lewandowski has started 2019 with points in five of six games (6-3--9). Last year's Big Ten Rookie of the Year brings a four-game point streak into Friday's game over which he has produced five goals and one assist. He was named the Big Ten Second Star of the Week after scoring two goals in both games of the sweep of Minnesota.

Young on the Back End
For the second straight year, the Spartans have just one senior defenseman in Zach Osburn. While Osburn is the Spartans' active leader in games played at 129, he is surrounded by youth with three freshmen – Dennis Cesana, Cole Krygier and Christian Krygier – and a sophomore – Tommy Miller – in the regular playing group. Redshirt junior Jerad Rosburg has played in all 24 games, while junior Butrus Ghafari has played in 17.

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In B1G Play…
Taro Hirose leads the league in points (24) and assists (18) … Patrick Khodorenko is third in points (19) and is tied with Mitchell Lewandowski for third in goals (8) … Tommy Apap leads in faceoff wins (152) and his .565 faceoff winning percentage is fourth best among regular centermen.

All KHL
Since playing together in the first game of last season, Patrick Khodorenko (14-13--27), Taro Hirose (11-29--40) and Mitchell Lewandowski (11-14--25) have combined to form one of the Big Ten's – and college hockey's – most dangerous lines. Last season, the unit produced a total of 108 points (44 goals, 64 assists) in playing together in all 36 games. This season, the trio has combined for 92 of 196 (47%) of the Spartans' total points this season. The trio combined for a season-high 10 points on Jan. 4 vs. Ohio State.

Khodorenko – Has a team and career-high 14 goals – tied for most in the Big Ten … His Big Ten-leading seven power-play goals rank third in the nation ... MSU's active career leader in goals (34) ... Ranked 12th in the Big Ten and third on the team in points (32) last season.

Hirose – Leads the nation in points (40) assists (29) … Has two game-winning goals ... Has points in 27 of 33 games dating back to last season ... Has 13 multi-point games this season and 30 in his career ... Has 106 points (29g, 77a) in 94 career games - just the 15th Spartan since 2000 to hit the 100-career point mark ... 2018 All-Big Ten second team … His 42 points last season were the most by a Spartan since Corey Tropp had the same number in 2009-10.

Lewandowski – Started the season with a career-best five-game point streak (3-6--9) and has five goals over the last three games … 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and only unanimous selection to the Big Ten All-Freshman team … Led all rookies nationally in goals (19) and tied for the most in the Big Ten (among all players) during the regular season.

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Players Mentioned

Tommy Apap

Dennis Cesana

Butrus Ghafari

Adam Goodsir

Taro Hirose

Patrick Khodorenko

Christian Krygier

Cole Krygier

John Lethemon

Mitchell Lewandowski

Tommy Miller

Zach Osburn

Jerad Rosburg