Lansing Sun

Michigan State University's David Gucciardi has been named the Big Ten's Second Star of the Week as of Tuesday, January 28. This recognition follows his performance in recent games against Minnesota, where he scored two goals and assisted on two others. These contributions helped Michigan State secure a win and a tie against their opponent, further solidifying their position at the top of the Big Ten standings.

In Friday's game, Gucciardi achieved his first two-goal match since 2021 during his freshman year. On Saturday, he assisted on two of Michigan State's three goals in a game that ended in a 3-3 draw. Over the course of these two games, Gucciardi and the Spartan defense collectively accounted for four goals and 15 points, marking their highest offensive output for any series this season.

Gucciardi's current season statistics include four goals, eight assists, and twelve points—career highs in both assists and total points. His plus/minus rating stands at +17, placing him third on the team overall and second among defensemen.

This season, Michigan State players have consistently featured among the Big Ten's weekly stars with awards being received over 12 out of 13 weekends with countable games. Isaac Howard leads with four awards; Charlie Stramel and Daniel Russell each have two; while Gucciardi shares one award alongside goaltenders Trey Augustine and Luca Di Pasquo, as well as freshman forward Shane Vansaghi.

The Spartans have reached an impressive milestone as they are the first college hockey team to achieve 20 wins this season. They currently hold second place in national polls and maintain a five-point lead at the top of the Big Ten standings with a record of 20-3-3 overall and 11-2-3 within conference play. The upcoming schedule sees them traveling to Columbus to face off against Ohio State University’s Buckeyes later this week.