A year ago, Adam Nightingale and Michigan State hockey felt like they had a really good shot to make the program's first Frozen Four since 2007, but Cornell shocked everyone and pulled off the first-round upset of the top-seeded Spartans.
UConn was trying to do the same this season, but Trey Augustine and the Spartans had other ideas.
After a first-period goal by UConn's Tabor Heaslip with less than five minutes left, Michigan State's Ryker Lee delivered a massive goal on the niftiest move you're going to see in a while. That tied it up, and then a Porter Martone goal midway through the second was the difference. Augustine wouldn't let up another goal despite several really good attempts, beating UConn 2-1.
How good was Augustine against the Huskies? He was getting peppered all game long but stood strong and saved a whopping 41 shots. Unfortunately, UConn was the aggressor for a good chunk of the first two periods, getting a ton of shots on goal.
Seven penalties probably didn't help the 42-22 shot difference, but Michigan State has 24 hours to clean that up before facing the winner of Dartmouth and Wisconsin who play each other at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday evening.
Michigan State got swept by Wisconsin at Munn back in November, but rebounded to sweep the No. 2 Badgers in Madison two months ago. It'll be a tough matchup for the Spartans either way.
Trey Augustine wouldn't let 2025 repeat itself
Against Cornell in the first round last season against the NCAA Tournament's second-lowest-ranked team, Michigan State looked to have a win in the bag, but a 3-2 lead heading into the final period melted away. Cornell would score the game-winning goal with 10 seconds left.
The Huskies nearly tied things up with seven seconds left this time around, but Augustine played out of his mind to lead the Spartans to a win. He wasn't about to let his Michigan State career end this way.
The guys who were around last year still have a bad taste in their mouths and a win over either Wisconsin or Dartmouth would send them to their first Frozen Four in nearly 20 years.
Nightingale and the Spartans are so close. Time to finish the job.