For Spartan hockey fans, this matchup is as exciting as it gets. It has two top-ranked opponents, the thirst of revenge and the tension of familiar faces. 

MSU enters conference play 5-1-0, with its only loss being against New Hampshire during its home opener after a buzzer-beater goal. Similarly, Penn State boasts a seven-game win streak along with a record of 9-1-0.  

Last season MSU went 1-2-2 against Penn State, falling 3-2 in the teams’ final meeting after trailing 3-0 with 10 minutes left in regulation. 

"That has a sour taste in our mouth," senior defenseman Matt Basgall said. "They're a super talented team that gets the puck in the net, we're gonna remember that we got to play super hard on them."

While the series marks the start of Big Ten competition, hockey fans have had this matchup flagged for other reasons. 

On Nov. 7, 2024, the NCAA announced a new rule allowing Canadian Hockey League players to play college hockey starting in the 2025-26 season. Freshman forwards Porter Martone, Cayden Lindstrom and Anthony Romani chose Michigan State — and seven others chose Penn State. One year since this rule change, the former CHLers will face each other wearing Big Ten hockey jerseys.  

Perhaps the most noteworthy CHLer at Penn State is forward Gavin McKenna, projected to be the No. 1 draft pick in the NHL 2026 Draft. While only scoring three goals, McKenna has tallied 13 points this season (3-10–13). Last season McKenna played for the Medicine Hat Tigers — alongside MSU’s Lindstrom. Like Lindstrom, McKenna toured MSU but ultimately chose the Nittany Lions. 

Martone will also face a former teammate as Penn State’s forward Luke Misa played with him on the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads. While fans may find these matchups exciting due to player connections, the world of elite hockey is tight knit. 

"That's kind of how hockey is," Lindstrom said. "Once you move up levels, nobody's gonna stay on the same team anymore. So, I think it's gonna be fun playing against (McKenna)."

Despite the hype around the former CHLers, Penn State’s offense is led by returners. Forwards JJ Wiebusch and Charlie Cerrato lead the team in points with 18 apiece — just one point short of leading the nation. Wiebusch leads the country with 11 goals this season. 

Penn State averages 38.2 shots per game, while MSU junior goaltender Trey Augustine has faced an average of 23.4 shots per game — in part because of the Spartans playing in front of him. Augustine is the reigning Big Ten Goaltender of the Year and holds a .923 save percentage. 

In Penn State’s most recent games, freshman netminder Josh Fleming has been between the pipes, boasting a .939 save percentage. However, the most saves Fleming has recorded in a game is 30, and the Spartans are averaging 38.8 shots on goal per game.

Penn State is a team with depth, the ability to wear teams down and a strong power play, Nightingale said, adding that the series will serve as a huge test for MSU. However, the Spartans share similar strengths and have demonstrated a strong penalty kill. 

While the team can feel the anticipation for this series, MSU is treating it like any other competition, blocking out the noise. 

"I think a number of times we've been in this room, and people said, 'This is the biggest weekend,'" Nightingale said. "Every weekend is big. We got an opportunity to show if we're getting better or areas we got to keep working on, and we got to maintain that mindset."