No. 2 Michigan State hockey hosted Minnesota on Saturday night, earning its second-straight sweep against Big Ten opponents with a 3-2 win before its home crowd. The Spartans' mirrored their detailed performance from the previous night, remaining consistently efforted on both sides of the ice.
After junior defenseman Maxim Štrbák scored the Spartans’ third goal of the night, he pointed to the sky in tribute to Dan Sturges — just like the DS patches, helmet stickers and Sturges jerseys displayed throughout Munn Ice Arena. No. 2 Michigan State hockey’s Friday night contest against Minnesota marked its first game following the death of Sturges, the team's director of hockey operations. The Spartans skated to a 3-1 win in an effort-and-detail driven performance.
Dan Sturges, former Spartan hockey player and Director of Hockey Operations at MSU died on Monday morning. He embodied what the Spartans strive to be: team players, competitors and students of the game. Sturges has left a lasting impact on MSU hockey and the community because of both his role and character.
No. 2 Michigan State hockey will return home, hosting Minnesota after spending two weekends on the road. The Gophers are the only team the Spartans have yet to play in conference action. MSU is 17-5-0 overall (8-4-0 in B1G). The Spartans are coming off a dominant a performance, competing against a Minnesota team with talented players but a poor record compared to its recent seasons.
Michigan State hockey’s Director of Hockey Operations Dan Sturges died unexpectedly this morning, released in a statement by MSU Athletics. Sturges has worked with MSU hockey since August of 2019, returning to his alma mater.
Prior to No. 4 Michigan State hockey’s matchup against No. 2 Wisconsin, MSU head coach Adam Nightingale said the road series would be a test — a test the Spartans passed. On Thursday night, MSU scored three goals in the second period to earn a 4-3 win. The Spartans didn’t let up the following night; rather, they improved with disciplined defense, strong execution and a stellar goaltender performance, en route to a 4-1 victory and a road sweep.
After getting swept last November, No. 4 MSU hockey is set for a road contest against No. 2 Wisconsin. The series is set for Thursday, Jan. 15 at 9 p.m. EST and Friday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. EST. Thursday’s contest will be streamed on Big Ten Network. Both sides' offensive leaders remain the same, although both teams have grown throughout the last months. MSU looks to be the best version of itself, as in any competition.
No. 4 MSU hockey's Porter Martone was recognized by the Big Ten, earning Second Star of the Week for his weekend performance. Martone posted the best scoring in the conference with five points (3-2--5). He leads the team in goals with 14, ranking second in scoring (14-11--25). This is Martone’s second Big Ten honor of the season, as he was named Third Star on Nov. 18, 2025, following MSU’s sweep of Notre Dame.
No. 2 MSU hockey resumed conference play on the road against Ohio State. On Friday night, the Spartans earned a 6-2 victory following a quick 4-0 lead in the first period. However, MSU lacked the same grit and execution the following night, falling 2-1 in a performance beneath the team’s standard.
No. 2 Michigan State hockey will resume conference play against Ohio State, on the road. The series is set for Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m. EST and Jan. 10, 5 p.m. EST on Big Ten Plus. MSU enters the series 14-4-0 overall with a 5-3-0 record in the Big Ten. The Spartans are 9-0 on the road (away and neutral sites), coming off a three-game win streak. Forwards Ryker Lee, Porter Martone, Eric Nilson and Shane Vansaghi are expected to return to the lineup after competing in World Juniors, an international ice hockey competition.
No. 3 MSU hockey hosted the United States National Team Development Program Under-18s in an exhibition matchup and skated to a 4-2 victory.
From international competition to tournament titles, there’s been plenty to keep a Spartan hockey fan busy. No. 3 Michigan State hockey earned its second-straight Great Lakes Invitational title, and will return to Munn Ice Arena for an exhibition game, hosting the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) on Sunday, Jan. 4, at 4 p.m. EST. Additionally, four MSU forwards have been competing in the IIHF World Junior Championships, representing their respective countries.
Four members of the No. 3 Michigan State hockey team are competing in the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota, joined by future Spartan defenseman Chase Reid. Freshmen Ryker Lee, Porter Martone and Eric Nilson, along with sophomore Shane Vansaghi, earned spots on final World Juniors rosters, while Reid was named to Team USA. The tournament runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5 in St. Paul and Minneapolis, with all games broadcast on NHL Network.
After a shutout on home ice, No. 3 Michigan State men's ice hockey traveled to Ann Arbor, looking to split its series against No. 1 Michigan. From the drop of the puck, the Spartans were offensively determined. Despite trailing 1-0 just as the night before, MSU stuck with its game to earn a 3-1 victory in enemy territory.
No. 3 Michigan State hockey was shutout by No. 1 Michigan on home ice for the first time since 2000. The Spartans gave up an early goal and struggled to maintain a response for 60 minutes, falling short 3-0 against Michigan's defense.
For the 13 newcomers on the Spartan hockey roster, this weekend will serve as an introduction to rivalry hockey. No. 3 Michigan State hockey will take on No. 1 Michigan, splitting home ice. The Spartans will host Game 1 of the series on Friday, Dec. 5 in Munn Ice Arena. Puck drop is set for 8:30 p.m. EST on Big Ten Network. MSU enters the series 11-3-0 overall and 4-2-0 in Big Ten play. Similarly, Michigan holds a 15-3-0 record, 6-2-0 in conference action. Michigan's scoring offense ranks No. 1 in the country and MSU will need to limit scoring opportunities, playing smart, hard and fast.
After dropping Game 1 with a 5-4 loss, No. 1 Michigan State hockey looked to split its series against No. 7 Wisconsin. MSU played tighter defense and sharper offense than the previous night, but gave up a power-play goal in the second period. Despite knotting the game in the final period, the Spartans lost 2-1 in overtime.
On Friday night No. 1 Michigan State hockey hosted No. 7 Wisconsin looking to remain undefeated in Big Ten play. The Spartans took an early 2-0 lead, but the Badgers responded with four goals in the second frame and MSU was unable to mount a comeback, falling 5-4.
No. 1 MSU hockey will host No. 7/8 Wisconsin at Munn Ice Arena on Friday Nov. 21 at 8:30 p.m. EST and Saturday Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. EST.
No. 1 MSU hockey's junior netminder Trey Augustine and freshman forward Porter Martone earned Big Ten Stars of the Week following MSU's sweep of Notre Dame. Augustine led the conference in save percentage and goals-against average while Martone tied for the conference lead in goals scored over the weekend with three.