The last time Michigan swept MSU in East Lansing was Jan. 7, 2000. The Spartans will close out the series in Ann Arbor, Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. EST.

“I thought they checked really well, and I loved our start,” coach Adam Nightingale said. “I thought we were on our toes and playing how we need to play to try to be a good hockey team… I thought we got into some scoring areas, and they did a good job. They had good sticks and made it hard on us. Liked us in the third, you know, I thought, you know, started to get to our game but hats off to them.”

Michigan’s goaltender Jack Ivankovic recorded 23 saves in the shutout win, aided by the Wolverines’ 17 blocked shots in front of him. The Spartans never fully tested Ivankovic, Nightingale said.

Just five minutes into the game the Wolverines capitalized off their forecheck, forward Malcom Spence netting a goal past junior netminder Trey Augustine. 

The physicality was as expected for a rivalry match. MSU’s penalty kill responded twice in the first period, clearing pucks just one minute after puck drop and again later in the frame.

The Spartans struggled to generate offense against Michigan’s tight defensive zone. MSU’s best response came right after its powerplay, with freshman forward Cayden Lindstrom earning a breakaway, snuffed by Ivankovic. 

Both goalies recorded 7 saves in the opening frame and Michigan led 1-0 entering intermission, taking just an 8-7 edge in shots and faceoffs as well. 

“We're taking penalties at very crucial times that we can't be taking,” senior defenseman and captain Matt Basgall said. “I thought we responded pretty well. Our first was pretty good, but it's just got to continue throughout the entire game.” 

The second frame started slow. Both sides skated up and down the sheet, producing just 3 shots on goal within the first eight minutes. 

It appeared the Wolverines had added to their lead midway through the second when a shot was redirected by forward Michael Hage over Augustine’s head. Augustine immediately signaled for a high-sticking call as Michigan celebrated. After a coach’s challenge, officials ruled that the puck was played above the crossbar, wiping out the goal.

The call gave MSU a brief burst of energy, senior forward Charlie Stramel taking it to the net, only to be blocked. 

Augustine held strong against a flurry of shots in the 17th minute, including a fast break with two Wolverines bearing down on him. The Spartans took a penalty shortly after, but the penalty kill held firm. Still, MSU managed only four shots on goal in the second period compared with Michigan’s 10, giving the Wolverines a 1–0 edge heading into the final intermission.

While the Spartans started the final frame more like themselves, the Wolverines didn’t make it easy. MSU’s scoring opportunities were limited and disrupted by Michigan’s defense, draining the team’s momentum despite going 8-0 from the faceoff circle for the first eight minutes. 

“They're crowded in the middle a lot. As defensemen, we got to get pucks through a lot faster,” Basgall said. “Something we’ve got to improve on for tomorrow.”

Augustine continued to make saves until halfway through the third, when forward Aidan Park buried a shot on a 2-on-2 play, doubling the Wolverines’ lead to 2–0 with little time remaining. While the Spartans tried to respond, they struggled to manage the puck and lacked the detail they normally possess.

“They (Michigan) had really good sticks,” Nightingale said. “When we got into that area, we wanted to make an extra pass or wait around for a little bit, and that's not who we are, right? And so we got to be better at that.” 

Michigan didn’t take its foot off the gas, forward Jayden Perron capitalizing on a power play. The Wolverines took a 3-0 lead with 4:30 left in the regulation, forcing MSU to empty its net. However, an extra skater didn’t convert.

In the final minute, the Wolverines had near empty-net goals and with just seven seconds left a scrum broke out. Freshman forward Porter Martone and Lindstrom earned 10 minute misconducts, as well as Michigan’s defenseman Tyler Duke, although the score was already decided.   

While Augustine recorded 24 saves on the night, Michigan outshot MSU 27-23, going 1-for-4 on the power play. 

With the loss MSU drops to 11-4-0 overall, 4-3-0 in Big Ten play.