Can the No. 1 Spartans maintain their elite status against a determined Notre Dame squad? Watch the thrilling matchup unfold.
WHO: No. 1 Michigan State Spartans (22-6, 13-5) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-20-4, 2-15-1)
WHERE: Munn Ice Arena, East Lansing, MI
WHEN:
- Thursday, February 19 – 7:30 PM EST
- Friday, February 20 – 6:00 PM EST
WATCH: Both games on Big Ten Network
We are back at it this weekend—eve and weekend. That's correct instead of the normal Friday and Saturday run for this series, the Spartans and Fighting Irish will face off in East Lansing on Thursday and Friday.
The Spartans head into the series well rested after a well-deserved bye week last weekend. Prior to the bye, Michigan State faced three teams ranked in the top-5 in the previous four series: sweeping then-No. 2 Wisconsin, sweeping then-No. 5 Penn State (both on the road), and splitting with then-No. 1 Michigan—but earning more points in the split. That performance propelled the Spartans back to No. 1 in the nation, where they now control their own destiny in the fight for a third straight Big Ten title.
As the season boils down to the final three series (just six games left), every game and every series feels harder and tougher. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is—teams understand that we’re in the last leg of the home stretch. They're no longer treating the season like a marathon but more like a sprint, giving everything they have on every shift—maybe a little more than they would in game six of the season. With only six games remaining, and for some players, these may be the final six of their playing careers as they graduate and head into the real world.
Even the lowly, decaying, six-win Fighting Irish will still give the Spartans everything they have. So this is no game to turn off and assume a win.
These two teams met way back in mid-November. Before we started gaining all that holiday weight, before the houses became cluttered with junk other people thought we needed (but somehow finds its way to Goodwill before the year ends), and before the Spartans football team understood they were supposed to win games. Back then, there was still hope for both teams, but it was the Spartans who left South Bend with their heads held high, winning both games by a combined 7-2 score.
Now, just over three months later, each team is on two very different paths. The Spartans—who ranked No. 1 back in the teams’ first meetings—rank No. 1 again after a long hiatus. They boast a litany of offensive talent, peppered with NHL draft picks. It’s no surprise they hold the No. 1 title: more than half their team are already NHL draftees who pretty much all look like they could hold their own in the NHL right now.
Leading the team offensively are the two stars: Charlie Stramel and Porter Martone.
- Stramel (Minnesota Wild’s first-round pick in 2023) leads the team with 18 goals in 28 games—good enough to rank tied for ninth in the nation in goals per game (.64).
- Martone (Philadelphia Flyers first-round pick in 2025) follows closely with 16 goals in 26 games, ranking 12th nationally at .62 GPG. He’s also second on the team in assists with 20 (three behind team leader Daniel Russell, who has 23 assists in 28 games, ranking 11th nationally at .82 APG).
Yet the true powerhouse anchoring the Spartans is between the pipes: Red Wings second-round pick Trey Augustine. You may have heard of him—he’s been the best goalie in college hockey for two straight seasons. Augustine’s .932 save percentage ranks third nationally among goalies with 400+ saves. His 1.957 GAA ranks third for goalies with at least 1,000 minutes. His 20-6 record ranks fourth in win percentage for goalies with 18+ games. As a unit, the Spartans have allowed just 55 goals in 28 games—the second-fewest total in the nation and the best goals-against average in the league.
Prediction
The Spartans are far and away the better team. With two wins already over the Fighting Irish this season, these games should be a no-brainer lock for Michigan State. But in sports, there’s no such thing.
Despite Notre Dame’s six wins, there’s a small chance they catch the Spartans sluggish after the bye week. Maybe the Spartans overlook this series as they prepare for their last two. As mentioned earlier, when we get down to the final few games, you can pretty much throw the standings out the window—both teams are fighting with everything they have left. I actually expect closer games than most think, especially in game one.
However, the Spartans will prove too tough and take home both victories.
Thursday: Michigan State 4 – Notre Dame 2
Friday: Michigan State 3 – Notre Dame 0