Week 11 Hockey Release

Photo courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

OFFICIAL RELEASE

• Big Ten Hockey teams take part in their last action before the holiday break with three conference series and a nonconference showdown on the docket this weekend. The top two teams in the USA Hockey/The Rink Live Poll clash as No. 3/2 Michigan State takes on No. 1/1 Minnesota at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Golden Gophers, the lone undefeated team in Big Ten play, are the new No. 1-ranked team in the country after Michigan State held that distinction for the past two weeks. The series opener will be carried by the Big Ten Network. No. 8/8 Michigan plays host Wisconsin with Friday’s contest being the first game of a BTN doubleheader. Notre Dame encounters Ohio State in Columbus — Saturday’s game will be televised by BTN. Penn State meets Army in the inaugural Capital Hockey Classic on Thursday, taking place at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

• Minnesota ran its conference win streak to eight games by outscoring Michigan, 8-0, last weekend in Minneapolis. Nathan Airey (Friday) and Liam Souliere (Saturday) kept the visitors off the board as the Wolverines suffered back-to-back shutouts for the first time since the 1942-43 season. Defense reigned last week with four of six conference games producing shutouts. As a result, goaltenders swept Big Ten Three Stars of the Week accolades for just the fifth time in 232 weeks the awards have been issued.

• Michigan State’s nine-game win streak was halted in a 4-0 loss to Wisconsin Friday in Madison, marking the third-straight season the Badgers have defeated a No. 1-ranked team. The Spartans managed a split in the series with a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday. Wisconsin holds a 23-22-1 edge versus MSU dating to the first season of Big Ten Hockey in 2013-14.

• Michigan forward Michael Hage was named national Rookie of the Month on Dec. 5 by the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA). A Mississauga, Ontario native, Hage led all NCAA rookies with a 1.43 points per game average in November, compiling five goals and five assists in seven games. He helped Michigan to a 7-1-0 record that included games against three ranked opponents. Hage is the highest-drafted player in the Big Ten this season after being selected in the first round (21st overall) by the Montreal Canadiens last summer.

• A total of six Big Ten alumni will take part in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, a best-on-best international tournament scheduled for Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. The United States squad will feature F Kyle Conner (Michigan, 2015-16), D Quinn Hughes (Michigan, 2017-19), F Dylan Larkin (Michigan, 2014-15), D Zach Werenski (Michigan, 2014-16) and D Brock Faber (Minnesota, 2020-23) while Finland’s roster will include F Erik Haula (Minnesota, 2010-13). 

• Tickets for the Frozen Confines: Big Ten Hockey Series, taking place Jan. 3-4, 2025 at Wrigley Field, are on sale at Cubs.com/BigTenHockey. Tickets start at $15.