Spartans reclaim dominance, erasing November's sting with a decisive weekend sweep. Revenge served cold, Michigan State silences the Badgers.
A chip on the shoulder is how you want to play every game. Yet when you’re one of the top teams in the nation, there aren’t many chips left to place on your own shoulder. More often than not, you’re the one putting the chip on the opponent’s.
However, despite Michigan State dropping only five games on the season, it was the Wisconsin Badgers who claimed two of those wins — the only team in college hockey this year to accomplish that feat.
Back in November, the No. 1 Spartans hosted the No. 4 Badgers in East Lansing, but Wisconsin came in and stole the hearts of Spartan fans, players, and coaches alike, sweeping the weekend series.
Now, almost two months later, the time had come for revenge. Like the Jedi defeating the Sith, it was time for good to break through and silence the Sith leaders.
In game one, the Spartans completed the first step of that mission with a 4–3 win in Madison. Michigan State jumped out to a 4–1 lead in the second period, but had to hold on late as Wisconsin made a final push to tie the game. Trey Augustine stood tall, doing just enough to preserve the narrow victory.
With one game down and one more to go, the Spartans returned to the ice late Saturday night with a chance to complete the sweep and flick that chip right off Wisconsin’s shoulder.
As the second game got underway, both teams knew the importance of the first goal. In game one, Michigan State scored first and that proved to be the difference. In game two, the Spartans did it again — only this time, they didn’t wait long.
Just 1:17 into the game, Shane Vansaghi netted his second goal of the season to give Michigan State a 1–0 lead. After Eric Nilson found Ryker Lee for a shot attempt, the puck bounced around before finding Vansaghi, who cleaned it up in front of the net.
The scoring didn’t stop there. Daniel Russell added his sixth and seventh goals of the season to give the Spartans a commanding 3–0 lead before the first intermission.
Russell’s first goal came shorthanded. After a Wisconsin penalty put the Spartans down a man, Michigan State capitalized on a bouncing puck exiting the Badgers’ zone. Charlie Stramel and Russell broke in on a 2-on-1, and Stramel delivered a perfect pass that Russell calmly buried through the five-hole for a 2–0 lead.
Four minutes later, Russell struck again — this time on the power play. A Ryker Lee feed found Russell wide open on the right side. Russell dragged the puck nearly the length of the zone, baiting the Wisconsin goaltender out of the crease before firing a shot from behind the net that deflected off a Badger and in for his second goal of the period.
Late in the second period, with the Spartans already ahead 3–0, Matt Lahey fired a shot from the blue line that Anthony Romani redirected out of midair, sending the puck wobbling past the goaltender for a 4–0 Michigan State lead.
That score held until the final minute of regulation, when Wisconsin’s Logan Hensler spoiled Augustine’s shutout bid with a late goal. Still, the damage had long been done.
The Spartans came to Madison for revenge — and they got it.
Michigan State showed no mercy in game two, completing the road sweep of Wisconsin. The Spartans are expected to jump back to No. 2 in the rankings and will return home to face Minnesota in East Lansing next weekend.