Michigan State goaltender DeRidder heading to North Dakota for fifth year of NCAA eligibility in ’22-23

North Dakota announced Wednesday the addition of goaltender Drew DeRidder from Michigan State for the 2022-23 season. DeRidder will come to North Dakota for his fifth year of collegiate hockey and will be immediately eligible. “We would like to welcome Drew to North Dakota,” said North Dakota coach Brad Berry in a statement. “He brings … Read more

Minnesota’s Meyers chosen Big Ten player of year, Gophers’ Faber top defensive player, Ohio State’s Dobeš best goalie, Minnesota’s Motzko gains coaching honors

The Big Ten announced Tuesday the hockey all-Big Ten teams and individual award winners as selected by the conference’s coaches and a media panel. Minnesota’s Ben Meyers was named the Big Ten player of the year, while teammate Brock Faber was tabbed the defensive player of the year, which is awarded to a defenseman or … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Looking at why each Big Ten team will win the postseason tournament, and why each team won’t

The Big Ten playoffs start this weekend, and here are reasons for and against each team winning the championship and getting the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Michigan Why the Wolverines will win the tournament: Michigan failed to take its name off the list of teams to never win a Big Ten regular season … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Entering final month of regular season, conference standings ‘have a dog fight up top right now’

With first-place Michigan sitting idle this weekend, the Big Ten schedule is setup for some movement heading into the final month of the regular season. Though games in hand for Minnesota and Notre Dame don’t make it a perfect storm, the docket for this weekend could see some shuffling in the standings with three teams … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Michigan readying for defending NCAA champion UMass, Michigan State prepping for Minnesota

The game it didn’t play to end the year garnered most of the attention for Michigan last week, but with the defending national champion coming to town this weekend, it’ll be important for the Wolverines to turn the page into the new year quickly. Michigan and the Minutemen will play a Saturday-Sunday series at Yost … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Michigan State racking up wins as Spartans have ‘done some good work this first half’

Michigan State had improved slightly each season since Danton Cole was hired as head coach in 2017. Until last year, that is. Like many other teams, the 2020-21 season was not kind to the Spartans. There just aren’t many ways to polish a 7-18-2 overall record into anything positive, but with one series remaining in … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Penn State looking for offense vs. Minnesota, Michigan hoping to continue roll against Notre Dame

A 6-4 victory over North Dakota in Nashville put a bow on the early portion of the Penn State’s nonconference schedule and gave the Nittany Lions a 6-1-0 record. The start of the Big Ten schedule hasn’t been as kind to the team from Hockey Valley. A trip to Minneapolis gives Penn State another chance … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Notre Dame finding success with increased emphasis on puck possession

There are numerous ways one can describe a hockey team. Jeff Jackson, though, would appreciate it if people stopped using one term to describe Notre Dame. “I really hate when people say we’re a defensive team,” Jackson said Monday night. “We’re a puck-possession team, in my opinion. We really focus on our ability to possess … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Rivalry weekend on tap as Michigan plays Michigan State, Minnesota battles Wisconsin

Michigan State defeated Michigan in a – let’s just keep things simple and say entertaining – football game last weekend. Spartans’ head coach Danton Cole was asked if his team could possibly feed off that energy and keep things rolling when the two schools meet in a home-and-home series on the ice this weekend. “Well, … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Ohio State finding offense by committee is way to go in early portion of ’21-22 season

When the coaches poll came out in September, the Big Ten opener between the teams predicted to finish sixth and seventh probably didn’t cause many to bust out the Sharpie. That being said, both Ohio State and Michigan State have, at least to a point, navigated their early-season nonconference schedule successfully and will be looking … Read more

This Week in Big Ten Hockey: Upcoming Minnesota series with NCHC’s Minnesota Duluth should be ‘just good hockey teams going against each other’

Minnesota hasn’t played an in-state rival for conference points since March of 2013, but in the middle of back-to-back series against St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth, it feels like we’ve been transported back a couple years. The Gophers and Bulldogs will face off in a home-and-home bout this weekend with Friday’s game being played … Read more

Big Ten 2021-22 Season Preview: Michigan has the talent, but are the Wolverines the conference favorite?

As the sudden cancelation of the 2019-20 season and the general, let’s say, quirkiness of last year gets put in the rearview, everyone is hoping for a more normal Big Ten season this year. Saying more normal instead of 100 percent normal is already necessary as during the process of writing this piece a nonconference … Read more

Michigan State names Ward senior advisor to Spartans’ coaching staff, hires Strom as volunteer assistant coach

Michigan State has announced that Peter Ward has been named senior advisor to the coaching staff and Dylan Strom has joined the program as a volunteer assistant coach. Ward brings significant experience, having most recently served as a special assignment scout for USA Hockey in what was his second stint with the organization. He worked … Read more

Michigan State appoints longtime administrator Haller to Spartans’ athletic director post

Michigan State has appointed Alan Haller, current MSU assistant vice president and deputy athletic director, as vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics. The announcement comes after the MSU Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the president’s selection during a special meeting. “Alan has been a leader in developing athlete administrators and broadening the … Read more

Big Ten announces new COVID-19 game rule for upcoming 2021-22 season

The Big Ten announced Monday a new COVID-19 regulation for the 2021-22 season. “In collaboration and communication with the Big Ten Conference Athletic Directors, Chancellors and Presidents, the Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the Sports Medicine Committee – effective today – the conference has determined that if one of its member institutions is … Read more

Former Michigan State goalie Scott to be inducted into Spartans’ athletics hall of fame

Michigan State will induct eight Spartans, including former goaltender Ron Scott, into its athletics hall of fame on Friday, Sept. 24 as part of its annual “Celebrate” weekend. When Ron Scott made the decision to come to Michigan State, he was hoping to be a part of something special. Two first-team All-America selections, two first-team … Read more

Great Lakes Invitational to be changed to showcase format in 2021 with games at Yost Ice Arena, Munn Ice Arena

The 56th annual Great Lakes Invitational will be played in a showcase format at Yost Ice Arena and Munn Ice Arena, rather than a tournament format in Detroit. Michigan Tech will play at Michigan and Michigan State will host Western Michigan on Wednesday, December 29, and then the teams will flip opponents for Thursday, December … Read more

Michigan State receives $1.5 million donation from Harpell family for Munn Ice Arena expansion

Building on the rich tradition of Michigan State ice hockey and expanding on its future, the school announced a $1.5 million gift to the Munn Ice Arena expansion project from former Spartans hockey player Gary Harpell and his wife Joanne Harpell. “This generous gift from the Harpells gives a vital assist to Spartan Hockey for … Read more

Lewandowski returning to Michigan State hockey team for fifth season in 2021-22

Michigan State forward Mitchell Lewandowski will return to the Spartan hockey team for the 2021-22 season. Lewandowski, a senior, is able to return by virtue of an NCAA ruling that allows an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’m beyond excited and grateful for the opportunity to return to East Lansing next … Read more