The No. 1-ranked Michigan State men’s hockey team traveled to the Upper Peninsula this weekend to take on distant in-state rival Northern Michigan. The Spartans made the 400-mile trip worth it, sweeping the Wildcats with a dominant pair of wins to remain undefeated and on top of the national rankings.

Game One: Augustine Shines in Shutout

The Spartans opened the series Friday night with a convincing 4–0 win, led by goals from Charlie Stramel, Tommi Mannisto, and a complete team effort. Sophomore goaltender Trey Augustine stood tall between the pipes, recording his second shutout of the young season.

Game Two: Mannisto Ignites, Spartans Pull Away Late

While many fans were watching Michigan State football fall to Michigan downstate, some Spartan faithful made the trek north to watch the hockey team handle business in Marquette—and they were treated to another strong showing.

First Period: The Spartans came out firing. Tommi Mannisto, tied for the team lead in goals entering the game, stayed red-hot by scoring less than three minutes in. Then, eight minutes later, he struck again—his second goal of the period and fifth of the year—to give MSU a 2–0 lead heading into the first intermission.

Second Period: Northern Michigan came out swinging in the second. Senior forward Caiden Gault scored twice—both past Augustine—to tie the game at 2–2, energizing the Marquette crowd and briefly putting pressure on the nation’s top team.

Third Period: Deadlocked entering the final frame, Michigan State showed why it’s No. 1. Senior Daniel Russell broke the tie six minutes in with his first goal of the season, giving the Spartans a 3–2 edge. From there, the floodgates opened. Porter Martone added his third of the year before Tiernan Shoudy capped off the night with two late goals, including a shorthanded dagger with under two minutes remaining.

Final score: Michigan State 6, Northern Michigan 2.

The Spartans improved to 5–1–0, extending their winning streak to five games and sweeping their second consecutive opponent.

Looking Ahead

Michigan State will get a well-deserved Halloween weekend off before returning to Munn Ice Arena on November 7–8 to host Big Ten rival Penn State (7–1). The Nittany Lions are coming off a strong start to their season, which includes wins over No. 14 Arizona State, setting up an early-season conference showdown between two of college hockey’s hottest teams.

For now, though, the Spartans can enjoy the view from the top—they’ll remain No. 1 in the nation heading into November.