Recent Rewind: Michigan and Minnesota State break the ice
The first time Michigan and Minnesota State faced one another was on a neutral sheet of ice within Bulldog country in northern Minnesota. The UMD Bulldogs hosted the 2021 West Ice Breaker Tournament at AMSOIL Arena early in the 2021-22 season. All four participating teams were ranked within the top 10 to begin the season. The #10 Providence Friars rounded out the field in addition to the #3 Wolverines, #1 Mavericks, and #5 host Bulldogs. There were two Ice Breaker Tournaments in the fall of 2021 to make up for the canceled 2020 Ice Breaker Tournament. The East version was held the week before and had a predetermined schedule unlike this seeded tournament.
The Wolverines easily skated by Minnesota Duluth on its home ice by a score of 5-1 on Friday, October 15. The Mavericks defeated Providence 5-2 in the other game that day. This set the stage for an early top 3 contest on neutral ice the following night. The first period of the championship game of the in-season tournament was evenly matched. The scoreless tie was broken in the second period on a power play goal from Wolverine Nick Blankenburg. Minnesota State answered with two goals before the end of the period but Michigan came back strong in the third with two goals of their own. Brendan Brisson scored the game winner for Michigan with less than five minutes to go in regulation.
This was the Wolverines fourth win in a row over a #1 ranked team in the nation. Michigan and Minnesota State would both ultimately end up in the 2022 Frozen Four in Boston at the end of the season. The teams never got a chance to bookend the season because eventual champion Denver defeated Michigan in the semifinals and then took down Minnesota State to win the championship trophy.
Flash ahead three years and Minnesota State and Michigan are set to face one another for the first time since that Ice Breaker Tournament. The teams will hit the ice early in the season once again. Michigan will host Minnesota State this weekend in Ann Arbor for the second and third games in the young series. Michigan is ranked #7/8 in the preseason polls.