Michigan State Hockey Rises to No. 1 in National Rankings

After sweeping former No. 1 Boston University on the road this past Friday and Saturday, the Michigan State hockey team leapt up the polls on Monday to take BU's spot as the top team in the nation.

MSU received 29 of the 50 possible first-place votes on the USCHO.com poll. For USA Hockey's rankings, the Spartans got 17 out of 34 possible No. 1 votes. Both rankings had a top three filled with public, Michigan-based schools; the Spartans are No. 1, Western Michigan is second, and Michigan is third.

What's next for Michigan State (3-1-0) is a trip to the Upper Peninsula, as MSU will head to Marquette for a two-game series against Northern Michigan. The Wildcats are 0-6-0, getting swept in three two-game series against current USCHO.com No. 13 Massachusetts, No. 14 Ohio State, and No. 16 Colorado College.

Michigan State will not play in front of its home fans at Munn Ice Arena again until Nov. 7 and 8, when No. 5 Penn State comes to East Lansing to begin the Big Ten schedule.

Boston University Series Recap

Michigan State's head coach Adam Nightingale, center, looks on from the bench during the first period in the game against New Hampshire on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After splitting the season-opening series against New Hampshire at home, Michigan State looked more like the team it was expected to be before the season. MSU entered the weekend ranked third in the country on USCHO.com's poll, the same mark it had in the preseason poll, but down one spot from No. 2 during the UNH series.

Game 1

During the first game on Friday, which was nationally televised on ESPN 2, the Spartans dominated. Michigan State won 4-2, but Boston University only got within two late because of a goal with one minute left while it had a power play and an empty net that created a 6-on-4 advantage.

For the majority of the third period, MSU had been enjoying a 4-1 lead. Even though BU had six power plays to Michigan State's three, the Spartans still outshot the Terriers, 34-20.

Michigan State's Anthony Romani celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period in the game against New Hampshire on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Game 2

In the back end of series, MSU had been leading for most of the game, as well. The Spartans entered the final period up 2-0, but Boston picked things up and outscored Michigan State 3-1 across the final 20 minutes of regulation to force overtime.

That's when things got wild. A shot from BU's Cole Eiserman had leaked past Spartan goalie Trey Augustine, but MSU's Shane Vansaghi turned the puck away just before it crossed the goal line to keep the game alive.

That immediately turned into a 2-on-1 opportunity for Michigan State. Ryker Lee initially handled the puck, but left it off for Matt Basgall, who put it home for the win.

The whole sequence was the No. 1 play on ESPN's SportsCenter the following day.

Things you love to see: #NCAAHockey on #SCTop10 👀

Especially at No. 1⃣ 🔥🔥🔥

🎥ESPN / @MSU_Hockey pic.twitter.com/zW0KAxXhNS
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) October 19, 2025

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