MSU Tops Penn State Outdoors

Charlie Stramel capped his first career collegiate hat trick with the game-winning goal in overtime as No. 2 Michigan State defeated fifth-ranked host Penn State, 5-4, before 74,575 spectators at Beaver Stadium this afternoon. MSU is now 3-2-1 in outdoor contests since the original Cold War was contested back in 2001.

Stramel scored just over three minutes into the extra session at the home of Penn State football, after the Spartans had battled back from 3-2 and 4-3 deficits in regulation. He also recorded an assist to go with his three goals, while linemates Porter Martone and Daniel Russell also finished with four points apiece. Trey Augustine made 31 saves for MSU (21-5-0 overall, 12-4-0 Big Ten), which swept its weekend Big Ten series with PSU following a 6-3 win at Pegula Ice Arena on Friday night. The Spartans have also won six straight games overall, and 10 of their last 11 outings.

Aidan Fink scored twice for Penn State (18-8-0, 10-6-0), while Dane Dowiak set up three goals for the Nittany Lions, who got 35 stops in net from Kevin Reider. MSU outshot PSU, 40-35, on the day, and also went 1-for-2 on the power play, with Stramel supplying that goal. The Spartans will now face No 1 Michigan twice next weekend, including the annual "Duel in the D" matchup in Detroit, while PSU is off until playing at Michigan on Feb. 13-14. 

U.S. Collegiate Selects Make Spengler Cup Final

Aiden Fink (Penn State) scored three goals and set up another, and Alex Tracy (Minnesota State) made 32 saves as the U.S Collegiate Selects defeated HC Sparta Praha, 5-2, in the semifinal round of the 2025 Spengler Cup. It is the first time current NCAA players are competing in the tournament in its 103-year history.

Team USA will face host HC Davos in the title tilt on Wednesday in Switzerland. The U.S. previously defeated Davos, 5-3, in group play back on Dec. 27. Davos is seeking its record 17th Spengler Cup club championship, and second in three years.

ADDENDUM: Davos claimed its latest Spengler Cup title with a 6-3 victory over the U.S Collegiate Selects in the final. Adam Tambellini (North Dakota) notched two goals and an assist for Davos, while Fink was named to the All-Star Team.

Penn State Edges Minnesota in OT

Simon Mack scored on a wrist shot just over three minutes into overtime to lift host Penn State to a 4-3 win over Minnesota in Big Ten action last night before 6,577 on-lookers in University Park, Pa. The No. 15 Nittany Lions also stretched their unbeaten streak, which dates back to Feb. 7, to seven games.

Brodie Ziemer had two assists for Minnesota (23-8-4 overall, 14-6-3 Big Ten), which fought back from 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to force the OT. Former Penn State netminder Liam Souliere made 28 saves for the Golden Gophers, who fell one point behind Michigan State in the race for the top spot in the Big Ten.

Aiden Fink and Jimmy Dowd, Jr. set up two goals apiece for the Nittany Lions (18-11-4, 9-10-4), who also got 31 stops from Arsenii Sergeev. It was also the 400th career collegiate victory for Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky, the only coach the program has known since it joined the NCAA Division I ranks in 2013. The two schools will close out the 2024-25 regular season tonight in a rematch at Pegula Ice Arena.

ADDENDUM: Behind two goals from Matthew Wood and 30 saves from Souliere, Minnesota defeated Penn State, 5-3, in the rematch on Saturday to claim a share of the Big Ten regular-season crown. Michigan State still earned the first seed and a first-round bye in the conference tournament, while Minnesota will host seventh-seeded Notre Dame and fifth-seeded Penn State will visit fourth-seeded Michigan in the best-of-three quarterfinals next weekend.