Relevant Rewind: 2014 Great Lakes Invitational
The 50th annual Great Lakes Invitational tournament took place at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit in 2014. The participating teams in this event were Michigan, Michigan State, Ferris State and Michigan Tech. The Wolverines and Huskies faced off in the first game of the tournament with Michigan upsetting the Huskies 2-1 despite being outshot 41-21.
The second game of the tournament kicked off that same night. It was the third game of the season between the Spartans and Bulldogs after the teams split a series just two months earlier. There was no scoring in the first frame yet both teams saw plenty of time in the penalty box. Six penalties were awarded in the period with each team receiving two roughing calls. Brent Darnell started off the scoring for the Spartans with a goal early in the second period. The rest of the game went scoreless until Thomas Ebbing scored an empty netter to seal the game for Michigan State.
Old foes Michigan and Michigan State met in the championship game the next night. The game took place after the Huskies defeated the Bulldogs in the consolation game. Andrew Copp scored for the Wolverines in the first period of the nightcap to jump out to a 1-0 lead. Zach Hyman added to the lead in the second period. Michigan State sophomore Rhett Holland cut the lead in half in the third but it wasn’t enough as the Wolverines claimed the 2014 Great Lakes Invitational tournament title. It was the team’s sixth win in a row at Joe Louis Arena and the Wolverines improved their record in the tournament’s championship games to 8-5.
The 2022 Great Lakes Invitational begins this week and will take place at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is the first time the arena and city has hosted the holiday tournament. Ferris State will take on Michigan State in the second game of the tournament. This will be the third time Ferris State has participated in the tournament and the Bulldogs are looking for the first tournament win. Both of these teams also faced one another in the 2019 Great Lakes Invitational Tournament. The Spartans are 49-39-4 all time during the tournament and will be looking to capture the first tournament title since 2009.