THE ORIGINAL SIX

What you need to know about Spartan Hockey


• Michigan State and Boston College meet for the 29th and 30th times this weekend, completing a home-and-home agreement that began with MSU’s trip to Boston last year. The series began in the 1958/59 season. MSU owns a 16-11-1 record in the all-time series (7-4-0 in East Lansing), but Boston College has won each of the last five meetings – including both games last October, 6-4 and 5 – 1. In last year’s games Karsen Dorwart had three of MSU’s five goals, Isaac Howard had three assists and Red Wilder had one goal and one assist. Trey Augustine had 30 and 29 saves in the two-game set.

• The MSU-BC series, pitting No. 2 vs. No. 4, is one of the most anticipated non-conference matchups in all of college hockey this season. This is one of a few non-conference matchups with opponents both ranked in the top 10 in the preseason polls. Aside from a series between North Dakota and Bemidji State in November, the MSU-BC games are the only ones to feature two defending conference champions during the 2024-25 season.

• MSU is coming off a road win at Lake Superior State last weekend (2-1 (OT), 5-1). The Spartans defeated Lake Superior State in both contests by a combined margin of 86-52. The Spartans had 25 shots in the third period on Friday and 21 in the first period on Saturday.

• Isaac Howard And Daniel Russell were named the Big Ten First and Second Stars of the Week on Tuesday. Howard had a five-point weekend, with a goal and an assist in Friday’s game and then two goals and an assist on Saturday. His two-goal shot in Saturday’s game marked the first multiple-goal game in his 72-game college career, and he also recorded the first consecutive multiple-point games. Russell scored a goal and an assist in every game of the weekend series, and each of his goals was game-winning. On Tuesday, he received Big Ten Second Star of the Week honors. Russell and Howard are the only two Spartans to each score multiple points at the end of the season-opening series.

• Trey Augustine returned to Spartan Creed and made 25 saves in every game at Lake Superior State over the weekend. He conceded just one goal in each game and delivered more than 93 minutes of shutout hockey between the Laker scores in the two games. The 25 saves match his career low in a complete game – he last had 25 saves on October 13, 2023 with Air Force.

• MSU will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Munn Ice Arena in 2024-25. The Spartans were inaugurated on November 1, 1974 and have a home record of 599-281-73. A total of 21 players and coaches from the 1974-75 team will be on hand this weekend to celebrate the anniversary.