Hockey Preview: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 1 Boston University
The Michigan State hockey season ramps up extremely fast, as MSU ships up to Boston for a series with the No. 1 ranked Terriers.
his weekend will see the Michigan State hockey season ramp up extremely fast, as the No. 3-ranked Spartans ship up to Boston for a series with the No. 1-ranked Boston University Terriers.
After a weekend where the Spartans split a series with another Hockey East team, the University of New Hampshire Wildcats (4-3 loss, 2-0 win) in East Lansing, the competition will stiffen quickly,, with MSU and BU rostering 34 NHL draft picks between them. This not only is a potential matchup that could be recreated in March or April in the NCAA Tournament, but for each team it presents a statement opportunity to be the top ranked team in the country until they are bested. Neither team's season will be made this weekend, of course, but especially in Michigan State’s case, a chance to bring excitement to campus in a down October would be massive.
Before digging into the matchup of the current teams, I want to take some time to set the table of this series from a college hockey perspective, and how great it is to see head coach Adam Nightingale take on the Tom Izzo mantra of playing anyone, anytime, any place. Teams from Boston (namely Boston College and Boston University), playing the big two from Michigan (Michigan State University and University of Michigan), or the University of Minnesota, are cherished in hockey. The three states represented have for many decades been the backbone of hockey development in the United States, through every level of amateur hockey, onto the national teams, and the pros.
When these teams meet, it is similar to Duke playing UCLA in basketball, or Ohio State playing Texas or Alabama in football, and to do it on campus, instead of just in the national tournament for a full two-game series is even better.
The Spartans did a home-and-home series with the Boston College Eagles the past two seasons, and will welcome the Terriers to East Lansing next season. The Spartans last bested the Terriers in Boston all the way back in 1958. Boston University leads the all-time series 9-8, but the Spartans do have a fond memory of beating the Terriers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2007 on the way to their last National Championship.
When the teams meet this time, it will be easily with the most NHL draft picks between the teams, as Boston University with 19 is the only roster to list more than MSU's 15.
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