Michigan State defenseman Matt Basgall makes a pass against Michigan during the first period at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Preview: Michigan State Hockey's Series vs. Minnesota

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jacob Cotsonika | Last updated Jan 23, 2026 9:01 AM ET

Michigan State hockey is returning to action in what is sure to be an emotional weekend at Munn Ice Arena.

The second-ranked Spartans are hosting unranked Minnesota on Friday and Saturday, but these two games will not really be about MSU against the Golden Gophers. Michigan State players and coaches will be trying to perform with a heavy heart, as the program is grieving the unexpected death of Dan Sturges, the Spartans' Director of Hockey Operations.

"He was essentially the glue of our team," MSU head coach Adam Nightingale said on Thursday. "He definitely made me look like a better coach than I am."

Here's how you can watch both Friday and Saturday's games between Michigan State and Minnesota:

Friday's TV Details

Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Streaming: Big Ten Plus

B1G+ Prices: $12.99/month or $89.99/year

Announcers: Kyle Keegan (play-by-play); Jordan Cyprian (analyst)

Saturday's TV Details

Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Puck Drop: 6 p.m. ET

Channel: Big Ten Network

Announcers: Ben Holden (play-by-play); Fred Pletsch (analyst)

More on the Series

Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is actually a series between the two teams that shared the Big Ten regular season crown last season. Both MSU and Minnesota finished with 50 points during the 24-game conference schedule. The Spartans won the season series, though, giving them the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, which they also won for a second consecutive year.

The Golden Gophers are certainly having a down year. They're in a distant fifth place in the current conference standings, having earned just 14 points across 12 Big Ten games. Minnesota is 8-14-1 overall and 4-8-0 during conference play.

Michigan State enters the weekend ranked second in the polls, but the Spartans are third in the Big Ten standings. It's 24 points is just one behind eighth-ranked Penn State for second. No. 1 Michigan is in first with 31 points, but the Wolverines have played at least two more conference games than everybody else.

The Spartans will also likely be seeing one of their former players on the other side. Goalie Luca Di Pasquo, who had backed up MSU's Trey Augustine for two years, transferred to Minnesota this past offseason. He has rotated with Nathan Airey as the Gophers' starter, but Di Pasquo has been the better of the two. Di Pasquo's save percentage is up at .914, whereas Airey is at .890. The Gophers are 5-7-0 with Di Pasquo in net, compared to 3-7-1 with Airey.