MSU hockey released it’s schedule for the 2016-17 season yesterday and after a season ripe with top tier opponents, many of them on the front end of the schedule, MSU hockey again will face a tough non-conference slate.
The Spartans for the second year in a row, face contests with Frozen Four reaching Denver, defending national champion North Dakota and Michigan Tech.
MSU opens the season on the road at Lake Superior State, Oct. 14-15 before a six game home-stand over the weekends from Oct. 21 through Nov. 11. That stretch will see games against Denver (Oct. 21-22), Princeton (Oct. 28), Michigan Tech (Nov. 4-5) and former CCHA opponent, Ferris State (Nov. 11).
MSU heads off to face Ferris State, who reached the NCAA tournament quarterfinals last season, on Nov. 12 and travels to North Dakota for a two game series Nov. 25-26.
MSU returns home Dec. 2 for it’s annual exhibition game with the U.S. National Team Development Program U-18 — a game MSU won last year, 3-2 in OT.
Defending regular season Big Ten Champion Minnesota will kick-off MSU’s conference play when it visits Munn Ice Arena on Dec. 9-10. On Sunday, Dec. 18 MSU gets a return visit from Northeastern before taking a break over the holidays.
MSU resumes action, as is tradition, at the Great Lakes Invitational at Joe Louis Arena where it takes on former CCHA opponent Western Michigan on Dec. 29th. MSU will face either rival Michigan or Michigan Tech on Dec. 30 in the GLI championship or consolation game. MSU placed fourth in last year’s GLI after two overtime losses.
Following the GLI MSU hits the road for five straight conference road games. The Spartans clash with Wisconsin (Jan. 6-7), Penn State (Jan. 13-14) and Michigan (Jan. 20).
The Spartans return to Munn to face Michigan on Jan. 21 before a bye week. The green and white resume with home games against Wisconsin on Feb. 3-4. MSU partakes in the Duel in the D with Michigan on Feb. 10 and travels to Ann Arbor the next night, (Feb 11).
The Spartans dispatched Michigan in last year's inaugural Duel in the D, 3-2 in OT.
MSU ends Feb. and games at Munn with contests against Ohio State — which bounced MSU in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals in overtime last season — (Feb. 17-18) and Penn State (Feb. 24-25).
The Spartans final four games are on the road at Ohio State (March 3-4) and Minnesota (March 10-11).
This season’s Big Ten Tournament is at Joe Louis Arena from March 16-18.
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