No. 2 Hockey Takes Down No. 5 Penn State at Beaver Stadium Behind Stramel’s Hat Trick

Saturday, January 31

State College, Pa.

1 PM

Michigan State University

21-5-0, 12-4-0

Penn State

18-8-0, 10-6-0

OT 1

Michigan State

Penn State

Charlie Stramel, action, hockey, 2025-26

Photo by: Michael Caples

No. 2 Hockey Takes Down No. 5 Penn State at Beaver Stadium Behind Stramel’s Hat Trick

1/31/2026 10:16:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – No. 2/2-ranked Michigan State hockey played spoiler on Saturday afternoon, taking down No. 5/5-ranked Penn State in overtime, 5-4, in front of 74,575 fans outdoors at Beaver Stadium. Senior forward Charlie Stramel's hat trick was the second of the weekend for MSU and the first of his career.

"Tough, tough environment," said Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale. "The crowd was awesome. Feel fortunate that Penn State offered us to come and play in it. Try to take advantage of the experience for our guys. It was back and forth, and we stuck with it. Some timely goals by us for sure, the one with two seconds left in the period was a big one. To come back, you're on the road in this type of environment, to tie it up and find a way to get in done in overtime I thought was awesome."

MSU improves to 21-5-0 overall and 12-4 in the Big Ten, taking five of a possible six standings points this weekend and 10 of 12 from Penn State in the season series. Penn State falls to 18-8-0 (10-6-0 B1G). The Spartans return to the ice next weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich. for a dance with top-ranked Michigan on Friday, February 6.

Stramel and senior forward Daniel Russell paced the Spartans with four points each. Stramel's points coming on three goals and an assist while Russell added three assists and a goal. Freshman forward Porter Martone matched Russell's three assists, giving MSU's top line forwards 11 points on the afternoon. Senior defenseman Matt Basgall scored the game-tying goal in the third period.

Also contributing assists for Michigan State on Saturday were junior defenseman Patrick Geary, sophomore defenseman Owen West and freshman Ryker Lee. Junior goaltender Trey Augustine made 31 saves in goal and improves to 15-5-2 in his career against Top 5-ranked opponents.

Trey with a big stop on the breakaway! pic.twitter.com/Rubp49XE4f
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 31, 2026

The Spartans out-shot Penn State 40-35 overall and posted the only three shots on goal of the overtime period. Michigan State's penalty kill went 3-for-3 on the day stopping all five Nittany Lion power play shots. MSU's power play went 1-for-2 including Stramel's late second period goal.

How It Happened
No stranger to outdoor games, Russell quickly opened the scoring for MSU in the first period just 2:23 in. Martone made a smart pass near the wall to find Stramel, who saw Russell waiting on the back door.

Who knows outdoor games better than Danny Russell?

He makes it 1-0 in the first period! pic.twitter.com/sFlDwTM17E
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 31, 2026

Penn State tied the game at 1-1 13 seconds into the second period, but the Spartans had a swift response. West sent a perfect stretch pass down ice to Martone, whose initial shot was saved before Stramel came in to play clean-up crew.

The Nittany Lions added two additional second period goals to claim a 3-2 lead with under four minutes to remaining.

A late PSU penalty gave the Spartans a power play with 45 seconds to play in the second. With 10 seconds left in the period, MSU went on the offensive as Russell caught the Nittany Lions napping, finding Stramel unattended in the slot for his second goal of the afternoon.

Charlie Stramel beats the buzzer to tie the game at 3-3 before the second intermission! pic.twitter.com/wltlOWH7iT
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 31, 2026

Both sides traded goals early in the third period with Penn State scoring on a breakaway 4:17 and Michigan State tying things at 4-4 at 7:47 with a bar down point shot by the captain Basgall. Each team sought the game-winning goal in regulation but came up short.

The captain Matt Basgall comes in clutch to tie the game at 4-4! pic.twitter.com/DHwUmoJsHq
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 31, 2026

Michigan State dominated the overtime period registering all three shots on goal. Russell had his initial shot on goal saved by the Nittany Lion goaltender before battling for the puck along the boards with Geary. Geary won the puck and found Stramel all alone in front of the goal for his third of the game and his sixth game-winning goal of the season.