EAST LANSING– “If you want to be one of the top programs, you have to beat the top programs,” said Spartans head coach Adam Nightingale.
No. 4 Michigan State Hockey hosts the No. 2 Boston College Eagles in the home opener at Munn Arena this weekend.
This will be a premier matchup in College Hockey, with the favorites in the Big Ten and Hockey East squaring off in an early season series.
Last year, the Spartans traveled to Chestnut Hill, but the Eagles took care of business, winning both games, 6-4 and 5-1.
After those losses, the Spartans rounded into form playing some of their best hockey of the year.
“After that, we went on a stretch there, where I didn’t think we lost in regulation until January, ” Nightingale said.
After finishing runner-up to Denver in the National Championship, the Eagles lost their top two point scorers Cutter Gauthier and Will Smith to the NHL.
That doesn’t mean the Eagles have any shortage of talent. It can be argued they still have the three best players in college hockey this season.
With a first line led by Capitals prospect Ryan Leonard and Rangers prospect Gabe Perrault. Alongside freshman James Hagens, the top prospect in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
These will be the first games of the season for the revamped Eagles.
The Spartans started their season last weekend, with a two-game sweep over the Lake Superior State Lakers.
Juniors Isaac Howard and Daniel Russell earned Big Ten first and second-star honors for their performances against the Lakers.
In the first game, the Spartans and Lakers played close for sixty minutes, needing overtime to settle the 1-1 score. 39 seconds into overtime, Russell netted the game-winning goal to give the Spartans their first win of the season.
Howard scored three times over the weekend and assisted on two other Spartan goals, contributing on five of the seven goals for Michigan State.
“It was a good first weekend for us, definitely some areas for us to keep improving,” Nightingale said.
These two teams are very familiar with each other, with both having multiple players featured on the Team USA roster in the 2024 IIHF World Juniors in Sweden.
Spartans’ goaltender Trey Augustine and Eagles’ goaltender Jacob Fowler were a part of the goalie duo for the Gold-Medal-winning Americans.
Perrault, Leonard, and Howard all contributed, each winning a Player of the Game award on the Team USA championship run.
