Spartans dominate Big Ten race with powerful offense and lockdown goaltending, solidifying their No. 1 national ranking with just two series' remaining.
No surprise in college hockey.
The Spartans remain the best team in college hockey with just two weeks remaining in their quest for a third straight Michigan State Big Ten title.
The Spartans had a hard-fought series—pun intended—against Notre Dame this past week. They won a very tough Game 1 by a score of 4-2. Then, in Game 2, both teams went hunting for their opponents, and we saw fights peppered in everywhere. Ultimately, the Spartans laid waste to the Fighting Irish in a rout, winning 8-2.
Michigan was the team chasing the Spartans for the pole position in college hockey. The Wolverines actually came into the weekend with a better record but fewer points. They would need to win out and have the Spartans drop a game to recapture the No. 1 spot. Though it didn’t work out that way, as the Wolverines ran into the then-No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers, who have had a roller-coaster season themselves. Wisconsin took down the mighty Wolverines in Game 1 by a score of 4-1. Michigan bounced back to win Game 2 and split the series, but the damage was done.
With Michigan losing and Michigan State sweeping, the Spartans look to be the clear runaway favorites for the Big Ten and the No. 1 seed.
Michigan State is held up by a plethora of NHL draft picks, including the man between the pipes: Detroit Red Wings second-round pick Trey Augustine. He's sitting second in the nation in goals-against average for any goalie with at least 1,200 minutes this season. Behind Minnesota State’s Alex Tracy’s 1.947 is Augustine at 1.964, as he’s allowed just 55 goals on the year.
The Spartans dominate teams with their defense and lockdown goaltending. It forces opponents to try to create pure chaos in front of the net and hope for a lucky bounce. There is no formula on how to beat Augustine because it simply can’t be done with a tip or screen. As a team, the Spartans have allowed just 59 goals in 30 games. They’re the only team in college hockey to allow fewer than two goals per game on average, at 1.97 goals against. It is almost criminal the way Augustine is stealing games.
But don’t think this Spartan team is a one-trick pony, winning games 1-0 every night. Their offense is stacked and led by Porter Martone (Philadelphia Flyers first-round pick in 2025) and Charlie Stramel.
Martone capped the Notre Dame series with his first career collegiate hat trick. With four goals in the series, Martone pushed himself all the way up to tied for second in the nation in goals per game. He has now scored 20 goals in 28 games for a .71 GPG average, trailing just Hayden Stavroff from Dartmouth, who has 26 goals in 28 games. Stramel is not too far behind Martone in goals, coming in tied for 10th in the nation with 19 goals in 30 games, good enough for a .63 GPG average.
It’s not all about scoring, though. The line of Stramel, Martone, and Daniel Russell has a superhuman type of connection. Martone ranks tied for third in points per game at 1.46, Stramel ranks ninth at 1.33 PPG, and Russell ranks eighth in the nation in assists per game, averaging .90 APG.
The Spartans look next to Ohio State, as the Buckeyes head to East Lansing for the last regular-season series at Munn Ice Arena this year. The season that once had months to go before it came to fruition is now on its last legs, as we continue to work toward a champion in a season that is flying by way too fast.