Augustine, MSU Hockey Best UConn, One Win from Frozen Four

The best goalie in college hockey came through on a big stage.

Top-seeded Michigan State is now one victory from the Frozen Four, surviving an upset bid by fourth-seeded UConn in a 2-1 victory on Thursday afternoon during its regional semifinal in Worcester (Mass.). Despite MSU being woefully outshot, goalie Trey Augustine came through again and again, stopping 41 of the 42 shots he faced, the most saves he's had in a game in each of the last two seasons.

Michigan State Spartans goalie Trey Augustine talks with a referee during a game against the Michigan Wolverines on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Munn Ice Arena. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

The penalty kill also led the way for MSU. Taking seven penalties is never ideal, but going 7-for-7 at killing off those penalties is a good way to make up for it.

With the victory, the Spartans have advanced to face either 2-seed Dartmouth or 3-seed Wisconsin on Saturday (time TBA). Michigan State will be going for its first Frozen Four appearance since its last national title in 2007.

More on Thursday's Game

Michigan State's head coach Adam Nightingale looks on during the third period in the game against Ohio State on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at Munn Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The first period was a bit of a blitz from the Huskies, who outshot Michigan State 18-8 in the first period. UConn opened the scoring on a goal from Tabor Heaslip, rocketing a rebound past Augustine off a shot from leading goal scorer Joey Muldowney.

That goal came with about four and a half minutes to go in the first. Despite the lopsided shot total, MSU went to stick-handling wizard Ryker Lee for a response. The puck was behind the goal line at points as Lee skated in from the left side of Connecticut goalie Tyler Muszelik, with Lee bringing the puck back and then flicking it over his shoulder to knot the game up.

Both teams remained at one goal apiece for a good chunk of the second period, but then MSU's top goal scorer, Porter Martone, one-timed a pass from Tiernan Shoudy during a 4-on-4 period to give the Spartans the lead a little bit beyond the midway point of the game.

Normally, you'd expect to see at least one more goal or two, but it never came. Augustine ended up stopping all 24 shots he faced during the final two periods to keep UConn at that one goal, showing why he's a Hobey Baker finalist.

NCAA Tournament victories are big deals. This is the first time Michigan State has gotten one during regulation in the Adam Nightingale era. It took overtime for MSU to squeak past Western Michigan in the first round two seasons ago, with the Spartans then falling to Michigan in the next round, and then Michigan State lost in the final seconds to Cornell in the first round last season.

Winning this next game is the next step for the program. Augustine is good enough to keep MSU around in any game, but the Spartans were living very dangerously with that 42-22 shot differential on Thursday.

Michigan State goaltender Trey Augustine (1) hits the puck away against Michigan during the second period of Duel in the D at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, February 7, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images