Wolverine and Spartan rivals scuffle on the ice Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, at Munn Ice Arena during the first period at Munn Ice Arena. Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Preview: MSU Hockey's Massive Rivalry Series vs. Michigan

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jacob Cotsonika | Last updated Dec 5, 2025 11:11 AM ET

One of the defining series for third-ranked Michigan State hockey is here, as the Spartans get ready to go against No. 1 Michigan. Friday's game is in East Lansing; Saturday's is in Ann Arbor.

Here are all the details on how to view both games:

Friday TV Details

Robert Killips | Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Puck Drop: 8:30 p.m. ET

Channel: Big Ten Network

Announcers: Fred Pletsch, Ben Holden

Saturday's TV Details

Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Streaming: Big Ten Plus

Current B1G+ Prices: $12.99/month, $89.99/year

More on the Matchup

Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

These will be games No. 348 and 349 in the rivalry's history on ice. UM has a 179-144-24 lead in the all-time series. Each team won two times apiece against the other last season. Since Adam Nightingale arrived in East Lansing, the Spartans and Wolverines are 7-7 against one another.

Both will be critical, as both teams are trying to jockey for positioning in the Big Ten standings. Michigan is 15-3-0 overall this year, a 6-2-0 conference record, and 17 Big Ten points. MSU is 11-3-0 overall and 4-2-0 in the conference with 12 points.

The Wolverines enter with plenty of momentum, holding a four-game winning streak and the top spot in the polls. Their last series was a sweep of Harvard, though the second game went into overtime. Michigan is also battle-tested and has had series against current No. 2 Wisconsin (split), No. 7 Western Michigan (split), No. 9 Penn State (split), and No. 16 Providence (sweep).

UM enters the weekend with a three-way tie for the most points on the team. Will Horcoff, a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins, leads Michigan with 18 goals, with eight additional assists to land at 26 points. Michael Hage, a first-round selection of the Montreal Canadiens, has 10 goals and 16 assists. T.J. Hughes has nine goals and a team-high 17 assists.

Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

In goal for the Wolverines, almost certainly, will be Jack Ivankovic. He's started all 18 of Michigan's games this season. To this point, the second-round pick of the Nashville Predators has a save percentage of .922 and is only allowing two goals per game.

UM is currently in its fourth season with Brandon Naurato as its head coach, including his first campaign that was spent with the interim tag. The Wolverines reached the Frozen Four during each of their first two seasons with Naurato, but missed the NCAA Tournament entirely last season. Naurato has a career record of 82-45-9 (.636) in Ann Arbor.