Proved Resilience

MSU showcased its ability to respond early and repeated it throughout the season. The team dropped its season opener on a buzzer-beater and responded the next day with a shutout.

The Spartans were blanked 3-0 by then-No. 1 rival Michigan on home ice back in December. And the team responded with a win the next day, despite trailing at the start, too. MSU has only lost consecutive games one time this season, and the second loss came in overtime. 

“We've responded every single time we lost a game this year,” senior center Tiernan Shoudy said last week.  “That's what our program is built on, getting above the mat when things don't maybe go your way.” 

The Spartans have also proved an in-game response, starting with their second opponent of the season. In their series finale against Boston University, MSU led 3-0, gave up three straight-goals, and then earned a 4-3 overtime win to sweep the then-No. 1 team in the country. 

MSU responded to adversity throughout the season, forcing overtimes and finishing games with poise. While the team often leads, it has also found ways to win when trailing and coming back. It never shied away from tough opponents, high-stakes games or big stages.

The Spartans’ biggest wins came in the last two months against then-No. 5 Penn State and then-No. 1 Michigan. MSU swept the Nittany Lions on the road, including an overtime win at Beaver Stadium, fueled by a resilient team effort and a pair of hat tricks.

It was a big-stage game that was crucial for the Big Ten standings at the time. MSU was third, just behind Michigan and Penn State. It felt like a playoff game, senior center Charlie Stramel said. Stramel scored the game-winning goal in overtime en route to his first hat trick.

A week later, the Spartans faced Michigan on the road. They gave up a lead and fell in overtime on a penalty. The next day, they clinched the Iron D Trophy at Little Caesars Arena with a dominant 5-2 win. It was some of the best hockey the team played all season and moved them to the top of the Big Ten.

“It felt like game seven, you know, playoff hockey,” freshman forward Porter Martone said, adding that those are the games teams want to compete in. “Every play matters, every little thing you do matters.”

Those games didn’t win them the title, because they still had three more series to play, but it put them in the best position to win, and they handled business. 

“This team's been tested,” head coach Adam Nightingale said after the regular-season concluded. “We've had tight games, games we've had leads, games we had to come back. And that's what you want during the season.”

Offensive Identity

MSU’s ability to respond is fueled by a strong offensive identity, from its top line and depth. 

Martone quickly replaced Hobey Baker winner Isaac Howard, and ironically took Howard’s number, 22. Martone has only played four games without directly impacting the scoresheet, leading the team with 23 goals for 46 points. 

“Porter Martone, you could argue, has been the best freshman in college hockey, or his transition has been the smoothest,” Nightingale said a few weeks ago. 

Along with skill, Martone has brought a consistent physical presence, one that’s gotten better with time. He’s become a better athlete, plays with pace and takes longer shifts than when he first arrived in East Lansing, leading to results. Like Howard, Martone is a candidate for the Hobey Baker. 

Martone’s elite scoring is shaped by his senior linemates: forwards Daniel Russell and Stramel. Russell is the common thread between all of MSU’s top-line forwards the past four years, including Howard. He’s tallied 27 assists this season for 38 points. 

As for Stramel, he's having his most productive season yet, posting a career-best 44 points. His consistency as a net-front presence and 200-foot player is something MSU has relied on, along with his growing confidence. He has scored seven game-winning goals, tied for the most in the country, and has been dangerous from the slot. His goal production has led the team at times and now only trails Martone.

And that’s just the first line. The coaches knew their roster was deep from the start of the season, Nightingale said. Even with seven new freshmen forwards. 

The season started with a line of freshman forwards, composed of Anthony Romani, Eric Nilson and Ryker Lee. The line was separated for much of the season, but Nightingale recently brought them back together, citing a need for scoring depth that the trio provides. 

The freshmen have brought creativity, timely goals and defensive growth. And they’re not the only forwards to make pivotal plays. Ten of the 12 forwards in the regular lineup have scored game-winning goals, providing offensive reliability as the team heads into tournament play. 

Depth is the reason MSU finished atop the Big Ten, as different players stepped up throughout the season. The next-man-up mentality was evident all year when players faced injuries, missed games for international tournaments or left the ice for game misconducts. It was on display when sophomore defenseman Colin Ralph scored the shootout-winning goal in the 13th round. MSU has never lost because it lacked depth.

A Defensive Backbone

“Our back end has really improved,” Nightingale said. “If you want to be a good team, it starts back there.”

MSU’s defense has remained among the nation’s best and is filled with big bodies and quick sticks. The unit is led by veteran senior defenseman and captain Matt Basgall, who is paired with Ralph.

Ralph has been an impactful transfer, leading the team with 43 blocks. He said blocked shots show a player is willing to work for the team.

Along with Ralph and Basgall, MSU’s defense is made up of returners who have grown throughout their time at MSU, and strive to be tough opponents. They understand their role, Nightingale said. 

While the Spartans’ back end has grown, they’ve never claimed to be a perfect team, and they haven’t been. They’re backed by one of the best goaltenders in the country. 

Junior goaltender Trey Augustine is having his most consistent season yet. His numbers have remained near the top all season, and his career wins stand out. Augustine has 65 wins as a Spartan — the most of any active goaltender — despite playing fewer games than others.

Tournament Implications

Each week, the Spartans have talked about a “one-day-at-a-time” mentality. The idea that working hard in practice will take care of what happens in a game, and that the next game will take care of itself, too. It’s what Nightingale’s program is built on.

The locker room never showed the Big Ten rankings, and the focus was always practice, not the NCAA tournament. For the Spartans, that growth mindset is their recipe for success. 

MSU is deep enough to compete in April if it plays at its best. But it’s also shown what happens when they don't come ready to play — which proves costly in single-round elimination games. 

There’s also the challenge of winning too much. MSU is a good hockey team with a winning record, and success is harder after a big win. 

Success makes it easier to take the foot off the gas, to lose respect for what’s required in elite hockey, Nightingale said throughout the season. MSU struggled with success particularly against Ohio State, both on the road and at home.

The Frozen Four demands a level of detail the Spartans are capable of but have lacked at times. That showed when they gave up four second-period goals to Wisconsin in October and when they were shut out by Michigan on home ice. It showed again two weeks ago, when Ohio State beat the Spartans 5-2.

Games like that can’t happen in March if the team wants to make it to April. But at the same time, MSU’s record and the Big Ten title speaks for itself.