Melvin Strahl Stars in Net as Michigan State Hockey Wins 5-2 vs. Colgate

On Wednesday night, with most of the students already leaving for home, Michigan State hockey had one last treat for the fans. The Spartans took on Colgate in the first half of their series against the Raiders, and took the Eastern Conference Athletic Conference team to task, winning 5-2.

What did Melvin Strahl say about his outing?

One under-the-radar storyline for the game was the official home debut of freshman goaltender Melvin Strahl. The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect had an excellent night, with 29 saves on the 31 shots he faced.

“I felt pretty good,” Strahl said about his night. “It’s only my second game this season. I thought the guys in front of me did a great job and kept it clear. I was able to see in-play pucks, and yeah, I felt good.”

For Strahl, the jump to collegiate hockey brings its own challenges. The freshman went from starting around 50 games to spot starting behind Trey Augustine for the Spartans.

Augustine was a player widely expected to take his talents to a different area of the state, either with the Grand Rapids Griffins or Detroit Red Wings in Steve Yzerman’s organization. Instead, citing business unfinished, the junior returned for another year in the green and white. However, Strahl holds no regrets on his decision to play for MSU.

“Honestly, this is a big difference compared to last year, where I played like almost 50 games,” the goaltender revealed. “I just feel like our practices are so hard and everybody competes, so (I’m) just concentrated to go hard every day. I feel like everybody has that kind of mindset. We have that culture here that we want to get better, and obviously (it) helps out a lot.”

Sitting behind Augustine also gives the backup a chance to pick the brain of one of the best goalies in the country. The competition and comradery in the goalie room is unmatched, with those two and third goalie, senior Dolan Gilbert, all pushing each other. Strahl went on to praise Augustine and the starter’s mindset, revealing that as the secret for why the junior is one of the best goaltenders in the country currently.

“Obviously, he (Augustine) is a heck of a goalie, and I feel like we have a good relationship too, all three of us. That is one of the reason why I came here. I could have went somewhere where I probably played more,” Strahl conceded. “Having a year behind Augustine and learning from him, he has a good amount of experience. That’s a huge upside for me. His mindset is unbelievable and that is probably why he is the best in the nation.”

Strahl faced a good type of adversity early in the game, when the Spartans blitzed to a three-goal lead before the game was even ten minutes old. He faced the challenge of relaxing, letting the offense solve any mishaps.

“I feel like it’s easy to like, kind of relax a little bit,” Strahl agreed. “If you do that, then… I feel like you have to stay ready all of the time. You can’t focus on what the score is. Me, I try to keep my emotions in tide and not get too high or too low. I can’t depend on the game if I play good or not. I have to focus on the mission, save the next puck.”

For nearly all 31 shots Strahl faced on Wednesday, he wound up saving the next puck. It was only his second official collegiate game, but the freshman walked away with a lot of saves, a lot of praise, and some more confidence to become the “Strahl wall” in lieu of Trey Augustine during the 2026-2027 season.

Adam Nightingale offers praise for his freshman goaltender

Head coach Adam Nightingale offered his own praise for Strahl following his second collegiate start, too.

“I thought he did a good job, I thought he’s been really good in practice, he’s competitive,” Nightingale said of Strahl. “Him, Trey, and Dolan have a good relationship. I think our goalies push each other, and he (Strahl) made some critical saves for us. He went through stretches there where he didn’t see a ton, and then all of the sudden, some good chances where he made some saves. (He is) definitely a promising goalie. He’s improving, which is awesome.  It was good to get him in.”

For now, though, the freshman remains focused in on the task of backing up Augustine and being prepared to be called upon at any moment, on any stage.

What is next for Michigan State hockey?

The Spartans have a Thursday practice in the morning before heading back to Munn Ice Arena the next day for their second game against Colgate. That game will have puck drop at 4 p.m. EST.