After finishing the regular season 24-6-4 and securing a semifinal win to return to the Big Ten championship game, Michigan State University hockey earned four postseason honors for standout performances throughout the year.
Four Spartans received Big Ten postseason honors:
- Junior forward Isaac Howard – First Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Player of the Year.
- Sophomore goaltender Trey Augustine – First Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Goaltender of the Year.
- Junior defenseman Matt Basgall – First Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree.
- Junior forward Karsen Dorwart – Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (second consecutive year).
Howard led the Big Ten in scoring with 33 points (17 assists) in conference play, earning Big Ten Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten honors. Throughout 35 games, he has recorded 24 goals and 47 points, including a postseason goal. He becomes just the third Spartan in program history to win Player of the Year.
Augustine, the youngest starting goalie in college hockey, was named Big Ten Goaltender of the Year and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors. A finalist for the AAU Sullivan Award and a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award, the sophomore has solidified himself as one of the top American-born goaltenders. He leads the Big Ten in wins and boasts a .925 save percentage with a 2.02 goals-against average. Augustine recorded his third shutout of the season in MSU’s Big Ten semifinal win over Notre Dame.
Basgall was a finalist for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, finishing just behind Minnesota’s Sam Rinzel. He ranks third among Big Ten defensemen in points with 26 (6 goals, 20 assists) and second in assists, trailing only Howard. Averaging 0.74 points per game, he remains one of the conference’s top two-way defensemen.
Dorwart received Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season. After overcoming an early-season injury, the junior alternate captain ranks second on the team in points with 27 (11 goals, 16 assists). He is tied for first in power-play points (11) alongside Howard and Basgall, playing a key role in MSU’s special teams success.
MSU will host Ohio State in its second straight Big Ten Tournament championship game, aiming to become the first team in conference history to win back-to-back regular season and tournament titles. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 22, at Munn Ice Arena.
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