Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Northern Michigan
No. 3 Hockey Prepped for Regular Season Opener Against Northern Michigan
10/8/2026 12:33:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
|  No. 3/3 Michigan State (0-0-0, 0-0-0 B1G) vs. Northern Michigan (1-1-0, 0-0-0 CCHA) | |
| Â Dates/Location | Â Friday, October 9, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, October 11, 1:00 p.m. Â Ron Mason Rink at Munn Ice Arena | East Lansing, Mich. |
|  Tickets  |    2026-27 Single Game Ticket Info |
| Â Â FAQ | Â Â Â Game Day Central |
|  Radio  |   MSUSpartans.com | Michigan State Athletics App      Scott Moore (PxP) & Rob Woodward (Color) |
| Â Streaming | Â Â B1G+ Â Â Friday:Â Jordan Cyprian (PxP) / Madi Groff (Color) Â Â Sunday:Â Charlie Schmidgall (PxP) / Jordan Cyprian (Color)Â |
| Â Live Statistics | Â Â Â Â Click Here |
| Â Â Game Notes | Â Â Â Click Here |
HOCKTOBERFEST:
This weekend enjoy live music, a specialty fall concessions menu, and festive game day fun. Buy any beverage and get a complimentary Hocktoberfest koozie, while supplies last.
Specialty concession items include:
- Bratwurst with Sauerkraut
- Giant Pretzel with Beer Cheese Dip, Cinnamon Cream Frosting and Mustard dipping sauces
- Brew Detroit Corktoberfest Beer
- Green apple bourbon lemonade in an MSU branded Mason Jar
- Hocktoberfest koozies (free to first 500 to purchase any beverage)
Stick around post-game on Sunday for team autographs (posters will be provided, while supplies last, no outside/personal items will be permitted for signing).
NOTES TO KNOW:
• Michigan State skated to a 5-2 exhibition victory over No. 12 Boston College on Friday, Oct. 2 at Munn Ice Arena. Eric Nilson and Anthony Romani both tallied two goals for the Spartans and Mason West added an empty-net goal. Joshua Ravensbergen and Quentin Sigurdson made a combined 36 saves for the win.
• The Spartan's second line of Eric Nilson (2g, 2a), Anthony Romani (2g) and Ethan Belchetz (2a) produced eight points in the exhibition win over Boston College.
• Michigan State was selected to finish second in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll coming off back-to-back-to-back Big Ten regular season championships in 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26.
• MSU sophomore forward Ryker Lee was selected to the Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team following a freshman season that saw him finish fourth on the team in scoring and third in goals with 15 goals, 15 assists and 30 total points.
• The Spartans open the season as the consensus No. 3-ranked team in the country in the USCHO and USA Hockey polls.
• Michigan State has the second-most NHL draft selections on its roster in the NCAA this season with 17. MSU's nine first round picks is the most of any NCAA team this season. There are only 30 first round NHL selections slated to play college hockey in 2026-27, with MSU rostering 30% of them.
• 17 NHL Draft picks is tied for the most all-time at MSU with the 1990-91 season being the last time the Spartans boasted 17 selections. The 1990-91 team featured on three first round selections (Jason Muzzatti, Bryan Smolinski and Michael Stewart).
• Michigan State returns 14 letterwinners from a season ago while welcoming a much anticipated class of 12 newcomers which includes nine freshman and three transfers.
• Assistant Coach Andy Contois enters his first year with the Spartans after serving in the same role at Northern Michigan for two seasons. Contois played at NMU from 2002-2006, posting 97 points over 131 games played and leading the Wildcats in goals during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons. He was named an alternate captain in 2005-06.
• Head Coach Adam Nightingale is 5 wins away from 100 in his career as a Spartan. Nightingale enters the 2026-27 season with a 95-44-11 overall record and a .670 career winning percentage. Ron Mason was the quickest to reach 100 wins at MSU, doing so in 182 games.
• Patrick Geary was selected as the program's 81st captain and will wear the "C" on his chest this season. Geary's assistant captains are senior Tommi Mannisto and junior Shane Vansaghi. Both Mannisto and Vansaghi are first time captains.
