Maize Out at Yost to Kick Off Home-and-Home Series With Rival MSU

Friday, November 5

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:30 PM

Michigan

Michigan State

Philippe Lapointe (Michigan Photography)

Maize Out at Yost to Kick Off Home-and-Home Series With Rival MSU

11/3/2021 2:53:00 PM | Ice Hockey

By: Kristy McNeil

» Michigan holds a 166-137-24 record in the all-time series with Michigan State.
» Michigan averages 3.88 goals per game, with Brendan Brisson leading the way with 11 total points.
» Friday's game is a Maize Out; fans are encouraged to wear maize to support the Wolverines.

• Complete Game Notes (PDF)

PROMOTIONS
• Nov. 5: Maize Out, Michigan Light Show, Maize Pom Pom Giveaway
• Full Promotions Schedule

• Social Media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Tik Tok

The rivalry between the University of Michigan and Michigan State ice hockey teams heats up as the No. 3-ranked Wolverines (6-2, 1-1 Big Ten) host the Spartans (4-3-1, 1-1-0 Big Ten) on Friday (Nov. 5) at 7:30 p.m. at Yost Ice Arena. The series finale will have the Maize and Blue in East Lansing on Saturday (Nov. 6) with a 7:30 p.m. start time at Munn Arena. Friday's game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network, and Saturday's game will be streamed live on B1G+.

Friday's contest at Yost also is a Maize Out. Fans are encouraged to wear maize to show their support for the Wolverines. The game will also feature a light show and a pom pom giveaway. Tickets for this game are sold out, but visit our secondary ticket partner StubHub for available seats.

Wolverine Bites

• Michigan is 6-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play after splitting their Big Ten-opening weekend against Wisconsin. The Wolverines are ranked No. 3 in the USCHO poll and No. 4 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll.

• A quartet of sophomores lead Michigan in scoring. Brendan Brisson is pacing the Wolverines with 11 points and six goals, with half of them being of the game-winning variety. Kent Johnson has 10 points and six assists, both good second most on the team, while Thomas Bordeleau is third with nine points (two goals, team-leading seven assists). Defensemen Owen Power and Luke Hughes round out the top five with eight and seven points, respectively.

• Sophomore blueliner Jacob Truscott leads the team in plus/minus at +11 while freshman Hughes checks in at +9. Power leads the team in blocked shots with 11, followed by Truscott and captain Nick Blankenburg with seven.

• Erik Portillo has started all eight of Michigan's games this season, amassing 480:07 of ice time this season. Over that span, he has compiled a 6-2 record with one shutout, a .920 save percentage, and a 2.25 goals-against average.

Scouting the Spartans

• Michigan State was picked to finish sixth in the Big Ten preseason coaches poll, ahead of only Ohio State, but has started the year with positive momentum to find themselves at 4-3-1 on the season.

• Up front, Mitch Lewandowski and Josh Nodler lead the returnees, while a trio of transfers -- Griffin Loughran, Erik Middendorf, and Jeremy Davidson -- have added some scoring punch for the Spartans, who are averaging 2.1 goals on 25 shots per game.

• On the back end, Dennis Cesana continues to pace the blueliners offensively, but freshman David Gucciardi also has made a swift impact.

• Amongst a talented group of netminders, junior Drew DeRidder has separated from the pack as the team's workhorse with a .942 save percentage and a 2.15 goals-against average.

Series History

• Michigan owns a 166-137-24 lead in the all-time series against Michigan State.

• The Wolverines recently had a five-game win streak in the rivalry snapped in the teams' last meeting, Jan. 9, 2021, a 3-2 U-M loss.

• Nick Blankenburg has a team-best seven points (three goals, four assists, seven points) and is a +6 against Michigan State in 13 career games. Kent Johnson scored once and added four assists for a five-point weekend as a freshman last season in his only action vs. MSU.

• Erik Portillo will face the Spartans for the first time in his career on Friday.

Up Next

Thursday, Nov. 11 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 12 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 7 p.m.