MSU Heads to Sault Ste Marie To Open Season

No. 4/4 Michigan State (25-10-3 in 2023-24) at Lake Superior State (17-20-1 in 2023-24)
Dates/Times	Friday, Oct. 4, 6 pm Saturday, Oct. 5, 4 pm
Location	Taffy Abel Arena, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. \| Bag Policy/FAQ's
Tickets	LSSU Ticket Office
Radio	WVFN 730 AM (Friday) \| WJIM 1240 AM (Saturday) Listen Online: Click "Spartan Media Network" Scott Moore (pxp) and Rob Woodward (analysis)
Webstreams	MidcoSports Plus/CCHA TV ($) Friday \| Saturday
Live Statistics	Click Here
Press Conference	Adam Nightingale Weekly Availability
Game Notes	Michigan State \| Lake Superior State
Social Media	Facebook Twitter Instagram

THE ORIGINAL SIX
What you need to know about Spartan Hockey
Click "Game Notes" above to see the entire notes packet for the weekend.

• Michigan State and Lake Superior State - former conference mates in the old CCHA - will meet for the 128th and 129th time on the opening weekend of the 2024-25 season. The Spartans own a 75-38-4 record against the Lakers, and are 25-19-7 in games played in Sault Ste. Marie. Damon Whitten is the head coach at LSSU, and is beginning his 11th season behind the bench. Whitten is a former Spartan captain and four-year letterwinner (1997-01). Associate head coach Mike York is also a Spartan hockey alumnus (1995-99) - he was a two-time First Team All-American and Hobey Baker finalist (1998 and 1999), finishing as the runner-up his senior campaign.

• MSU is ranked No. 4 in both the preseason US College Hockey Online and USA Hockey/The RInk Live polls. A ranking of No. 4 ties MSU's highest ranking of the 2023-24 season. MSU was ranked anywhere between fourth and 12th last year, and was in the national poll in each of the 24 weeks of the surveys. MSU's national rank is its highest in the national polls since Nov 12, 2007, when the Spartans were ranked third.

• Michigan State was selected by Big Ten coaches as the favorite to win the Conference's regular season. It was the first time in program history that MSU was selected to win the Big Ten; the Spartans are followed by Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State (in that order). Sophomore goaltender Trey Augustine and junior forwards Karsen Dorwart and Isaac Howard are pre-season First Team All-Big Ten selections.

• MSU returns 67.7% of its scoring from a year ago - 278 of 411 points, 102 of 145 goals (59.9%) and 176 of 264 assists (66.6%). The Spartans return the second-most goals (behind Denver's 129) among Division I teams and the third-most points (behind Denver and BC) in Division I hockey. Of MSU's departed scoring, 59 of the 133 points (45%) came from last year's top defensive pairing of Artyom Levshunov (9-26-35) and senior Nash Nienhuis (9-15-24).

• MSU's scoring depth in 2023-24 was throughout all four forward lines, as the Spartans boasted 10 players with 20+ points - the most since 1995-96, when they had 11 skaters accomplish the feat. Last season, 16 of MSU's 19 lineup regulars (30 games or more) had at least 10 points. MSU returns three lines from last year's season intact, as well as five of the seven regular defensemen. The new Spartans to the roster for 2024-25 include one graduate transfer, two junior transfers, and six freshmen and among them are five forwards, three defenseman and a goalie.

• In the 2023-24 season, MSU ranked 10th nationally in total attendance (110,187) and sixth in average attendance (6,482). Michigan State surpassed total home season attendance (110,187) over 100,000 for the first time since 2007-08 (126,672 in 23 home games). MSU has sold out 23 of its last 24 home games, and 21 consecutive home games against B1G opponents.

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Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Karsen Dorwart

Isaac Howard

Artyom Levshunov

Nash Nienhuis