3&Out - Three things to know as No. 3 Michigan State heads to No. 1 Minnesota

For the first time in eight weeks, Michigan State hockey can go back to feeling like a hungry hunter again. The No. 3-ranked Spartans spent two weekends as the nation’s top-ranked team, but will now travel to Minneapolis to face the new No. 1, Minnesota, the hottest team in college hockey.

The Spartans and Gophers will play at 8:30 p.m. on Friday (BTN), and 6 p.m. on Saturday (BTN+).

Michigan State (12-2 overall and 6-1 in the Big Ten) is coming off a split at Wisconsin last weekend. The Spartans dropped from No. 1 to No. 3 in this week’s USCHO.com poll.

The Gophers (15-2-1, and 8-0) swept No. 6 Michigan, 6-0 and 2-0 last weekend. 

Three things to know about the Spartans and this series, heading into the weekend:

1. CHARLIE STRAMEL IS HAVING AN IMPACT

Charlie Stramel (6-3, Jr., Rosemount, Minn.) is having an increased impact for the Spartans, centering the No. 1 line, using his big frame to bump his way to effectiveness, with skill to match. The Wisconsin transfer was a consistent force last weekend against his former team.

“I thought he was the best guy on the ice, both nights, for both teams,” Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale said after practice earlier this week. “He’s playing physical, really good on the penalty kill, really good on the power play. Yeah, we’re excited about him.”

Stramel (pronounced STRAY-mul) was an NHL First Round Draft pick in 2023, taken No. 21 overall by the Minnesota Wild. However, his production with the Badgers fell off a bit last year, with only three goals and five assists on the season.

Stramel has already eclipsed last year’s numbers, in just 14 games, with four goals and seven assists. He ranks second on the team with 11 points.

Nightingale coached Stramel for two years at the USA National Team Development Program prior to taking the job at Michigan State in 2022.

“So I know him well,” Nightingale said. “He’s just playing to an identity. He’s got to play a power game. If he tries playing cutesy, that’s not his strength. He has to lead with power. He definitely has skill, but physicality is a big part of his game.

“And the long reach, and his ability to defend, he’s got a really good stick. That makes a huge difference.

“There’s a reason Minnesota took him in the first round. He does a lot of things to help you win a hockey game.”

Last weekend was a homecoming of sorts for Stramel, playing against his former team. This weekend, he will be back in his home state. Michigan State could use another forceful weekend from him. 

2. MINNESOTA, STRONG ON D

Minnesota’s shutouts against Michigan last weekend were no fluke. The Gophers have some tough obstacles on the blue line. All six Gopher defensemen are problematic for an opponent. Their three defenseman pairings might be the best collection in the nation, top to bottom.

“I don’t know that you’re going to find a better one in college hockey,” Nightingale said of Minnesota’s defensive corps. “They have depth there, and they have some offense back there, and I don’t think they get the credit for how well they defend.”

Sam Rinzel (6-5, Soph., Chanhassen, Minn.) was Second Team All-Big Ten last year. The Chicago Blackhawks drafted him in the First Round, No. 25 overall, in 2022. 

He’s not alone as a standout.

Ryan Chesley (6-1, Jr., Mahtomedi, Minn.) was also Second Team All-Big Ten last year. He was drafted in the Second Round, No. 37 overall, by the Washington Capitals in 2022.

Luke Mittelstadt (5-11, Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) was honorable mention All-Big Ten last year. He was drafted in the Seventh Round by the Montreal Canadiens in 2023.

“Chesley (6-1, Jr., Mahtomedi, Minn.) can really shoot it and Mittelstadt is a really good defenseman and adds to the offensive side,” Nightingale said. “They also defend. They’re long and their coaching staff does a good job of teaching them how to play real hockey. If you go in there and just hope for offense, you’re probably not going to get it.

“They make it hard to generate against them. If it turns into a track meet, they’ve got some guys that can execute. You have to be smart.”

3. NICKLAS ANDREWS, RATCHETING UP FOR SPARTANS

Graduate defenseman Nicklas Andrews is in his first and last year with the Spartans, but he is making a steady impact. 

