The top-ranked Boston University men’s hockey team faced its first real test on Friday night.

It certainly did not receive a passing grade.

The Terriers fell, 4-2, to No. 3 Michigan State (2-1) in front of a silenced Agganis Arena and a national audience, broadcast on ESPN2.

“We weren’t ready for the moment,” said head coach Jay Pandolfo.

BU (2-1-1) looked disconnected all night, struggling to string together passes, exit its defensive zone, and generate any sustained offensive pressure during even-strength play.

The Terriers failed to follow Pandolfo’s instructions in the lead-up to Friday’s contest, which emphasized wanting to hang onto the puck and force Michigan State to steal it, rather than entering a battle and playing the Spartans’ direct style of hockey.

“They didn’t want to follow any game plan,” Pandolfo said of his team. “It was ugly. It was really ugly.”

BU was outclassed from the opening puck drop. After sophomore forward Sacha Boisvert won the draw, the Terriers quickly conceded the puck, allowed a 2-on-1 rush, and were fortunate that senior forward Charlie Stramel’s shot from the slot sailed wide.

“We’re lucky they don’t score there,” Pandolfo said.

It didn’t take long for Stramel to find the back of the net, opening the scoring at 5:52 of the first period. Mere seconds after the clock expired on a Spartans power play, senior defenseman Matt Basgall unleashed a shot from the top of the right circle. Stramel, standing in front of the crease, tipped the puck past the left shoulder of sophomore netminder Mikhail Yegorov.

The Terriers were gifted a golden opportunity to equalize just 16 seconds later. MSU freshman forward Austin Baker was ejected with a game misconduct major penalty for cross-checking Cole Hutson in the neutral zone, setting up a five-minute man advantage for the Terriers.

It was the Spartans, however, who found the back of the net at 7:30 of the first period after freshman forward Conrad Fondrk mishandled the puck in the neutral zone. MSU freshman Eric Nilson stripped the puck and scored on a 1-on-0 breakaway, lifting the puck gloveside past Yegorov for a shorthanded goal to double the Spartans’ lead.

“All of a sudden, we mishandle it, and they’re in on a breakaway,” said Pandolfo.

The Terriers failed to score over the remaining 3:38 of the man advantage. Michigan State outshot BU over the major penalty, 3-2, including another 1-on-0 breakaway chance that Yegorov thwarted.

“I thought guys were trying to do it alone instead of together,” Pandolfo said of the five-minute power play.

MSU freshman forward Porter Martone, the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft, was sent to the box for interference — a neutral zone hit against junior captain Gavin McCarthy — at 12:07 of the first period.

Sophomore defenseman Sascha Boumedienne took advantage, slicing BU’s deficit in half at 13:17 of the frame. The Swede unleashed a wrister from the high slot into the top right corner to beat junior netminder Trey Augustine.

Freshman forward Cayden Lindstrom, the 2024 fourth overall pick, answered right back to make it 3-1 Spartans at 15:12 of the first period, slotting a five-hole finish past Yegorov on yet another 1-on-0 breakaway. The Terriers were late to transition, and Lindstrom beat them down the ice. Freshman defenseman Carter Amico was left helplessly trailing the play, and no other white sweater was even in sight.

“We’re handing them breakaways in the first period,” Pandolfo said. “Just a lot of careless, careless mistakes.”

After a scoreless second period, MSU sophomore forward Shane Vansaghi added on for the Spartans at 1:57 of the third period, cleaning up a rebound in front of the net.

With a three-goal third-period lead, MSU continued generating chances, while BU was hemmed into its defensive zone. The Spartans outshot BU 14-5 in the third period and 34-20 overall.

Once most of the BU fans had already headed for the exits, freshman Ryder Ritchie scored at 19:00 of the third period to make it 4-2 Spartans. Martone was whistled at 18:37 for a 10-minute roughing penalty, and with the net empty, Ritchie converted the 6-on-4 opportunity.

The Terriers went 2-for-6 on the power play, including the scoreless five-minute sequence.

“I don’t even count the second power play goal. We get one power play,” said Pandolfo. “We had nothing even strength. Nothing.”

BU will have to regroup quickly to avoid another letdown, as the Spartans await the second contest of a two-game series on Saturday at 7 p.m.

“It’s not going to be easy,” Pandolfo said. “It’s going to be a really good way to see what we’re kind of made of tomorrow night, and see what type of response we have.”