Michigan State hockey announces 2023-24 non-conference schedule, including trip to Boston College
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State hockey’s 2023-24 non-conference schedule was officially released Thursday. The slate includes an exhibition to start the season, two home series, two away series, and the Great Lakes Invitational tournament in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Michigan State will open the season against in-state CCHA foe Lake Superior State on Saturday, Oct. 7 and Sunday, Oct. 8. The matchup will be the first visit to East Lansing since 2017 for the Lakers. The Spartans swept the weekend series winning the two games 4-3 and 6-0.
LSSU finished last in the CCHA last season going 9-25-2 overall. They were 57th in the Pairwise a year ago. LSSU is coached by Damon Whitten – Whitten graduated from MSU in 2001. He was also director of hockey operations from 2008-2010.
The following weekend, Michigan State will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., and face Air Force for the first away weekend series of the season. The two games are set to take place on Friday, Oct. 13 and Saturday, Oct. 14 at Cadet Ice Arena. The Spartans hosted the Falcons during the 2021 season, losing the first game in overtime 3-2. Michigan State bounced back to win the second game of the two-game set 5-1.
Air Force went 12-22-2 last year – sat in 58th in the Pairwise and was last in the Atlantic Hockey conference.
The second non-conference home matchup in October will see Nightingale’s Spartans play host to Canisius. The games will mark the first series between the two programs. The two games are set for Thursday, Oct. 19 and Friday, Oct. 20. The Golden Griffins – who are members of the Atlantic Hockey Association – finished with 20-19-3 record in 2022-23.
The final non-conference series in October will see the Spartans head east to face Boston College on Thursday, Oct. 26 and Friday, Oct. 27. The Eagles had a down year in 2022-23, finishing with a 14-16-6 record. Michigan State defeated Boston College 3-1 in the 2007 Division I men’s ice hockey final, the program’s last national championship.
Michigan State heads to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids for the Great Lakes Invitational on Friday, Dec. 28. The Spartans will play the second game of a double header against Alaska to open the tournament. Michigan Tech is set to play Ferris State in the first game of the double header.
The Spartans – and tournament host Michigan Tech – recently committed to play in the historical tournament for the next four years. The tournament will continue to be held at Van Andel Arena during that time period.
Second year head coach Adam Nightingale and his staff host an exhibition against USA Hockey National Team Development Program (US-NTDP) on Jan. 5, 2024 at Munn Ice Arena. The Spartans faced US-NTDP in a season opener exhibition last season, losing 4-3.
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