Date Set For Michigan State Hockey's Game at Wrigley Field
Michigan State hockey is coming off its best season since its 2011-12 campaign with a 25-10-3 record last year. Before the 2023-24 season, Michigan State was on a 12-season losing-record streak.
Now, Adam Nightingale is entering his third season as the head coach and looks to continue to build upon the successful season he had last year. Last season, Michigan State won the Big Ten regular season title, as well as the conference tournament championship.
We reported back in June that Michigan State hockey was expected to partake in a three-game series at Wrigley Field next season. On Thursday, the Big Ten and the Chicago Cubs officially confirmed this event, announcing the dates for The Frozen Confines: Big Ten Hockey Series. Michigan State hockey will play Wisconsin on Jan. 4 at Wrigley Field.
Michigan State-Wisconsin isn't the only game slated to be played at Wrigley Field this Winter. On Jan. 3, Penn State will face off against Notre Dame, while Ohio State will take on Michigan. Then, on Jan. 4, women's hockey will also be represented, as Ohio State will face off against Wisconsin.
Most of Michigan State's 2024-25 schedule is not yet available. However, it is confirmed the Spartans will play in the Great Lakes Invitational in Grand Rapids, Michigan on the Sunday and Monday leading up to their trip to Wrigley.
This isn't the first time Michigan State hockey had played in an outdoor venue. The Spartans played in an outdoor game 10 years ago, also in Chicago, at Soldier Field in 2015. That followed outdoor games throughout the years at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor and, most famously, “The Cold War” in 2001 at Spartan Stadium.
Wrigley Field is slated to host the NHL Winter Classic on Dec. 31 between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues, just a few days before the Big Ten’s four games. Wrigley Field also hosted the 2009 NHL Winter Classic, the ballpark's only previous hockey game.
Michigan State and Wisconsin finished in first and second place in the Big Ten last season, respectively, and will look to continue the same dominance.
The Spartans' 2023-24 campaign ended with them losing to their arch-rival Michigan. This year, they will look to build upon the success they had and try to make the Frozen Four and, ultimately, win a championship.
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LUKE JOSEPH