The Spartans will face Minnesota at 3M Arena at Mariucci on Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6 for the two-game series. Both games are set for 8 p.m. EST on Big Ten Plus.

The Spartans (24-7-1 overall) enter the series 15-6-1 in the Big Ten with 47 points. No. 1 Michigan leads the conference with a final 49 points as it completed all of its Big Ten games. With each game this week, MSU can earn three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime or a shootout win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss. 

“The last two years we've been in the spot we had to go on the road to win a championship,” MSU coach Adam Nightingale said. “I told our guys, ‘Hey, we're playing a really good team and for us to have success and win we need everyone's best.’ That's no different than any weekend, and this is exactly what you want — you dream about as a program. It’s going to situations on a weekend where you control your destiny.”

MSU and Minnesota shared the conference regular-season title last season, both finishing with 50 points. However, the Gophers are a different team this season holding 25 points with a record of 7-14-1 (11-20-2 overall). 

Last Meeting

The Spartans swept the Gophers in their last series, taking a 3-1 win in the opening game and a 3-2 victory in the finale. MSU was detailed and effortful in its first game and finished the second game with poise. Junior goaltender Trey Augustine made crucial saves in the last moments of the series finale. 

Two of Minnesota’s goals came on the power play, and the other followed an MSU turnover that led to an odd-man rush. The Gophers have yet to score when matched up evenly with the Spartans. 

Scouting the Gophers

Winger Brodie Ziemer, leads Minnesota with 34 points and 22 goals. Ziemer is tied for fourth in the NCAA in goals-per-game. Eleven of his goals have been power-play goals, which ties for the national lead. The Gophers are ranked third nationally on the power play with a .287 conversion rate. MSU’s penalty kill unit ranks 28th, stopping .808 of the power plays faced.

Ziemer typically plays on a line with forwards Brody Lamb and L.J. Mooney. Lamb has 30 points on the season and Mooney has 28, including 21 assists. 

Goaltender Luca DiPasquo has started 22 of Minnesota’s games, allowing an average of 2.96 goals per game with a .915 save percentage. He spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at MSU.

Goaltender Nathan Airey has started 11 games and competed in the Gophers' most recent loss against Michigan. Airey holds a 3.31 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage. 

Spartans Down the Stretch

The Spartans average 3.72 goals against their opponents, ranking seventh nationally in scoring offense and third in scoring defense. They enter the series following a loss and a shootout win against Ohio State. 

MSU trailed 3-0 early in its first game against OSU and was unable to trim the lead, falling 5-1. OSU was dangerous in transition and made it difficult for the Spartans to get inside. The team lacked its typical detail and competitiveness, despite a few spurts. 

The Spartans responded the following night, taking the lead, trailing and tying the game twice before playing overtime and moving to a 13-round shootout. Sophomore defenseman Colin Ralph scored the game-winning shootout goal and Augustine performed the winning save. 

“We didn't have our best game on Friday night, but we got better the second night,” Ralph said. “It's just a reminder of how hard it is to win in the Big Ten. And every team is good. Every team can beat anybody on any given night.” 

MSU’s offense continues to be led by its first line of forwards: seniors Charlie Stramel and Daniel Russell, and freshman Porter Martone. The group is a combined plus-83 on the ice. 

Martone leads the team with 21 goals and 43 points. He ranks second in the country in goals-per-game. Martone is also one goal away from tying for third in goals scored by an MSU freshman. 

Stramel continues to provide a dangerous front-net presence with 41 points (19 goals, 22 assists). He’s tied for the NCAA lead in game-winning goals (7) and leads the Big Ten in faceoffs won, ranking second in the country.

Russell creates the majority of his linemates' goals, posting 27 points for 37 assists. He’s been a top-line forward all four years at MSU, impacting high-level players that have come and gone.

“You look at Karsen Dorwart, his linemate, ends up signing an NHL contract,” Nightingale said last Saturday. “Charlie Stramel’s turnaround and he’s on a line with Danny Russell. Isaac Howard wins the Hobey Baker and he’s on a line with Danny Russell. Porter Martone, you could argue, has been the best freshman in college hockey or his transition has been the smoothest. Look at how he’s produced. He’s playing on a line with Danny Russell.”

Augustine is expected between the pipes for the Spartans. He allows an average of 2.094 goals (GAA), a mark that ranks ninth in the country but the best in the Big Ten. He’s posted a .929 save percentage on the season, seventh nationally and second in the conference. Augustine performed 11 saves in the Spartans’ shootout against OSU, stopping eight straight attempts.

“It's such an honor and a pleasure to play in front of him. I just try and make his life a little easier,” Ralph said. “He gives us so much confidence. And honestly, we get away with some stuff we probably shouldn't because we have him back there.”

“If you ask anyone right now, I think they'd probably all agree that [Trey’s] the top goalie in college,” Nightingale said. “He's been really consistent. His longevity of being consistent, too. He's improved every year. One of the things I've always loved about Trey is that his numbers are good, but you look at the top five, he's not in there, but his ability to make timely saves, and that's what winning goalies do.”

A Return to Minnesota

The Gophers’ rink is familiar to several Spartans, as Ralph, Stramel and junior winger Gavin O’Connell all grew up in Minnesota and have played alongside Minnesota players. O’Connell told Nightingale he cares just as much about beating Minnesota as he cares about beating Michigan during his college recruitment, he said after the last Minnesota series. 

“I'll have a lot of family at the game that haven't been able to watch me in person this year,” Ralph said. “It'll be fun going back there. I used to play at or practice at Mariucci all the time growing up. And I've played against these guys, or with some of them, my whole life. So it's always fun playing them.”

Freshman forward Ryker Lee and sophomore forward Shane Vansaghi have also played with alongside Minnesota’s Ziemer and Mooney during the IIHF World Junior Championships that took place on Dec. 26, 2025 through Jan. 5, 2026. The four of them competed for Team USA. Ralph, Lee and Ziemer played at Shattuck St. Mary’s together, too. 

Martone is also making a return to Minnesota after playing five games at 3M Arena at Mariucci, representing Canada during the World Junior Championships. Martone and Team Canada were undefeated at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

The upcoming series has immediate stakes with the potential for a title, but so did each opponent faced along the way. The Spartans wouldn’t be in this position to win the regular-season outright if it weren’t for their split with Michigan back in February or sweep of Penn State on the road — or even their response to Notre Dame two weeks ago. This highlights the one-day-at-a-time mentality that they continue to express. 

“As for this weekend, I think we're just really looking at Thursday's game, and we're worried about that, and then after that, we'll be worried about the next game,” Ralph said. “It's just a one day at a time thing. Obviously, we're excited about the opportunity to win the regular season, but we got to take care of tomorrow's practice, and then the first game and the second game.”