MSU hockey's critical road trip to Penn State includes outdoor game

What: No. 2 Michigan State (19-5-0, 10-4-0 Big Ten) vs. No. 5 Penn State (18-6-0, 10-4-0 Big Ten)

When: 6 p.m. Jan. 30, 1 p.m. Jan. 31

Where: Pegula Ice Arena on Jan. 30, Beaver Stadium on Jan. 31

TV/Radio: Friday's game can be streamed on Big Ten Plus, while Saturday's game will be televised on the Big Ten Network. You can listen to both games at MSUSpartans.com or on the Michigan State Athletics app.

All-Time series: MSU is 22-22-8 all-time against the Nittany Lions since PSU became a Division 1 program in the 2012-13 season.

Coaches: MSU's Adam Nightingale is 88-40-9 in his fourth season behind the Spartan bench. PSU coach Guy Gadowsky is 413-403-69 all-time as a collegiate coach, with a record of 240-205-32 in his 14th season at the helm of the Nittany Lions.

MSU update: The Spartans are coming off a home sweep over Minnesota and have now won eight of their past nine games, including a 6-1 record in Big Ten play, to climb up the standings and currently sit in second place, just one point off the shared lead held by Penn State and No. 1-ranked Michigan.

MSU now begins its most pivotal four-game stretch of the season, facing PSU on the road for two games before seeing the Wolverines twice next weekend. Getting at least a split in both series would put the Spartans in strong position to capture a third straight Big Ten regular-season title.

MSU and Penn State will play the first game of their series Friday night in Pegula Ice Arena before playing an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium the following afternoon. MSU was a part of the "Frozen Confines" last season, playing outdoors at Wrigley Field, beating Wisconsin in overtime on a goal from senior forward Daniel Russell in the final seconds of the extra session.

"Last year, just being out there in the cold with the fireworks and everything was really cool, but once you get into it it's just another game," MSU senior forward Tiernan Shoudy said. "It was an unreal experience and now we're all really looking forward to the chance to do it again. You have to prepare for it to be colder out there, but it's pretty similar once you get into it."

The Spartans are paced by one of the nation's top scoring lines of Russell, senior forward Charlie Stramel and freshman forward Porter Martone. The Spartans' second line has also been a bright spot the past two weekends as freshmen Ryker Lee and Eric Nilson have found great chemistry paired with sophomore forward Shane Vansaghi.

In net, junior Trey Augustine has continued a brilliant third year, building on an NCAA-best 1.73 goals against average and a .938 save percentage while starting in 22 of MSU's 24 games this season.

Scouting the Nittany Lions: After sweeping Wisconsin on the road last weekend, PSU is now in the midst of a seven-game winning streak – the longest in program history. PSU fell behind early in both games against the Badgers but fought back to earn six points and now sit tied with Michigan atop the Big Ten.

PSU is led by forward Matt DiMarsico, who has 14 goals and 15 assists. Linemate J.J. Wiebusch has 13 goals and 13 assists and freshman phenom Gavin McKenna has come on strong recently and is up to 10 goals and 19 assists after recording a hat trick in the first game against the Badgers last weekend.

Junior forward Aiden Fink has just three goals in 17 games this season after missing some time with an injury, but has racked up 17 assists and was PSU's most dynamic player the previous two seasons. Forwards Reese Laubach (five goals, 11 assists) and Dane Dowiak (nine goals, six assists) have been key contributors to the NCAA's eighth-best scoring offense.

"Our conference is so competitive, and when you look at Penn State, they're having a heck of a season," Nightingale said. "They have a ton of depth and their goaltenders are playing really well, so we're looking forward to the challenge of getting out on the road and facing them."

In net, sophomore goaltender Kevin Reidler and freshman Joshua Fleming have split the net, with Reidler starting 13 games to Fleming's 12. Fleming has a .944 save percentage and has recorded two shutouts, with a 1.8 goals-against average. Reidler, who transferred to Penn State from Nebraska-Omaha, has a .910 save percentage and 2.8 goals-against average.

PSU did take a hit losing forward Charlie Cerrato for the remainder of the regular season to injury, Gadowsky announced earlier this week. Cerrato centered PSU's top scoring line with Wiebusch and DiMarsico and had 24 points in 19 games this season.

Contact Nathaniel Bott at [email protected] and follow him on x @Nathaniel_Bott

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MSU hockey's critical road trip to Penn State includes outdoor game