No. 19 Spartans Head to Minnesota

Games 27-28: #19 Michigan State (13-12-1, 9-6-1-0 B1G) at Minnesota (12-10-4, 7-5-4-3 B1G)
Dates | Times: Friday, Feb. 7 | 8 p.m. ET // Saturday, Feb. 8 | 6 p.m. ET
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | 3M Arena at Mariucci
TV: Friday – FS North Plus // Saturday – FS Detroit Plus
Web Stream: BTN +
Radio: Spartan Sports Network (Listen Live) | Local: WJIM 1240-AM
SSN Mobile App: iPhone/iPad | Android
Game Notes: Michigan State | Minnesota | Big Ten

On The Fly…
• Michigan State begins the final month of the regular season as it heads to Minnesota to face the Golden Gophers on Friday and Saturday … The two teams enter the series in a three-way tie for third place in the Big Ten as the Spartans, Gophers and Notre Dame all have 28 points – one behind co-leaders Ohio State and Penn State.

• Coming off the bye week, the Spartans are 21st in the PairWise rankings.

• Goaltender John Lethemon leads the NCAA in save percentage at .943, while his 1.88 GAA ranks seventh and also leads the Big Ten … Lethemon's five shutouts also lead the league and are tied for second most in the country.

• In Big Ten play, Lethemon's numbers are even better as he leads the conference with a 1.62 GAA, .953 save percentage and four shutouts ... Lethemon has allowed two or fewer goals in each of the last seven games.

• Patrick Khodorenko is tied for third in the Big Ten in points (28) and is second in goals (14) … Khodorenko leads the Big Ten in conference games with 11 goals, while he's tied for second in points in league contests with 17 … He has five points (3g, 2a) over the last four games.

• The Spartans have moved up to 11th in the nation in goals against per game at 2.27, which is second best in the Big Ten, and 1.12 below their average from last season.

• MSU has been even better in Big Ten games, allowing the fewest total goals (31) and leading in goals against per game (1.94).

• Michigan State has extinguished the last 10 opponent power plays (since Jan. 11) and 17 of the last 18 … Over the last 14 games (since Nov. 30) MSU leads the country with a .936 penalty kill percentage, having erased 44 of 47 opponent power plays.

• MSU's .920 penalty kill percentage in league play is .092 better than the next closest team (PSU) … On the season, the Spartans' .835 penalty kill percentage ranks 20th nationally.

• MSU leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally in faceoff winning percentage at .543 … Junior Tommy Apap leads the league in faceoff wins with 283 and his .578 winning percentage ranks third.

• The Spartans have a pair of Hobey Baker Award nominees in seniors Patrick Khodorenko and John Lethemon … Fan voting for the Hobey runs until March 8, while the 10 finalists will be announced March 19.

• Sophomore Dennis Cesana is third among all Big Ten defensemen in both assists (13) and points (17).

• Not including empty-net goals, MSU has outscored opponents by a 29-18 margin in the second and third periods in Big Ten games.

About Minnesota
Minnesota has won five consecutive games and seven of its last eight as the Gophers' only loss over the last eight games came against the Spartans on Jan. 10 … Minnesota swept Ohio State (6-3, 4-1) two weeks ago and is coming off a road sweep of Wisconsin (6-2, 4-2) … The Gophers are 7-6-2 at home this season … Junior Brannon McManus (8-12--20) and freshman Ben Meyers (6-14--20) lead Minnesota in points, while Scott Reedy is the team's leading goal scorer (11) … Minnesota is operating at 17.2% on the power play (15-for-87) and 83.8% (67-of-80) on the penalty kill.

MSU Minn Feb matchup

The Wall of Lethemon
John Lethemon brings his nation-leading .943 save percentage into this weekend's series, while his 1.88 ranks seventh nationally and leads the Big Ten. Lethemon has allowed two or fewer goals in each of the last seven games (since Dec. 31), and in 16 of 23 starts this season.

