THE ORIGINAL SIX
The top notes you need to know about Spartan hockey
• No. 2/2 Michigan State continues its three-game homestand hosting No. 4/3 Minnesota (19-5-2), as the Gophers trail MSU by a single point in the Big Ten standings. The Spartans are 9-1 at home this season with eight straight victories after an opening night loss to No. 2 Boston College. MSU has played 10 of its last 12 games away from Munn Ice Arena and went 8-2-2 in those games. At 19-3-2, MSU is off to its best start since 2000-01, a team which started 22-1-4.
• Minnesota and MSU enter the games as the top two offenses as well as the top two defenses in the Big Ten. The Gophers lead the nation with a 4.08 goals per game average, while MSU averages 3.42 goals per game. MSU’s team defense (1.96 goals per game) edges the 2.15 goals allowed per game by the Gopher defense. MSU’s total of 82 goals scored this season ranks in a tie for third (with BU) nationally behind Minnesota (106) and Denver (85).
• The line of Charlie Stramel centering Isaac Howard and Daniel Russell have skated together in 13 of MSU’s 24 games, and have 50 points in those contests. Stramel earned Big Ten Second Star of the Week honors after scoring a pair of goals (one shorthanded, one game-winner) and one assist on Saturday vs Michigan at home. His 8-13-21 scoring line in 24 games surpasses his 8-12-20 he had in his two seasons combined at Wisconsin. Howard had three assists on Saturday tying his career best. He leads the nation in goals (18), goals per game (0.75), points (36), and points per game (1.5), and ranks fourth in the Big Ten in assists per game (0.75). Russell ranks second on the team and 10th in the Big Ten in goals (10) and third in points behind his linemates (18). Russell leads the country in game-winning goals, (6), while Stramel has four.
• Karsen Dorwart and Joey Larson have skated together for the last 11 games, and were joined by Gavin O’Connell on their wing against Michigan and combined for 2-4-6. Over the last 11 games, Dorwart has averaged a point per game (5-6-11), behind only Howard and Stramel and has a 7-11-18 scoring line. Larson is third on the team in goals (8) and he improved his scoring line to 8-7-15 with a goal and two assists in the Michigan series.
• Alternate captain Matt Basgall had MSU’s opening goal in the win over Michigan on Saturday, tying his freshman total of four goals. His 4-12-16 scoring line is tops among blueliners and fifth on the team in points overall. Basgall shares the team lead in power play goals (3, 9th B1G) with Joey Larson. Basgall skated in his 100th career Spartan game on Saturday, along with classmates Tiernan Shoudy and Daniel Russell.
• Trey Augustine stopped 63 of 67 shots against in the split with Michigan, allowing four goals (.940, 1.98 GAA). Friday was his first overtime loss since Nov. 26, 2023 on the road at Minnesota. The sophomore remains the Big Ten leader and ranks sixth nationally in wins (12), and save percentage (.932, T-9th NCAA) and is second in shutouts (2, T-9th NCAA). He is third in GAA (1.97, 13th NCAA). He is also second in the league in games played (17) and minutes played (1033:17).
