“This is about honoring Dan (Sturges) and it's not about the scoreboard,” head coach Adam Nightingale said. “I get it. We're judged on the scoreboard, but I would have been just as proud if the scoreboard said we lost. I thought to get back on the horse, I thought our guys played extremely hard.”

With the win MSU moves to 18-5-0, 9-4-0 in the Big Ten with 27 points. The Spartans will close out the series Saturday, Jan. 24, at 6 p.m. EST on Big Ten Network. 

Freshman forward Ryker Lee opened the scoring just 5:06 into the game. Lee received the puck, skated toward the slot, spun to evade the defense and buried the shot for his ninth goal of the season. The sequence, however, began with defensive detail.

“If you look at his goal, it really started with his effort on the back check about 20 seconds before,” Nightingale said. “It was a unique effort. He created a turnover. He supported the puck, and you know, he gets into that spot, he's got talent."

Freshman forward Eric Nilson assisted Lee’s goal, as well as Štrbák, who impacted two of the Spartans' goals. 

Junior netminder Trey Augustine was excellent for the Spartans from the beginning, stopping 10 shots in the first period, including several rushes and rebounds. Augustine finished the night stopping 25 shots for a .962 save percentage.  

“We're not a perfect team, and we have breakdowns,” Nightingale said. “We need him (Augustine) to bail us out for sure. I thought he did a great job.”

MSU led 1-0 entering the second period, having recorded 13 shots on goal – mostly rebounds and quick shots. The team’s offense was halted by a couple missed passes, turnovers and blocks from the Gophers. Minnesota blocked 26 Spartan shots throughout the game.  

The Gophers went on the power play 6:16 into the second period, and Augustine set the tone early with a glove save on a quick shot from forward Brody Lamb. The Spartans’ penalty kill was successful, intercepting passes and clearing pucks. MSU failed to convert on a power play of its own shortly after — but it drew momentum.

Junior forward Gavin O’Connell extended the Spartans’ lead to 2-0 in the second period, scoring in transition after a defensive stop for his third goal of the season. Sophomore defenseman Owen West secured the stop, allowing freshman forward Anthony Romani to find O’Connell on the weak side of the net.

MSU continued to generate scoring opportunities, though shots went off target or were snuffed out by Minnesota goaltender Luca Di Pasquo. Di Pasquo transferred to Minnesota this season after spending last year with the Spartans. He stopped 40 shots for a .930 save percentage.

“I think Dan (Sturges), watching from up top, he would have been proud of how Luca (Di Pasquo) played, too,” Nightingale said. “I thought he competed super hard and made it hard on us to find the back of the net.” 

The simple plays the Spartans made — a defenseman in the right position, a stick on a puck to prevent a pass, an aggressive check — helped them take their 2-0 lead into the final period, where their effort continued. 

Štrbák netted his goal 2:53 into the third period, scoring with a one-timer off the pass from senior forward Tiernan Shoudy. It was just his second goal of the season.

MSU gave up a power-play goal 13:50 into the final period, forward L.J. Mooney scoring with a shot from the top of the zone; however, its consistency throughout the night secured the 3-1 victory. 

The Spartans’ passes weren’t perfect, and they went 0-for-2 on the power play, but the team played team-oriented hockey and focused on the effort-driven plays that mattered — to Sturges and to winning the game.