Michigan State Hockey: First place in Big Ten on the line vs. Minnesota

After splitting the series with Michigan last weekend, Michigan State hockey (19-3-2) suffered a blow in the standings that now has them ranked as the No. 2 team in the country. The Spartans now focus their attention on an opponent they have already beaten twice, the No. 4 Minnesota Golden Gophers (19-5-2). This matchup in East Lansing will have big implications going forward as both teams are sitting at the top of the standings.

Currently the Spartans have the edge with a 1-point lead and will put their spot on top  on the line this weekend.

Minnesota overview

It has been about five weeks since the Spartans have seen the Golden Gophers. The teams last met up in early December and the Spartans won both games in Minneapolis. That weekend the heroes for the Spartans included Isaac Howard, Red Savage, and Trey Augustine. All these guys left there mark on the scoresheet or in net.

Since last playing the Spartans the Gophers have played a total of 6 games (4-1-1). The biggest star for the Gophers in that period has been junior Jimmy Snuggerud. Over the past six games, he has scored nine points (6-3-9). The former first-round pick by the St. Louis Blues has had a season to remember. Some are already suggesting that he will see time this year with the Blues once the season is over. This stems from a report that he will report to the Blues following the Frozen Four in St. Louis. If the pairwise rankings are anything to go by, it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to pack a suitcase.

Another area that the Gophers have been excelling in since last playing the Spartans has been the goaltending. Both Liam Souliere and Nathan Airey have been stellar for the Gophers. These two typically split the time in net most weekends but provide similar results. The most goals that the pair have allowed in this stretch has been four in an overtime loss to Notre Dame.

This tandem is supporting save percentages above .908 and are averaging less than 2.25 goals against per game. In order for the Spartans to have any success against these goalies, they will need to be focused and firing shots early.

Michigan State keys to success

The keys to success for the Spartans this week are relatively simple. If the team is able to generate high percentage scoring chances and protect the net, this team should do well.

Trey Augustine came back to full form after a shaky game back against Penn State. The Michigan games showed Augustine at his best, especially last Saturday night in East Lansing. If the Spartans want to even keep these two games close, it will be important that Trey is locked in. He will likely be getting the start on both nights even though his backup Luca Di Pasquo has done more than enough to split the net.The drive that he exhibits and his skill in net have set him up very well so far this season. That is why he is currently one of two Spartans who is generating buzz for the Hobey Baker Award. The other player being discussed from Michigan State hockey is Isaac Howard who currently leads the nation in points (18-18-36).

Speaking of Howard, another spot on the ice that will be essential for the Spartans is the offense. They will need to score early and often in order to keep up with the high-powered offense that Minnesota possesses. Last weekend provided a lot of offense from the top two forward lines. It will be interesting to see who takes the charge this weekend. After a bit of a slump it seems like Daniel Russell should be poised to have a good weekend. He last scored against Penn State in the first game of that series with two assists. No matter who it is though, this offensive depth will need to outwork the Gophers to come out on top.

Where to watch/listen

This weekend series will start on Friday night from Munn Ice Arena. Puck drop will be at 7 p.m. EST and will be streaming on BTN+. As far as Saturday goes, the puck drop will be at 6 p.m. EST. That game will be airing on the Big Ten Network. As always, the games will be available for audio on the Spartan Media Network and I will also be covering some of the games on my X account @ikerss98.

Keep checking back for more great Spartan Hockey content throughout the weekend.