Michigan State Hockey Rises to No. 2 in the Nation

Michigan State took care of business in its lone game last weekend, traveling to Rochester, New York, to face Rochester Institute of Technology. The Spartans came away with a 5-1 victory, scoring three goals in the third period to pull away. Goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen stopped 26 of 27 shots and earned Big Ten Third Star of the Week honors.

The Spartans are now 3-0 on the season, with two wins against Northern Michigan and the aforementioned victory over RIT.

With their unblemished record, Michigan State moved up in the rankings despite playing just once last weekend.

Yes, winning in college hockey is tough regardless of the team or opponent. However, compared to the new No. 1 team in the nation, Michigan State's schedule has been far less challenging to this point.

The new No. 1 team is the Spartans' in-state rival, the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan took down the previous No. 1 team, Denver, the reigning national champion, in two games last weekend. The Wolverines won the opener 4-1 before earning a 4-3 victory in the second game.

Those two wins pushed Michigan to the top spot in the rankings, while Denver dropped to No. 4 after losing both games. With Denver falling and other teams holding their positions, Michigan State was among the teams that benefited from the movement.

The Spartans now sit comfortably at No. 2, with two road games against the University of New Hampshire on the horizon next weekend.

Michigan State's defense and goaltending have been superb through the first three games of the season. Despite bringing in a talented group of freshmen, including Ravensbergen in net and two of the top defensive prospects in Chase Reid and Tommy Bleyl, the Spartans have looked like a veteran team in nearly every aspect of the game.

The offense hasn't missed a beat, either, with players such as Anthony Romani, Jack Hextall and Ryker Lee making their presence felt on the scoresheet.

The Spartans are chasing a fourth consecutive Big Ten regular-season title, but the program's ambitions extend beyond winning the conference. Michigan State fans want to see this team make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament and compete for a national championship.

Despite winning the Big Ten regular-season title in each of the past three seasons, the Spartans have failed to reach the Frozen Four. They haven't made it to college hockey's final four since 2007, which was also the last time Michigan State won a national championship.

That drought is something the program hopes to end this season.

With national championship aspirations once again, Michigan State's early-season success is an encouraging sign. Sitting at No. 2 in the nation, with Michigan holding the top spot, also sets the stage for two highly anticipated matchups between the rivals in November and February.

The Spartans still have plenty of hockey to play before those showdowns arrive, but their 3-0 start has put them in an excellent position. Now, they'll look to keep building momentum on the road against New Hampshire before turning their attention to the challenges that await in Big Ten play.