Michigan State continues its winning ways, taking four of six points against Michigan over the weekend and moving back into the sole lead of the Big Ten men’s hockey standings. Granted, it’s only by one point, 39 to 38, but in addition to momentum the Spartans have a favorable schedule over the final weeks of the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines are no longer the team to beat, at least for now, and a pivotal series against Penn State looms. Coming off an off week, the Nittany Lions are still in the conference hunt with 32 points, and two extra games to play on the league schedule. But they’re going to need a lot of things to go right to have a shot at the league crown.
The conference tournament could be a whole different story, never mind the NCAA Tournament, where Penn State hopes to return to the Frozen Four.
Advertisement
Minnesota Duluth stopped its four-game skid, taking an overtime victory from North Dakota, while both Western Michigan and Denver failed to take full advantage of North Dakota’s loss. The NCHC is still up for grabs, however, the contenders are running out of time.
Advertisement
Out East, Providence continues to win, making it nine straight, and would likely be the hottest team in college hockey if it weren’t for Michigan State. Quinnipiac continues to boast one of the most prolific offenses in college hockey, scoring 17 goals over two games, however the ECAC is still a three-team race with Dartmouth and Cornell.
Which is listed first in this week’s power rankings?
Advertisement
1. Michigan State
Michigan State’s Owen West moves the puck against Michigan during the third period on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Spartans took rival Michigan to overtime in Ann Arbor on Friday night, followed by the impressive 5-2 victory in Detroit to win the 10th annual Duel in the D that felt like a statement had been made. The Spartans moved ahead of the Wolverines by one point in the Big Ten standings and over the final three weekends of the regular season will face the bottom three teams in the standings. Michigan State is in the driver’s seat with a great opportunity to secure the Big Ten regular-season title, and more.
2. North Dakota
Advertisement
North Dakota and Minnesota Duluth players faceoff. | North Dakota Ahletics
The Fighting Hawks traveled to Duluth, splitting the series with an overtime loss 3-2 in game one, followed by a 4-1 victory Saturday night. North Dakota remains the team to beat in the NCHC, but its lead over Denver is just two points. All eyes will be UND durign its series with Western Michigan at the end of the month.
Advertisement
SEE ALSO: Top Teams Toppled
3. Michigan
Advertisement
Michigan’s Aidan Park, left, celebrates his goal against Michigan State during the third period on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Advertisement
The Wolverines split with the Spartans, winning game one in overtime 4-3 before losing 5-2 on neutral ice. That’s the difference between No. 1 and 2 in the National Collegiate Percentage (NPI) Index as Michigan subequently fell out of the top spot. The Wolverines are trailing in the Big Ten standings and have a significantly tougher schedule than Michigan State, with Penn State, Wisconsin, and Minnesota to go.
4. Providence
Advertisement
Providence players celebrate a goal against Vermont. | Providence College Athletics
The Friars continue to be one of the hottest teams in college hockey, increasing their win streak to nine in a row. The Friars defeated New Hampshire on Friday in a 6-1 contest, before beating Vermont by the same score on Saturday, both on the road. Providence leads Hockey East with 39 points and has emerged as the clear frontrunner in the conference.
Advertisement
5. Penn State
Oct 4, 2025; Tempe, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions forward Gavin McKenna (72) shoots against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the third period at Mullett Arena. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
The Nittany Lions were idle last weekend, but travel to Ann Arbor to play Michigan in a key two-game series. If Penn State can catch the Wolverines licking their wounds, things could suddenly get very interesting at the top of the Big Ten. If they split, the teams could be on a collision course in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
6. Western Michigan
Advertisement
Western Michigan goalie Hampton Slukynsky defends the net. | Western Michigan University Athletics
The Broncos earned another split this weekend, losing 3-2 in overtime before winning 3-1 the following night against Miami of Ohio. They have Arizona State and Colorado College next, and if they don’t take care of business in the next two series the season finale against North Dakota won’t mean much.
Advertisement
7. Denver
Denver University beats Colorado College in the gold pan finale. | Denver University Athletics
Advertisement
The Pioneers played a home-and-home against Colorado College. In game one, they tied 2-2, with Denver winning in shootouts. The following evening, the Pioneers rolled, winning 4-1 at home. Denver only has two series left this season, including at Omaha this weekend, and will need some help in order to catch North Dakota.
8. Quinnipiac
Advertisement
Quinnipiac men’s hockey needed OT but came out on top against Wisconsin. | David DelPoio/Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
Advertisement
The Bobcats continue to have one of the most impressive offenses in college hockey. They outscored their opponents 17-1, defeating Brown 9-1 on Friday night before blanking Yale 8-0 in game two. The Bobcats have both Dartmouth and Cornell still on the schedule; both teams only trail by two points in ECAC standings.
9. Minnesota Duluth
Advertisement
North Dakota and Minnesota Duluth compete for the puck. | Minnesota Duluth Athletics
The Bulldogs snapped their four-game losing streak with an overtime win against North Dakota, 3-2 in game one. The Fighting Hawks took game two 4-1, but UMD was able to get some momentum back, taking two points in the series. UMD finishes the year with a series against Colorado College and Miami of Ohio. It’s all about the postseason now as the NCHC conference title is out of reach.
