MSU off to Columbus For Thursday-Friday Series

No. 2/2 Michigan State (20-3-3, 11-2-3 B1G) at No. 11/11 Ohio State (15-7-2, 8-5-1 B1G)
Dates	Thursday, Jan. 30; 8 pm \| Friday. Jan. 31; 7 pm
Location	Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio \| FAQ
Tickets	Ohio State Ticket Office
Television	Thursday - Big Ten Network Jason Ross Jr. (pxp) and Paul Caponigri (analysis)
Radio	WJIM 1240 AM Listen Online: Click "Spartan Media Network" Scott Moore (pxp) and Rob Woodward (analysis)
Webstreams	BTN+: Friday
Live Statistics	Click Here
Press Conference	Adam Nightingale Weekly Availability
Game Notes	Michigan State \| Ohio State
Social Media	Facebook Twitter Instagram

THE ORIGINAL SIX
The top notes you need to know about Spartan hockey

• Michigan State heads out on the road for a Thursday-Friday series at No. 11 Ohio State. The all-time series stands in favor of the Spartans, 102-57-13, which includes a 44-27-6 mark in Columbus. MSU has won four straight between the teams, including 4-2 and 4-1 victories at Munn in November.

• The Spartans enter the weekend with a 11-2-3 record in Big Ten play (36 points) after taking five points from second-place Minnesota last weekend (9-3, 3-3/SOW). The Spartans are the first team to 20 wins in the country this season (20-3-3), and hold down the No. 2 spot in both national polls this week for the second consecutive week. MSU's total of 94 goals scored this season ranks second nationally behind Minnesota (112). MSU's 53 goals allowed is tied for the 11th fewest in Division I.

• In 15 games together, the line of Charlie Stramel centering Isaac Howard and Daniel Russell has 58 points (28g, 30a), including eight points combined in the Minnesota series. Howard leads the nation in goals (20), points (39), and points per game (1.5). He is second nationally in goals per game (0.77) and ranks fourth in the Big Ten in assists per game (0.73). Stramel had a goal and an assist on the weekend against the Gophers, and was an monster in the faceoff circle - he won 34 of 47 draws (.723). He owns career bests in all offensive categories, (9-14-23), and with four game-winners, has combined with Russell (7) for 11 of MSU's 20 game-winning scores. Russell is second among Spartans in goals (11), which is two goals shy of his career best set a year ago.

• Linemates Karsen Dorwart and Gavin O'Connell are among MSU's most prolific scorers against the Buckeyes. In seven career games against the OSU, O'Connell has eight goals and two assists (three, two-goal games) while Dorwart has 3-9-12 in 11 all-time contests. Dorwart owns a season 7-12-19 scoring line (fourth in points, fifth in assists) and skated in his 100th career game last Saturday. O'Connell missed nine games to injury but has points in each of the last two series since his return (17 GP, 3-4-7).

• MSU's defense accounted for four goals and 15 points in the two Minnesota games. David Gucciardi was named the Big Ten Second Star of the Week with two goals and two assists, Matt Basgall has points in each of MSU's last three games, including a goal and two assists last weekend, and Maxim Štrbák had a career-best four assists in the Friday game.

• Trey Augustine is the Big Ten leader in goals against average (2.07, 14th NCAA), save percentage (.928, 13th NCAA) and ranks seventh nationally in wins (13). He is also second in the league in games played (19) and minutes played (1158:17). He owns a 3-1-2 record against teams ranked in the top five in the national poll and 6-2-2 against teams ranked in the top 20 at the time of the game.

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Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Matt Basgall

Karsen Dorwart

David Gucciardi

Isaac Howard

Gavin O'Connell

Daniel Russell

Charlie Stramel