EAST LANSING, Mich. — This wasn’t top-ranked Michigan State’s best game by any means, but it still took another step towards another Big Ten title.
MSU was out-shot by last place Notre Dame, 39-31, but the Spartans were still able to piece together a 4-2 victory. Porter Martone scored an empty net goal to seal it with 1:19 left, and goalie Trey Augustine had a season-high 37 saves.
Michigan State forward Porter Martone (22) celebrates scoring a goal against Michigan during the first period of Duel in the D at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, February 7, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Charlie Stramel also had another big game, scoring one goal and being the primary assist on another. He was the first star of the game. Martone also had a multi-point performance.
These two teams will meet once again on Friday night, with Michigan State going for both a series sweep and a season sweep of the Fighting Irish. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.
Game Recap
Michigan State Spartans center Eric Nilson looks towards a teammate before a faceoff against the Michigan Wolverines on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Munn Ice Arena. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI
First Period
The opening period was not the Spartans’ best. Michigan State dominated the start, looking like the nation’s top team against the team in last in the Big Ten. Maxim Strbak got MSU on the scoreboard first after he found a ton of space in the slot, putting one home on a wrister 3:07 into the game.
Notre Dame was ready for a response, though. The Fighting Irish leveled it up about two minutes later, getting a 2-on-1 opportunity in the Spartans’ defensive zone, with Notre Dame’s Dashel Oliver scoring his first goal of the season to level the deal at one apiece.
The rest of the opening period was uninspiring. These two teams looked a lot more like equals, which is not what Michigan State is looking for. MSU eventually had a 5-on-3 power play for about 40 seconds at one point, and it failed to score there.
Notre Dame ended up having the best remaining chance right before the end of the first. The puck was loose in the crease with star goalie Trey Augustine out of position, but the Spartans managed to keep it out. Still, going to the first intermission tied at 1-1 while being out-shot 14-9 was probably not what MSU was envisioning.
Michigan State Spartans goalie Trey Augustine talks with a referee during a game against the Michigan Wolverines on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Munn Ice Arena. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI
Second Period
Michigan State got a power-play opportunity early in the second. It went right to its goal scorer, Charlie Stramel, who beat Notre Dame goalie Nicholas Kempf to give the home team the lead again at 2:40 in the middle period. It was Stramel’s 19th time lighting the lamp this season.
Once again, though, on Notre Dame’s own power play chance after a holding call, the Fighting Irish tied it up. The shot from Cole Knuble appeared to ring off the crossbar, but the Fighting Irish smartly challenged. The replay showed the puck ricocheting off the lining at the back of the net, and it officially became called a goal after a review.
To make matters worse, MSU got a goal wiped away. Gavin O’Connell put in a goal, but the officials, had to whistle the play dead just before O’Connell got his shot away because a strap on Kempf’s helmet came loose, mandating that play be blown dead.
Well, guess who took advantage of his next opportunity. Michigan State found itself on the power play again later in the period, and O’Connell found the back of the net again just before the Fighting Irish were about to reach full strength. This time it counted. Notre Dame backup goalie Luke Pearson was also in net, as Kempf had suffered what appeared to be a hip or a leg injury a few minutes prior.
Michigan State’s head coach Adam Nightingale looks on against Minnesota during the third period on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Third Period
Notre Dame was the team applying pressure early in the third. MSU had been getting out-shot pretty much all night, and the Fighting Irish had a few decent, but not great chances that Augustine was able to handle. Michigan State’s time in its defensive zone through five minutes was definitely much larger than its time in the offensive zone.
Both teams continued to search for what would be a huge goal. The Spartans wanted that valuable insurance goal, while Notre Dame needed that equalizer. With five minutes left in regulation, nothing had materialized for either side.
This one was going to come down to the final moments. The Irish emptied their net with 2:36 to go in the game to get the extra attacker on. Martone ended up sinking the dagger with an empty-netter with just 1:19 to go.
That’s three big points in the Big Ten standings for MSU. It is now one point behind Michigan in the standings with one more game in hand.
Michigan State’s Trey Augustine in the crease for a game against Minnesota at Munn Ice Arena on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI
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