Sophomore forward Chris Brown recently compared the hockey rivalries of USA-Canada and Michigan-Michigan State as adrenaline-filled matches where both sides can expect each team to give the other its best game, regardless of current records, standings, and streaks.

For No. 7 Michigan, recent success against Michigan State has come largely at the hands of senior forward Carl Hagelin — a Sodertalje, Sweden native whose roots lie far from the in-state tension between the Spartans and Wolverines.

“I don’t know why I’ve been scoring a lot against them,” Hagelin said. “I just try to get a lot of pucks to the net. It’s always fun to play against that team, that’s something people talked about before they came here.”

He might not know why, but the fact remains that Hagelin has been hot for Michigan. The captain netted three goals against the Spartans this weekend, two of which came on the man advantage unit for the Wolverines.

“We’ve all been there,” senior forward Louie Caporusso said. “You see Carl right now, he can shoot from anywhere and it’s going to go in. It’s a great feeling when you’re playing like that. It’s a good feeling when you get on a roll and you start getting some bounces.”

There’s something about the Spartans that brings out the best in Hagelin, as the senior has scored 11 goals and eight assists in his 18 games against Michigan State. Aside from his three lamplighters this weekend, Hagelin scored twice in the Wolverines' first meeting with the Spartans in The Big Chill at the Big House on Dec. 11.

“Carl’s been a key player all year, whether its penalty killing or power play,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said. “He’s getting some puck luck lately and good for him, because he’s one of our hardest workers every day.”

HUNWICK HOLDS DOWN STATE: It always gets chippy when Michigan and Michigan State suit up to play.

But Friday, senior netminder Shawn Hunwick added to the chaos by throwing a punch to Spartan senior Dustin Gazley after Gazley interfered in the goal crease.

On Saturday, Hunwick said he deliberately kept his cool and he notched a shutout victory for Michigan.

The last time the Wolverines shut out the Spartans twice in a season came in the 1952-53 campaign. But thanks largely to the clutch play of Hunwick, Michigan has held Michigan State scoreless twice already this season — and it faces the Spartans once more on Jan. 29.

Hunwick blanked Michigan State 5-0 in the Big Chill before earning his second shutout against the Spartans 4-0 on Saturday.

“Hunwick (got) a shutout, but he earned it,” Berenson said. “Early in the game he made some key saves, and in every period. Even when the score was 2-0 and we had a power play and they got a shorthanded 2-on-1, he made a big save. It could’ve changed the whole game but he made the save and then we went down and scored on the power play to make it 3-0.”

Saturday marked the third shutout of Hunwick’s career.

“Hunwick has played great ever since he got in the net,” Caporusso said. “He couldn’t do anything about the goals at Michigan State (on Friday). Those were screened, tipped. Pretty much he’s been playing perfect for us. We can’t ask more from the guy. He played a great game again (on Saturday) and hopefully he continues it.”

TREAIS KEEPS IT ROLLIN’: Sophomore forward A.J. Treais found a way to keep the momentum on his side.

After scoring two game-winning goals in the Great Lakes Invitational, Treais continued his hot streak this weekend for the Wolverines. The sophomore scored his sixth goal of the season on Saturday against the Spartans to put Michigan up 3-0 late in the third period.

Treais found the back of the net just seconds after the Wolverines went on a 5-on-3 power play. Caporusso dished a pass in front of the Spartan goaltender to Treais, who banged it in top shelf from the right side of the goal.

“I think A.J. continues to grow, his game is growing,” Berenson said. “It’s good to see him score. He shows you he looks like a goal scorer when that puck came to him tonight.”