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After weeks of playing old rivals, new foes and non-conference games (along with Michigan playing American International College for some strange reason), Big Ten conference play is finally here with a pair of series that are 2014 Big Ten conference tournament rematches.
Michigan State (3-6-0) and Ohio State (3-6-1) begin the second B1G regular season Thursday night in Columbus. The Buckeyes and Spartans finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Four of the five games between the teams went to overtime.
A day later Michigan (4-5-0) and Penn State's 20 game Big Ten slate begin with a two-game series against one another. It's fitting the Wolverines and Nittany Lions open with one another. The two have begun to build a history together in the short time the conference has sponsored hockey. PSU (6-2-2) won 3 of the 5 games against the Wolverines in 2013-14, including a 2-1 double overtime win in St. Paul that ended Michigan's NCAA Tournament hopes. Both teams have kept an eye on the other.
Even Wisconsin does something old and new, if not in conference. (Wisconsin and Minnesota both begin conference play December 5-6 in separate series.) UW breaks the "why don't the Badgers leave Wisconsin for non-conference play?" question thrown about for the second time this year when the Badgers head to Colorado this weekend. There Mike Eaves' team will search for its first win against Colorado College and Denver.
It's a far cry from where Wisconsin and CC were since the two met for the 2013 WCHA Final Five championship. That was 20 months ago. Now the Badgers (0-6-0) are still searching for the first win of the year. The Tigers have two.
And the 7-3-0 Gophers, coming off being swept by UMD, hosts the US Under-18 team in an exhibition Friday.
This weekend's schedule, game times and everything short of predictions.
Thursday November 19
Conference
Michigan State @ Ohio State - 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports Detroit Plus/FCS Atlantic (Sports Time Ohio tape delay at 11:00) (Dan Dickerson play-by-play and Manny Legace analyst), Radio: 1460 AM (Columbus)/WVFN 730 AM (East Lansing), Stream: BTN2Go.com
Friday November 20
Conference
Michigan State @ Ohio State - 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: None, Radio: 1460 AM (Columbus)/WVFN 730 AM (East Lansing), Stream: None
Penn State @ Michigan - 7:35 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports Detroit Plus (Matt Sheppard play-by-play and Darren Eliot analyst), Radio: IMG Sports Network (Michigan)/103.1 WRSC (State College), Stream: BTN2Go.com
Non-Conference
Wisconsin @ Colorado College - 8:30 p.m. CT
TV: None, Radio: WIBA AM 1310 (Brian Posick and Paul Capobianco), Stream: NCHC.TV ($$$)
Exhibition
US Under-18 team @ Minnesota - 7:00 p.m. CT
TV: None, Radio: None, Stream: BTN Plus ($$$)
Saturday November 21
Conference
Penn State @ Michigan - 7:35 pm. ET
TV: Comcast 900 (Michigan), Radio: IMG Sports Network (Michigan)/Penn State Sports Network, Stream: BTN2Go.com
Non-Conference
Wisconsin @ Denver - 8:00 p.m. CT
TV: Root Sports Rocky Mountain, Radio: WIBA AM 1310 (Brian Posick and Paul Capobianco), Stream: None
Game times local to school