Teddy bears fly and the Death Star looms as No. 2 Michigan State faces Minnesota. Don't miss the thrilling weekend hockey action!
WHO: No. 2 Michigan State Spartans (17-5, 8-4) vs Minnesota Gophers (8-14-1, 4-8)
WHEN: January 23, Friday, 7 PM EST / January 24, Saturday, 6 PM EST
WHERE: Ron Mason Rink at Munn Ice Arena
WATCH: Friday (B1G+) / Saturday (Big Ten Network)
PROMOTIONS: Friday (Teddy Bear Toss) / Saturday (Star Wars Night)
"Who does number two work for?"
That’s just a great Austin Powers quote and after battling through a dentist chair this morning for multiple hours, it’s about as good as I can come up with to open up an article.
If you’re reading this hoping to spot an “Is this real life?” quote from me in the article, you’ve got a great shot. They stuffed me with painkillers, numbed my mouth to the max, and just went to town.
So now, as I recover with YouTube acting as white noise in the background, I figured there was no better time than now to help get you prepared for the series for the Spartans coming up this weekend.
Michigan State heads back home after a two-game sweep in Madison, WI last weekend. That sweep catapulted the Spartans back to the No. 2 spot in the rankings — a spot where they sat for just one week before a surprising loss to the Buckeyes pushed them back down to No. 4.
Michigan State handled business last weekend against the then-ranked No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers.
Before we jump into the Michigan State overview, let’s quickly talk about one of the best traditions in sports. On Friday, the Spartans will hold the annual Teddy Bear Toss.
This is where, during the first intermission, everyone who brought a teddy bear or stuffed animal to the game throws their toy onto the ice. The toys are then collected and donated to charity — one of the best ways to give back, especially to kids, while also giving fans a unique game-day experience.
What other time do you get the chance to just chuck something onto the ice? A hat trick is always fun, but hats today cost $50, and throwing yours on the ice is a risk I’m not really willing to take. Or if you’re at a Red Wings game and want to sneak in a disgusting, stinky octopus, that’s another chance — but you’ll be greeted by a swift exit from security.
Friday night, though, you’re encouraged to bring a stuffed animal and let it fly.
Not as special, but still amazing for someone who has a Star Wars poster behind his head in almost every video, Star Wars Night will follow on Saturday. Nothing ever beats Star Wars Night regardless of your age. Watching Spartans hockey with the chance of having to blow up the Death Star if needed is peak living, if you ask me.
The Spartans enter the weekend on a two-game winning streak and are 7-1 in their last eight games, with that lone loss — as mentioned earlier — coming at the hands of Ohio State in a 2-1 defeat a few weeks ago.
Michigan State is led by Charlie Stramel and his 29 points. Stramel was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the first round with the 21st pick, making this weekend extra interesting as he faces the collegiate Minnesota team.
Stramel ranks second on MSU with 13 goals and is tied for the team lead in assists with 16. He sits 14th in the nation, averaging 0.59 goals per game.
Porter Martone, the Philadelphia Flyers’ first-round pick, comes in second on the team in points (27), third in assists (13), and leads the Spartans with 14 goals on the season. Martone is scoring at an unbelievable clip, averaging 0.70 goals per game — eighth-best in the nation.
The final 20+ point scorer for the Spartans is senior veteran Daniel Russell. Russell is tied with Stramel for the team lead in assists (16) and has added seven goals this season. He’s stepped up even more over the past few games, especially during the Great Lakes Invitational when MSU was missing four players due to the World Juniors Hockey Championship.
The Spartans may boast top-tier offensive talent, but their bread and butter lies between the pipes with junior goaltender Trey Augustine, a Detroit Red Wings second-round pick.
The brick wall owns a .937 save percentage and allows just 1.77 goals per game — the best average in the nation. In fact, the Spartans are one of only two teams, along with Cornell (1.94), allowing fewer than two goals per game.
Predictions
Michigan State heads back home against a team that’s won just eight games this season. There should be little question about who controls this series from the opening puck drop. However, in Big Ten hockey, there’s never an easy way out.
These two teams meet for the first time this season and will face off again to close the regular season. For now, Minnesota will do everything it can to play spoiler, while MSU looks to avoid another upset while ranked No. 2.
This could be considered a trap weekend, with massive matchups looming next against No. 7 Penn State and No. 1 Michigan. The Spartans will need to stay locked in and handle business.
Friday
Michigan State 5
Minnesota 2
Saturday
Michigan State 4
Minnesota 2