The old saying of “when it rains, it pours” has never rung true more than it has this weekend for Michigan State hockey and basketball fans.
Tom Izzo and the basketball team lost in the Sweet 16 on Friday night after storming back from down 19 to take a lead in the second half. Adam Nightingale and the hockey team lost an even worse heartbreaker on Saturday with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line. The Spartans blew a 3-1 lead with under five minutes left and then lost to Wisconsin in overtime.
The number 19 was apparently a big theme for Michigan State this weekend. The basketball team was down 19 before storming back and falling short, the hockey team choked away its first Final Four in 19 years, and now Nightingale is down a 19-year-old freshman sensation.
On Sunday, the Philadelphia Flyers announced that they were signing Michigan State freshman Porter Martone to a three-year entry-level contract.
Martone was one of the best younger players in the country and he was drafted sixth bu the Flyers a year ago. Spartan fans were probably hoping that he’d return to take care of unfinished business after a devastating second-round loss to Wisconsin, but he’ll now be playing big boy hockey.
Reports indicate that he’ll be joined by Trey Augustine. Word is Augustine will be joining the Red Wings after three years and three Big Ten titles with Michigan State.
Adam Nightingale faces his most important offseason yet
The loss of Martone is a big one, and so is losing the best goalie in the country. Not only that, but Charlie Stramel is also gone after an impressive career with Michigan State after transferring in from Wisconsin.
That’s three of the best players in college hockey moving on, and after a third straight Frozen Four-less season with a loaded roster, Nightingale is facing his most important offseason yet.
Nightingale has to replace some big-time players and make sure he has the roster to get over that hump and ensure that the national title window isn’t anywhere near closing.
This is his most important offseason as Michigan State’s head coach, and he’s partially to blame for setting the bar so high after years of futility.