“I liked our start, I thought we executed at a high level,” MSU coach Adam Nightingale said. “(Junior netminder) Trey (Augustine) was really good and made some big-time saves for us. At the end, obviously, they're gonna push through, we’re trying to win a hockey game on the road. And I thought the guys hung in there, and it was a big-time empty-net goal by [freshman forward Anthony Romani] there to seal it.”

With two minutes left in regulation and a 4-3 lead, Romani scored an empty-net goal to secure the Spartans’ win and his first career hat trick. He finished with four points on three goals and one assist. Augustine made 33 saves, and the Spartans went 4-for-6 on the penalty kill.

With the win, Michigan State improved to 20-5-0 overall and 11-4-0 in Big Ten play, moving into second place in the conference with 33 points, one point behind No. 1 Michigan. The Spartans will close out the series Saturday at 1 p.m. at Beaver Stadium on Big Ten Network.

MSU takes early control

The game was a battle from the puck drop. 

Both teams were aggressive on the check, but Penn State generated more early chances by winning the first six faceoffs. Augustine made several early saves to keep the game scoreless, while junior defenseman Patrick Geary delivered physical hits to give the Spartans momentum.

The scoring started with defense. A stopped shot by Augustine allowed junior defenseman Maxim Štrbák to pick up the rebound and find Romani in the neutral zone. Romani danced with a skater on his back before burying a shot for a 1-0 lead just four minutes into the draw. With Romani’s goal, Augustine tallied his first assist of the season and fifth of his collegiate career. 

The physicality continued with four penalties, including a game misconduct, before the next goal. Near the 15-minute mark, sophomore defenseman Owen West scored on a wrister from the left side to make it 2-0.

Late in the first period, senior forward Charlie Stramel delivered a check to win the puck and start an MSU rush. Romani scored from the slot after taking a pass from freshman forward Cayden Lindstrom. After a coach’s challenge on Stramel’s hit, officials ruled there was no major penalty, allowing the goal to stand and giving the Spartans a 3-0 lead entering the first intermission.

Eleven seconds into the second period, Penn State forward Matt DiMarsico celebrated after he fired a shot at Augustine, which the netminder stopped. Augustine faced five immediate shots to start the second frame — and held firm. 

Later in the second, a scrum broke out after Lindstrom interfered with a skater, a penalty later upgraded to a five-minute major for head contact. The scrum resulted in Lindstrom and sophomore forward Colin Ralph exiting the contest for game misconduct, as well as Penn State’s forward Gavin McKenna — Lindstrom’s former teammate and the projected No. 1 draft pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. 

The Spartans killed the penalties, but Penn State struck later in the period. Forward Jackson Smith scored from the point, firing the puck past Augustine’s shoulder to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Spartans reply with grit

The Spartans responded by wearing Penn State down. With five minutes left in the period, freshman defenseman Matt Lahey fired a shot from the point, and freshman forward Porter Martone jammed the rebound across the goal line to make it 4-1. Martone, a Philadelphia Flyers prospect, celebrated in front of Penn State’s student section, which later chanted “Let’s go Flyers.”

The score held into the final intermission, highlighted by strong defensive play from the Spartans, including a sliding block by Geary to prevent a transition chance.

Although Michigan State opened the third period on the power play, Penn State scored first off a faceoff win. Defenseman Carter Schade took a shot from the left side that forward Reese Laubach tipped in to make it 4-2.

The Spartans went back to the power play a minute later with five-on-four and five-on-three advantages, but did not convert. Penn State scored instead when DiMarsico put home a rebound with about 11 minutes left. Michigan State challenged the play for goaltender interference but lost, leaving the Spartans ahead 4-3.

Augustine continued to anchor the Spartans, stopping multiple rushes and a power play. Michigan State’s defense delivered big hits and disrupted Penn State’s possessions. With 2:21 left, Penn State pulled its goalie.

Romani closes it out

Romani scored his empty-net goal to make it 5-3, prompting fans to file out. The goal capped a strong night in which he also generated chances on the forecheck and contributed defensively.

“The last couple months, [Romani’s] really grown his game away from the puck,” Nightingale said. “Obviously he can do some stuff offensively and he's got a gift to finish, but I think the job he's doing on the (penalty) kill and with the goalie out is critical to our team.”

Senior forward Daniel Russell added another empty-net goal with 22 seconds left, giving the remaining Spartan fans more to cheer about.

Although the Spartans lost the faceoff battle 52-28, they won pucks back and played aggressive defense to secure the win. Nightingale said he was pleased with the team’s resiliency and execution despite being down a timeout and two players.