Advertisement
10. Dartmouth
Dartmouth teammates celebrate on the bench. | Dartmouth University Athletics
The Big Green won 3-1 on the road at Harvard in a one-game series Friday night that felt like an elimination game for the ECAC title. Dartmouth is tied for second with Cornell at 36 points, with Quinnipiac leading the conference at 38 points. Dartmouth has a favorable schedule leading up to its rematch with Quinnipiac on Feb. 27 that could be a winner-takes-all game.
Paula Wethington is a digital producer at CBS Detroit. She previously held digital content roles at NEWSnet, Gannett/USA Today network and The Monroe News in Michigan. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.
Advertisement
Read Full Bio
/ CBS Detroit
Advertisement
A pedestrian was struck and died of her injuries early Friday on the Lodge Freeway in Detroit.
Emergency dispatchers started to get calls about 2:30 a.m. about someone who was walking along the Lodge, and then were notified that the person had been struck by a vehicle, the Michigan State Police reported.
When troopers arrived, they found multiple cars stopped along the freeway, and people standing around a woman who was severely injured.
Advertisement
Detroit EMS pronounced the woman dead at the scene, state police said. She has not yet been identified.
The driver who struck the woman did not stay at the scene.
“Troopers are currently using technology that is available in the area to identify the vehicle involved,” MSP F/Lt. Mike Shaw said.
The Lodge Freeway, also known as M-10, was closed at about 2:46 a.m. Friday between Chicago Boulevard / Hamilton Avenue and Clairmount Street for the investigation and emergency assistance, according to Michigan Department of Transportation reports. The Lodge was reported back open at 6:05 a.m.
Michigan Department of Transportation traffic reports are at the MI Drive site.
Advertisement
State police said their investigation is continuing. Those who witnessed the crash or have other information are asked to call the MSP Metro South Post at 734-287-5000 or Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 800-SPEAK-UP.
Bryce Underwood talks Michigan football during spring practice
Bryce Underwood talks Michigan football during spring practice at Schembechler Hall in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
The buzzword continued to come up in Schembechler Hall, from each one of the captains.
From Bryce Underwood to Jordan Marshall, Rod Moore to Trey Pierce − Michigan football players around for the previous regime and in the case of the latter two, the one before that too − each said Wednesday, March 25, that there’s a noticeable difference within the program under new coach Kyle Whittingham.
Advertisement
For Moore, a sixth-year player who will likely become a third-time captain when the official leaders are voted on later this summer, he recognized the vibe.
SCHEME DREAM: Michigan football tailoring offense to strength behind Bryce Underwood
“I would say it’s kind of a similarity to coach Harbaugh’s regimen,” he said. “It’s a lot more strict than the past two years, and the weight room has kind of been a night-and-day difference than the past two years. We feel a lot stronger, a lot more progress.”
The Wolverines finished winter conditioning and Whittingham graded it with an “A+.” Hope is often the dominant mode at this time of year and adding a new coaching staff to what’s generally a positive time creates little surprise that the Wolverines are raving about the new system.
Advertisement
But beyond the platitudes and clichés, there are tangible examples. Take Pierce: The projected starting defensive tackle has trimmed his weight to 300 pounds while adding muscle mass to his overall frame.
“Something new that we have now is that whenever we start meetings, there’s like a loud air horn that goes off throughout the whole building,” Moore said. “The past two years, we would start the meeting at 2:30, but now we start the meeting at 2:25, even though it’s a 2:30 meeting. Just everyone being five minutes early. The coaches are holding everyone accountable in the meetings, going to class.
“Just the little things that makes a team great, not just the big, broad things that everyone sees.”
There was an implication from everyone, though nothing said explicitly, that the past two seasons featured little enforcement. Most players would show up on time for lifts, but there were those who didn’t, with few repercussions.
Advertisement
“It’s the little things,” Pierce said. “Guys being late for lifts, guys not being where they’re supposed to be, whether it’s [missing] class. Just enforcing that a little bit heavier, that type of thing. … A lot of coaches say that when you’re being recruited in front of your parents. But for [Whittingham] to say that in front of the huddle after practice and say, ‘That’s why I’m here,’ I would say, ‘OK, he cares. He gets it.’”
Throughout the offseason, some who’ve spent time inside the facility said the weightlifting sessions had notably more juice. The past two years felt like a carryover of the previous years in terms of style, but accountability and discipline wavered.
Now, with Doug Elisaia leading the strength and conditioning room, there are different philosophies.
RAINIER SABIN: Kyle Whittingham is dreaming big for Michigan football; it’s doable
Advertisement
Practices are a bit shorter these days – two hours – but as Marshall said, “I don’t stop moving at practice, like, we’re always doing something that’s not only going to help with us competing with teams, but our conditioning.”
Marshall believes it can take the Wolverines to the next level, he said.
Just more than a week into spring ball, players are oozing confidence. Not just in their skills − the running back room is deep, the wide receiver room has as much raw talent as at any point the past decade, the offensive line returned multiple key pieces, the secondary added depth and the defensive tackles feel underrated − but in mindset.
U-M had early, demanding lifting sessions during winter conditioning, with a clear organization.
Advertisement
“It introduces that factor of toughness, like we’ve been through this at 6:30 a.m., 6:15 a.m., all these days in the grind together,” Pierce said. “It improves team bonding, and puts you in the headspace of, we’ve done harder stuff than this, and nothing can break us.”
The difference between winning and losing can often be razor-thin. Will this pay off when it counts during the season?
“If I can trust you to do things maybe you don’t want to do,” Marshall said, “then I can trust you on the field when it’s the fourth quarter and we have one minute left.”
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
