By @MichaelCaples –
For Wolverines fans, it’s bring on the Badgers.
For Spartans fans, it’s a trip to Buckeye country.
With the Big Ten regular season concluding this evening (Michigan beat Arizona State 5-3, while Michigan State beat No. 5/3 Notre Dame), the 2019 Big Ten Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament bracket is set in stone.
Michigan finishes No. 3 in the Big Ten, which means the Wolverines will host No. 6 Wisconsin for a best-of-three series at Yost Ice Arena next weekend for the Big Ten quarterfinals.
All three of the games at Yost – March 2, 3, and 4 (if necessary) – have 7:30 start times.
The Spartans, meanwhile, will be the No. 7 seed, and they’re traveling to Columbus for a best-of-three series with the No. 2 seed Buckeyes.
The non-Michigan quarterfinal will pit No. 4 Penn State against No. 5 Minnesota in Happy Valley.
No. 1 Notre Dame gets a bye to the semifinals; the Fighting Irish will take on the lowest-seeded team that advances to the semifinals.