Lethemon is coming off a January where he had the third-best save percentage (.960) of any goaltender in the nation in the month and the most starts (6) of any goaltender in the top five in save percentage and GAA during the month. His 1.34 GAA was fourth among NCAA goaltenders in January.

The Northville, Michigan, native has made a remarkable improvement over his career numbers entering the season. Lethemon's current .943 save percentage is .045 better than his career average entering the year, while his 1.88 GAA is 1.25 below is average through his first three seasons.

In Company of Elite Spartan Netminders
John Lethemon's .943 season save percentage is second best in school history only to Ryan Miller's .950 save percentage, which Miller posted in 2000-01 – the year he won the Hobey Baker Award.

His 1.88 GAA is currently seventh best in program history and is the best by a Spartan since Ryan Miller's 1.77 in 2001-02.

Tallying the Shutouts
John Lethemon's Big Ten-leading five shutouts are tied for the seventh most in a season by a Spartan netminder, while his nine career shutouts rank sixth in school history. Here's a look at this year's shutouts:

1 - Nov. 8 at Penn State – 48 saves (career high); 2 - Nov. 16 at Michigan – 35 saves; 3 - Dec. 6 vs. Wisconsin – 41 saves; 4 - Dec. 15 vs. Arizona State – 36 saves; 5 - Jan. 17 at Wisconsin – 39 saves.

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Patty Paces the Offense
After being among the top Spartan scorers the last two seasons, Patrick Khodorenko leads the team this year in goals (14), assists (14) and points (28). His 28 points are tied for third in the Big Ten, while his 14 goals are second most. He leads the Big Ten in conference games with 11 goals, while he's tied for second in points in league contests with 17.

Khodorenko has points in seven of the last 11 games with an 8-7--15 scoring line over the span. This span includes a hat trick in a 4-2 win over Penn State on Jan. 24; scoring an OT game-winner vs. Wisconsin on Dec. 7; and drawing the primary assists on Mitchell Lewandowski's OT winner against Arizona State on Dec. 15.

Earlier this season, Khodorenko compiled a career best six-game point streak from Oct. 26 - Nov. 14 over which he produced 12 points (6g, 6a).

The Last Time Out: vs. Penn State (Jan. 24-25)
It was the fifth consecutive split between the Spartans and Nittany Lions … Both teams averaged 37.5 shots on goal in the series … Patrick Khodorenko's hat trick gave him a 6-1--7 scoring line in four games this season against Penn State … MSU killed both PSU power plays, while going 1-for-5 on the man-advantage … Tommy Apap scored the Spartans' third shorthanded goal of the year in the OT loss.

From the First Series vs. Minnesota (Jan. 10-11)
The two goals allowed by John Lethemon were the fewest total goals he's allowed in a series this season … The Spartans extinguished 10 of 11 Minnesota power plays, including three 5-on-3's that lasted a total of 3:35 in the 4-1 win … Gianluca Esteves got the first game-winner in the 4-1 victory … The line of Patrick Khodorenko (2g, 1a), Mitchell Lewandowski (1g, 1a) and Sam Saliba (1g, 1a) accounted for seven points in the win … MSU held Minnesota to seven shots through two periods in the win.

Michigan State vs. Minnesota, Jan. 10, 2020

Michigan State vs. Minnesota, Jan. 10, 2020

Khodo Hits 5-0
Patrick Khodorenko's hat trick vs. Penn State on Jan. 24 gave him 52 career goals as he became the first Spartan since Tim Crowder (2005-09) to hit the 50-career goal mark and only ninth Spartan since 2000 to reach the milestone. Khodorenko's 52 career goals are the sixth most by any Spartan since 2000; the last player with more than 52 in a career was Bryan Lerg, who had 68 (2004-08).

Earlier this season Khodorenko hit the 100-career point mark when he second goal at Michigan in a 4-3 win on Nov. 14.

