But one who risen to the occasion, in particular, is one of its scrappiest players.

MSU sophomore forward Jagger Joshua has started to take immense strides in finding his identity on the team. This past weekend against Ohio State, he scored his third goal of the season and the only Spartan goal in game one.

But it may be his physical and nagging play style that makes the difference on the team. In game two he started on the first line and set the tone immediately with two big hits within the first few seconds of the opening faceoff. 

“I love hitting people. There’s something about (the) contact that I definitely enjoy,” Joshua said.

Teams do not like playing against him, even to the surprise of head coach Danton Cole. His recent ability to push the other team's buttons without going too far has demonstrated his newfound level of maturity. 

“I don’t know why they don’t like him. I love the kid. He’s great. I’ve had a lot of good talks with him,” Cole said.

A young Jagger Joshua would lay big hits and talk some trash after the whistle but would get penalized for it.

In the first 11 games of this year, he received a penalty in all but three games. 

Now though, he has received a penalty in just two of the last five games. It's evidence of his maturation throughout the season.

Even though in one game Joshua had two penalties in one game, it's a positive trend for him. Joshua looks to have found that middle ground where he can do it without receiving a trip to the box, while also still being able to rattle the other team a little bit. 

Joshua said though that the recent dip in penalties was not really all that intentional. 

“I don’t know how to explain it but I definitely just kind of just focus on my game and that’s all I can really control,” Joshua said. “If I hit a guy a little too late or a little too hard maybe those things might happen because of the way I play and I flirt kind of with playing on the edge like that but I really just try not to let that affect my game.”

Growing up, this has always been his style, which he compares to Tom Wilson and Wayne Simmonds. 

“I kind of knew that is what’s gonna separate myself. I wasn’t always the most skilled so I had to bring a little edge to my game and then it worked out,” Joshua said.

Joshua also gives credit to his older brother, Dakota. Dakota Joshua, now 24 years old, played at Ohio State for four years from 2015 to 2019. He was drafted into the NHL in 2014 by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round and after a trade is now with the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League. 

“We don’t really talk too much strategy, but he definitely just reminds me to just be myself. I just got to play simple and do my thing. He’s always there to text me and let me know how I am doing,” Jagger Joshua said.

With a career-high three goals on the season, Jagger Joshua has been having an impact everywhere on the ice. From a goaltender’s perspective, Drew DeRidder has had a front-row seat on the ice watching Joshua make those strides.

“I would say last year that would result in a lot of penalties. Someone would hit him or he would get pissed off and the next shift he would go out and blow someone up from behind. He cannot have that. You’re not going to win hockey games doing that,” DeRidder said. “He’s gotten a lot better with it. He still goes out there and kills people, but does it the right way and that’s what we need from him. I think that is when he is playing his best when he goes out there and has that big hit, but he’s also been putting up some points which we need.”

The Spartans will need continued strong play from Joshua to continue for the rest of the season. Now in last place in the Big Ten standings with 15 points, MSU may start to rely a little bit more on Joshua to help them climb out of the wine-cellar of the Big Ten.