Andrews has been paired with senior David Gucciardi (6-1, Sr., Toronto) to give Michigan State a strong, responsible, veteran set of blue liners in the rotation.

Andrews – a transfer from Colorado College who was named after Detroit Red Wings legend Nicklas Lidstrom – leads the Spartans in plus-minus at +12, with Gucciardi tied for second at +8.

On Saturday night at Wisconsin, Andrews (5-10, Gr., Canton, Mich.) made three plays in a matter of seconds which set up Joey Larson’s game-tying goal in the third period.

+ Andrews made a quick d-to-d (defenseman to defenseman) pass to Gucciardi to transform a turnover into a quick zone entry opportunity.

+ Seconds later, after Wisconsin gained possession and tried to clear the zone, a hustling, heady Andrews was there to pinch in and hold the zone, stifling the Badgers’ left wing from using a breakout pass.

+ Andrews created a loose puck, then quickly recovered it and passed to Larson, who finished for a goal.

Credit Andrews with an assist, and so much more on that crucial game-tying moment. Michigan State went on to win in overtime.

“He’s been a great addition,” Nightingale said of Andrews. “He has obviously played a lot of college hockey, but the way we play is different than where he played before.”

He was a major acquisition from the transfer portal, helping replace Artyom Levshunov, who moved on to the NHL after one season with the Spartans last year. No current Spartan is as talented as Levshunov was last year, but Levshunov would make rookie mistakes occasionally. Andrews is beyond rookie mistakes.

“He’s a Michigander,” Nightingale said of Andrews. “He understands what Michigan State is all about. He’s got a calming presence back there.

“The bad news is we only have him for five more months so we’ll take advantage of it but he’s been a huge addition to the back end.”

RED SAVAGE, ‘THE MOTOR OF OUR TEAM’

When Michigan State lost to Boston College on Oct. 11, Nightingale criticized his team for trying to play “too cutesy” against the super-skilled Eagles. Michigan State came back the following night with a 4-3 victory, playing a more responsible, gritty brand of hockey.

After the loss to Wisconsin last Friday, Nightingale had a similar message for his team heading into Saturday.

Michigan State played well midway through that game despite falling behind 2-0. Rather than “chase the score,” as Nightingale described it a night earlier, the Spartan stuck to Nightingale’s commandments, and it led to a comeback victory in overtime. 

“Now we have to make sure the things we learned don’t happen again,” Nightingale said. “There’s a certain way we have to play if we’re going to be a good hockey team. If we deviate from that we become pretty average pretty quick. I think our guys understand that and it’s our job as coaches to get it out of them.”

That might not be the last time that lesson gets voiced this season. Proper discipline can be a season-long process. Having senior captain Red Savage back in the lineup will help. He missed Friday’s game at Wisconsin with an undisclosed ailment, and returned to the lineup on Saturday. 

“He really drives the identity we want to play with,” Nightingale said. “He’s hard, he’s competitive. He is a little bit of the motor of our team. When he’s in our lineup it makes a huge difference. We definitely missed having him in the lineup on Friday, but that’s hockey and every team goes through moments when you’re missing some guys.”

Savage (5-11, Sr., Scottsdale, Ariz.) was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. He is tied for fourth on the team with four goals.

Savage plays left wing on Michigan State’s No. 2 line, centered by Karsen Dorwart, with Larson on the right wing. 

“I think when we play our game, we’re the best team in the country,” Savage said after Tuesday’s practice. “We definitely got away from it Friday night. We were able to rebound and get back to our culture. We’re not the most skilled team in the country, but when we play the way we’re supposed to, we can beat anyone.

“They’re obviously a really good team. Their No. 1 in the country now. It’s really important to us to go in there and prove to ourselves and everyone else that we can play with anyone out there.”

What happened on Saturday at Wisconsin that Savage didn’t see on Friday?

“Friday, it felt like there was a lot of individuality out there, a lot of looping, not a lot of stopping on pucks, not a lot of playing through people,” Savage said. “Saturday, the first couple of shifts we brought a lot of intensity and played physical and I think that put them on their heels a little bit and we were able to build our ground game off of that and transform into a good hockey game.”