No. 4 Spartans Earn Massive Hall of Fame Game Victory Against No. 8 North Dakota

On a night when spooky and scary are not only welcomed but cherished, the creepy, crawly feeling you get when watching two of the best teams duke it out, knowing only one can walk away victorious, was at an all-time high as the No. 4 Michigan State Spartans battled the No. 8 North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

This was no ordinary game. In fact, the matchup took place much farther south than where either team typically calls home. The annual Hall of Fame Game, held in Austin, Texas, served as the stage for two giants in the college hockey world.

Both teams entered this one-game showdown with something to prove. Michigan State had split its two games against New Hampshire the previous weekend, while the Fighting Hawks had dropped both of their games against Minnesota. Needless to say, neither team wanted to look in the mirror after a loss, but one team was inevitably going to have to do just that.

Through the first period, it seemed like we might never get a winner. While there were some quality scoring opportunities, a game that featured a record number of first-round NHL Draft picks for a college hockey matchup had surprisingly little scoring. Unfortunately for those hoping for an offensive showcase, one of those 13 first-round picks was Joshua Ravensbergen, Michigan State's goaltender.

Ravensbergen was electric last weekend and picked up right where he left off in Saturday's showdown. He refused to let anything get past him. Even as North Dakota eventually managed to squeeze a few pucks past the Spartans netminder, he continued to showcase his remarkable ability to stop even the toughest shots. It truly is something special to watch him play in goal.

The second period is when the scoring finally broke through. Much like eating all the Reese's from your leftover Halloween candy within the first few hours of getting home for the night, once the scoring started, there was no stopping it.

The Spartans got goals from Eric Nilson, Tommi Mannisto, Cayden Lindstrom and Anthony Romani to help secure a hard-fought victory over the Fighting Hawks.

Romani found the back of the net twice and came within inches of an empty-net goal that would have completed his hat trick. Through the first six games of the season, Romani now has seven goals. That far and away leads the Spartans, ranks third in the Big Ten and is tied for fifth nationally.

Lindstrom showcased his size and strength in the waning moments of the third period. Battling for the puck in front of the net, he was able to fend off a defender before eventually pushing the puck through the goaltender's legs and into the net. Just seconds after North Dakota tied the game at three late in the third period, Lindstrom and the Spartans answered in dramatic fashion.

Nilson's goal was his second of the season, tying him with four teammates for the second-most goals on the team. Mannisto also joined that group after recording his second goal of the season, helping guide a loose puck into an empty net to seal the Spartans' victory.

It was a massive win for the Green and White, especially after a challenging stretch away from home. Now, after nearly an entire month on the road, the Spartans will return to Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing next weekend to take on No. 14 Boston University.