Week 17 Hockey Release

Photo courtesy of Michigan Athletics

OFFICIAL RELEASE

• The final month of the regular season begins this weekend with a showdown between the nation’s top teams — No. 1/1 Michigan versus No. 2/2 Michigan State. The series begins Friday in Ann Arbor (on FS1) before moving to Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on Saturday for the “Duel in the D”. The battle for the “Iron D” trophy will air on the Big Ten Network. The most played rivalry in college hockey, Michigan and Michigan State split in November with each school winning on the road. No. 13/11 Wisconsin returns home to host Notre Dame. The Badgers are in contention for home ice for next month’s Big Ten Tournament while the Fighting Irish are coming off a pair of ties to close their nonconference schedule. Notre Dame goaltender Nicholas Kempf made an NCAA-high 76 saves (not counting 10 in shootouts) last week against Bowling Green, posting a .938 save percentage. This weekend’s action also features Minnesota hosting Ohio State, teams next to each other in the standings. A December series between the schools produced 20 goals, an overtime session, and a series split. Saturday’s tilt in Minneapolis will be part of a BTN doubleheader. No. 6/6 Penn State is off this week. 

• Penn State drew the second-largest crowd in college hockey history on Saturday when 74,575 fans turned out for PSU’s first-ever Division I outdoor game at Beaver Stadium. Michigan State prevailed, 5-4, in overtime aided by a hat trick from Charlie Stramel, who was named the Big Ten First Star of the Week. Saturday’s crowd bumped Penn State into second place in NCAA home attendance (10,943), giving the Big Ten four teams in the Top 10. Saturday’s matinee was also the highest-attended college game since 2010 when Michigan-Michigan State met outdoors at Michigan Stadium.

• The Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 kickoff this week with the men’s hockey competition slated for Feb. 11-22 at the Milan cluster. Nine Big Ten alumni will represent four countries as NHL players return to the Games for the first time since 2014.

UNITED STATES (6)
Michigan: F Kyle Connor (Winnipeg-NHL), D Quinn Hughes (New Jersey-NHL), F Dylan Larkin (Detroit-NHL), D Zach Werenski (Columbus-NHL)
Minnesota: D Brock Faber (Minnesota-NHL), Jackson LaCombe (Anaheim-NHL)

FINLAND (1)
Minnesota: F Erik Haula (Nashville-NHL)

GERMANY (1)
Michigan State: F Wojciech Stachowiak (Syracuse-AHL)

ITALY (1)
Michigan State: F Dustin Gazley (Bolzano HC-AUS)