Isaac Howard and David Gucciardi scored two goals apiece as MSU scored four goals in both the second and third periods to roll past Minnesota.

It’s a big weekend for Big Ten hockey, as Michigan State hosts the Minnesota Golden Gophers for a high-stakes two-game stint at the Munn Ice Arena.

Thankfully for Minnesota, that’s where the count stopped. The Spartans used four third-period goals to top the Gophers 9-3 in the series opener of the top two teams in the Big Ten. Michigan State (20-3-2, 11-2-2 in Big Ten) now leads Minnesota (19-6-2, 10-4-1) by four points on the table heading into the series finale Saturday.