MSU, UM hockey set to play for 348th time, but first time in NCAA Tournament

No two college hockey teams in the country have met more than Michigan and Michigan State. And no game between the rivals will be bigger than the 348th meeting.

The Wolverines and Spartans will meet in the NCAA Tournament for the first time, facing off in the West Regional final in Maryland Heights, Missouri, at 6:30 p.m. Sunday (ESPNU). The winner advances to the Frozen Four in April.

It will be the sixth game between the teams this season, with Michigan State winning the last four, including a thriller, 5-4 in overtime, in last Saturday's Big Ten championship game in East Lansing.

"Michigan State is always a good opponent for us. They've gotten the better of us the last four times," Michigan freshman forward Garrett Schifsky said. "So it's good, we have a little chip on our shoulders. Something to prove."

Both Michigan State (25-9-3), the top seed in the region, and Michigan (22-14-3) proved a lot to themselves, and to the college hockey world, in the NCAA Tournament openers Friday. Both staged comebacks.

In the late game Friday, Michigan rallied past North Dakota, 5-4

Earlier, MSU beat Western Michigan, 5-4, in overtime on a goal by senior forward Jeremy Davidson, a Kalamazoo native who grew up attending WMU hockey games. WMU was the first school to recruit him. The excitement of Davidson's goal was tempered by the quick turnaround, and the Spartans wanting more.

"That's our challenge," MSU head coach Adam Nightingale said. "Obviously, you're proud of our guys. That was a really special game for us.

"Our goal was to come here and win two hockey games."

Michigan on Sunday will be looking for its third straight trip to the Frozen Four, while Michigan State, in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012, is looking for its first Frozen Four appearance since 2007, when the Spartans won the last of their three national championships.

Michigan State fell on hard times in recent years, with Nightingale righting the ship in a hurry.

This is just his second season, and led MSU to its first Big Ten championship.

"Going back three years, I never would've thought we'd be here," Davidson said. "Night's come in and turned the program around, for sure. We're in the NCAA Tournament.

"He just came in and changed the culture."

In the stunning rally against WMU, sophomore forward Karsen Dorwart scored the tying goal with 55 seconds left, with freshman goalie Trey Augustine on the bench. The Spartans had trailed, 4-2, after two periods, when Western Michigan scored three times in a 3-minute, 20-second span in the second period.

Michigan also trailed North Dakota entering the third period, 2-1. Michigan came out in the third period and scored three quick goals to advance.

It's also the second season for Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato, who took over a program in better shape, personnel-wise, than Michigan State, but also took over amid some unrest up top when Mel Pearson was let go. Naurato took Michigan to the Frozen Four in his first season, and his 60 minutes from another trip. The only thing standing in his way is Michigan's chief rival, on the biggest stage, in their biggest showdown yet, in a series that dates all the way to the early 20th century.

"I think it's exciting. I think it's great for the Big Ten," Naurato said. "They're a really good team, obviously. They've proven that. We're excited to play them again."

The status of Michigan sophomore defenseman Seamus Casey remains unclear. He was injured in the first period of Friday night's game, and didn't return.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

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