Thursday, January 15
Madison, Wis.
9 PM
Michigan State University
16-5-0, 7-4-0
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Wisconsin
15-4-2, 8-3-0
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F
Michigan St.
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Wisconsin
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Photo by: Ella Stufft/UW Athletics
Strong Second Period Secures Victory for MSU Over No. 2/2 Wisconsin
1/16/2026 1:17:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
MADISON, Wis. – No. 3/4-ranked Michigan State hockey scored three goals in the second period to knock off No. 2/2-ranked Wisconsin on Thursday night, 4-3, from the Kohl Center.
"It was a heck of a game playing a really good team on the road," said Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale. "I like our start, thought we got to our game and had some spurts in the second. Obviously, there were going to push and it came down to the wire. I thought we learned a lot in this game, some things we definitely can be better at. It's going to be a big time test tomorrow."
MSU improves to 16-5-0 overall and 7-4-0 in Big Ten action and trail the Badgers by one point in the conference standings. Wisconsin is 15-4-2 (8-3-0 B1G) heading into the season series finale on Friday night.
Michigan State was 2-for-2 on the penalty kill against the nation's No. 4-ranked power play unit and held a 33-25 advantage at the face-off dot. Junior Trey Augustine made 24 saves and improved to 14-5-0 in net this season.
Senior forward Charlie Stramel led the Spartans with two points on a goal and an assist, giving him a career-high 28 points on the season. MSU also got goals from senior Daniel Russell, junior Gavin O'Connell and freshman Ryker Lee with additional assists going to freshman Cayden Lindstrom, freshman Eric Nilson, freshman Anthony Romani, freshman Porter Martone, sophomore Colin Ralph and sophomore Shane Vansaghi.
How It Happened
Michigan State nearly opened the scoring 4:31 into the period when back-to-back shots from Russell and Stramel hit each post. The Spartans kept things scoreless late, earning a big penalty kill with less than five minutes to play against one of the best power play units in the country. Lee broke the 0-0 tie at the 18:51 mark of the first, being the lucky recipient of a deflection in front of the net. Ralph put a shot on goal from the blue line that was saved by the Wisconsin goaltender but ricocheted and bounced off Lee into the back of the net.
MSU went back to the penalty kill just 48 seconds into the second period, killing the penalty but allowing the tying goal just as the Spartans got back to full strength. That tie was short-lived however after a heady pass from Lindstrom found O'Connell waiting in the crease for his second goal of the season.
Russell and Stramel found themselves on a 2-on-1 12:17 into the second period, but Russell kept it himself going bar down to make it 3-1 in favor of MSU. Stramel got in on the action himself soon after, cutting his way through the Badger defense and sending a puck through the Wisconsin goaltender's legs putting Michigan State up 4-1 with three minutes to play in the period. The Badgers got a goal back late to make it 4-2 heading into the third period.
Wisconsin brought the game within one early in the third period, using an odd man rush to their advantage and finding a back door goal. Both sides battled defensively for the remainder of the game. Junior Tommi Mannisto came within centimeters of an empty net insurance goal for the Spartans at the 18:43 mark, beating a Badger defenseman to the puck but hitting the far post on his shot attempt.
"It was a heck of a game playing a really good team on the road," said Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale. "I like our start, thought we got to our game and had some spurts in the second. Obviously, there were going to push and it came down to the wire. I thought we learned a lot in this game, some things we definitely can be better at. It's going to be a big time test tomorrow."
MSU improves to 16-5-0 overall and 7-4-0 in Big Ten action and trail the Badgers by one point in the conference standings. Wisconsin is 15-4-2 (8-3-0 B1G) heading into the season series finale on Friday night.
Michigan State was 2-for-2 on the penalty kill against the nation's No. 4-ranked power play unit and held a 33-25 advantage at the face-off dot. Junior Trey Augustine made 24 saves and improved to 14-5-0 in net this season.
Senior forward Charlie Stramel led the Spartans with two points on a goal and an assist, giving him a career-high 28 points on the season. MSU also got goals from senior Daniel Russell, junior Gavin O'Connell and freshman Ryker Lee with additional assists going to freshman Cayden Lindstrom, freshman Eric Nilson, freshman Anthony Romani, freshman Porter Martone, sophomore Colin Ralph and sophomore Shane Vansaghi.
How It Happened
Michigan State nearly opened the scoring 4:31 into the period when back-to-back shots from Russell and Stramel hit each post. The Spartans kept things scoreless late, earning a big penalty kill with less than five minutes to play against one of the best power play units in the country. Lee broke the 0-0 tie at the 18:51 mark of the first, being the lucky recipient of a deflection in front of the net. Ralph put a shot on goal from the blue line that was saved by the Wisconsin goaltender but ricocheted and bounced off Lee into the back of the net.
Ryker Lee scores on the deflection to break the tie late in the first period! pic.twitter.com/Sn9iRPrlxc
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 16, 2026
MSU went back to the penalty kill just 48 seconds into the second period, killing the penalty but allowing the tying goal just as the Spartans got back to full strength. That tie was short-lived however after a heady pass from Lindstrom found O'Connell waiting in the crease for his second goal of the season.
Gavin O'Connell and the Spartans respond! He breaks the tie off a rebound in front of the net! pic.twitter.com/MqOjnC0gcb
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 16, 2026
Russell and Stramel found themselves on a 2-on-1 12:17 into the second period, but Russell kept it himself going bar down to make it 3-1 in favor of MSU. Stramel got in on the action himself soon after, cutting his way through the Badger defense and sending a puck through the Wisconsin goaltender's legs putting Michigan State up 4-1 with three minutes to play in the period. The Badgers got a goal back late to make it 4-2 heading into the third period.
Who else but Charlie Stramel? He makes it 4-1 Spartans in the second period! pic.twitter.com/xnthAAfetT
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 16, 2026
Wisconsin brought the game within one early in the third period, using an odd man rush to their advantage and finding a back door goal. Both sides battled defensively for the remainder of the game. Junior Tommi Mannisto came within centimeters of an empty net insurance goal for the Spartans at the 18:43 mark, beating a Badger defenseman to the puck but hitting the far post on his shot attempt.
Team Stats
MSU
WIS
Shots
23
27
PPG
0
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
5
4
Penalty Mins
21
8
Faceoffs Won
33
25
Game Leaders
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
1
+/-
2
Goals
1
Sh
4
A
0
+/-
0
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
0
Players Mentioned
G
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/ Men's Ice HockeyAdam Nightingale Postgame Comments | Wisconsin | January 15, 2026
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