The Big Ten Race
As the final month of the regular season begins, the Spartans are one of five teams all separated by one point. Ohio State (9-7-2-0) and Penn State (9-7-2-0) are currently tied for the league lead with 29 points. Michigan State (9-6-1-0), Minnesota (7-5-4-3) and Notre Dame (7-7-4-3) are tied for third place with 28 points apiece. Entering this weekend, the Spartans, Gophers and Michigan have played two fewer games (16) than the other four teams in the league (18).

B1G Lockdown
The Spartans have improved their overall goals-against average by just over a goal per game this season. Entering Friday, the Spartans' 2.27 goals-against per game ranks 11th nationally and is 1.12 better than last year's average. In Big Ten play, the Spartans have been even stingier, leading the league at 1.94.

Since league play began for the Spartans on Nov. 8 at Penn State, MSU has allowed two or fewer goals in 11 of 16 conference games. Earlier this season, the Spartans allowed three or fewer goals from Nov. 9 – Dec. 6 (all in conference play), marking the first time MSU allowed three or fewer in seven consecutive games since the 2013-14 season.

In Big Ten Games, MSU…
• Leads the league in goals against per game at 1.94
• Leads the league total goals allowed at 31
• Leads the league in penalty kill percentage at .920
• Leads the league in faceoff winning percentage at .544

Michigan State vs. Penn State, Jan. 24, 2020

Michigan State vs. Penn State, Jan. 24, 2020

PK Getting The Job Done
The Spartans have a league-best 92.0% penalty kill percentage in conference play, which includes allowing just one power-play goal in the last 10 conference games (31-of-32). Since Nov. 30 (14 games), MSU has extinguished a nation's best 93.6% (44-of-47) of opponent power plays. Earlier this season, MSU went six consecutive games without allowing a power play goal, killing 20 consecutive power plays form Nov. 30 – Dec. 15.

On the season, MSU ranks 20th in the country with an 83.6% PK percentage, which is just over 6% above its average from last season.

Career Years
With eight regular season games to play, five different Spartans have posted career-best numbers in several offensive categories:

Tommy Apap – goals (6), points (10)
Dennis Cesana – goals (4)
Gianluca Esteves – goals (2), assists (6), points (8)
Cole Krygier – goals (3), points (6)
Brody Stevens – assists (5), points (7)

The Captain is Coming Through
Second-year team captain Sam Saliba scored in both games at Wisconsin, Jan. 17-18, and entering this weekend, he has goals in five of the last eight games and a 5-1--6 scoring line over the span. With 14 points (9g, 5a), Saliba has his highest point total since his freshman season (18). Earlier this season against Notre Dame, he scored three of the Spartans' four goals in the series – including the game-winner on Nov. 23 with 1:10 to play – and was subsequently named the Big Ten First Star of the Week for his efforts.

Plenty of Gas in the Tank
One key to the Spartans' success in Big Ten games has been their ability to outscore opponents over the final two periods. In its 16 conference games, MSU has outscored opponents by a 29-18 margin in the second and third periods (not including empty-net goals). Further, in the third period of second games of a series, MSU holds an 8-3 edge (not including empty-net goals).

The Spartans have trailed in the third period in three of their nine B1G wins: Nov. 14 at Michigan (trailed 3-2 entering the third); Nov. 23 vs. Notre Dame (trailed 2-1 18 seconds into the third); Dec. 7 vs. Wisconsin (trailed 3-1 entering the third).

Spartans, Apap Strong in the Dot
The Spartans rank fourth in the country in faceoff winning percentage at .543. Junior center Tommy Apap leads the conference in faceoff wins (283) and is third in winning percentage (.578). The Spartans have won more faceoffs than their opponents in 17 of 26 games, including taking a season-high 69% of draws in a 5-1 win at Colorado College on Oct. 26.

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Players Mentioned

Tommy Apap

Dennis Cesana

Gianluca Esteves

Patrick Khodorenko

Cole Krygier

John Lethemon

Mitchell Lewandowski

Sam Saliba

Brody Stevens