Spartans battle Minnesota for Big Ten title supremacy and playoff seeding. Every goal, every save, counts in this crucial series finale.
WHO: No. 2 Michigan State Spartans (24-7-1, 15-6-1) vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (11-20-2, 7-14-1)
WHERE: 3M Arena at Mariucci – Minneapolis, MN
WHEN: Thursday, March 5 at 8 PM EST / Friday, March 6 at 8 PM EST
WATCH: Both games on BTN+
The final two regular-season games are here.
Not long ago, the season was just getting started. The Spartans embarked on their quest for a third consecutive Big Ten championship, but expectations around the program were even higher than that.
Michigan State welcomed a new group into the fold, headlined by phenom freshman Porter Martone, along with several other players who would need to contribute early in their collegiate careers. At the same time, a strong core of returning players hoped to guide the Spartans to their first Frozen Four championship in nearly twenty years.
From the very beginning, the schedule came fast and furious. Weekends filled with games and holiday festivities blurred together as the season rolled along. Weeks flew by, rankings shifted constantly, and the intensity around college hockey only grew.
Then the calendar flipped to the new year. While everyday life may have slowed down a bit, the hockey season ramped up even more. Instant classics, shocking upsets, and dramatic finishes became the norm. For fans of the sport, you really couldn’t have asked for much more.
Now, after months of action, everything comes down to the final regular-season series. These two games will determine seeding for the Big Ten Tournament before attention quickly turns to the race for the Frozen Four.
The Spartans enter the series following a tough weekend against Ohio State. The Buckeyes seized control of Game 1 early, scoring three goals in just five minutes during the first period and never relinquishing the lead in a 5-1 victory.
Game 2, however, told a very different story.
In the final home game for Michigan State’s seniors, the contest turned into a full-blown dogfight. Neither team could break through in regulation, and even overtime failed to settle things. The game eventually moved to a shootout, where it took an incredible 13 rounds before an unlikely hero emerged. Colin Graph buried a five-hole goal, and goaltender Trey Augustine followed with a clutch save to secure a gritty Spartan victory.
Because of the series split, Michigan State slipped from No. 1 in the national rankings to No. 2, receiving the third-most first-place votes behind Michigan and North Dakota.
At this point, however, the national polls matter far less than the Big Ten standings.
Right now, the Wolverines hold a two-point advantage over the Spartans, but there is an important detail: Michigan has already finished its regular season. That leaves Michigan State with two games still to play.
The math is simple. One Spartan victory would tie Michigan for first place in the conference. If Michigan State records a win and either reaches overtime in the other game or sweeps the series outright, the Spartans would claim the Big Ten title outright for the third consecutive season.
Of course, Michigan State made things a bit more interesting by dropping the first game against Ohio State last weekend.
Meanwhile, Minnesota sits near the bottom of the conference standings with just seven Big Ten wins. Still, that doesn’t mean this will be an easy series for the Spartans.
Far from it.
The Gophers will be playing with plenty of motivation of their own. Not only will they be battling for pride in front of their home crowd, but the results of this series will directly impact their postseason position.
While all seven teams in the conference qualify for the Big Ten Tournament, seeding still matters significantly. The seventh-place team will be forced to face either Michigan or Michigan State in the opening round, depending on how the standings shake out.
That’s a matchup Minnesota would much rather avoid.
In fact, the Gophers showed last weekend that they’re capable of competing with anyone. Minnesota defeated Michigan in the first game of that series and nearly stole the second game as well.
So while the records may look lopsided on paper, expect the Gophers to bring plenty of energy into this final regular-season showdown.
For Michigan State, the stakes are clear. If the Spartans secure the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, they will earn a first-round bye and won’t begin postseason play until the semifinals — a significant advantage in a high-intensity conference tournament.
Everything is on the line.
Prediction
Both teams are going to want these games badly.
Forget the records. When the final weekend of the Big Ten season arrives, everything gets thrown out the window. Games like this often turn into all-out Midwestern battles, and this series should be no different.
Expect strong goaltending, physical play, and moments of explosive offense from both sides. With so much at stake for each team, the atmosphere should feel very much like playoff hockey.
And if that’s the case, fans could be in for two thrilling games to close out the regular season.
Thursday:
Michigan State – 3
Minnesota – 2
Friday (Overtime):
Michigan State – 2
Minnesota – 1