What A Big Ten Hockey Schedule Looks Like Comment Count

Brian

137130644_crop_650x440[1]

It is this:

2013-14 MICHIGAN BIG TEN ICE HOCKEY SCHEDULE
Date Opponent
Friday, Nov. 29 Ohio State at Michigan
Monday Dec. 2 Michigan at Ohio State
Friday, Jan. 10 Michigan at Wisconsin
Saturday, Jan. 11 Michigan at Wisconsin
Friday, Jan. 24 Michigan at Michigan State
Saturday, Jan. 25 Michigan vs. Michigan State (Joe Louis Arena)
Friday, Jan. 31 Wisconsin at Michigan
Saturday, Feb. 1 Wisconsin at Michigan
Friday, Feb. 7 Michigan at Penn State
Saturday, Feb. 8 Michigan at Penn State
Thursday or Saturday, Feb. 13 or 15 Michigan at Minnesota*
Friday, Feb. 14 Michigan at Minnesota
Friday, Feb. 21 Penn State at Michigan
Saturday, Feb. 22 Penn State at Michigan
Friday, Feb. 28 Ohio State at Michigan
Sunday or Monday, March 2 or 3 Michigan at Ohio State
Friday, March 7 Michigan State at Michigan
Saturday, March 8 Michigan at Michigan State
Friday, March 14 Minnesota at Michigan
Saturday, March 15 Minnesota at Michigan
Big Ten Men's Ice Hockey Tournament (Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn.)
Thursday, March 20 Quarterfinals
Friday, March 21 Semifinals
Saturday, March 22 Championship Game

Now, a couple things probably leap out at you: "Thursday or Saturday" and "Sunday or Monday" plus a definite Monday game against Ohio State that's part of a series about a month before conference play starts in earnest.

The latter is because that hockey series bookends The Game, which is pretty cool. Note that that conference series is at the end of November/beginning of December and then there's almost a month before Michigan plays another Big Ten game. Wisconsin and Minnesota will also drop the puck that night for a "doubleheader," sayeth MGoBlue.com, so expect both those games to be televised.

I haven't been able to dig up anyone else's schedule yet so I can't tell if they're going to be moving some of these games around to get more of them on BTN. If doubleheaders are a common occurrence then clearly they will at least be moving times. Michigan would be the early game when there is a Central time zone game on the docket.

I was hoping the Big Ten folks would try to line up more things like that OSU megaweekend, but they did not have many opportunities. At least not for Michigan, anyway. M doesn't play Wisconsin, it's beside the point for Michigan State, the Minnesota game is probably before hockey season is allowed to start, and Penn State is the week after. They may or may not be able to put together a joint PSU/M weekend there, but no one wants to kick the season off with conference games.

Because the stupid format of the conference tournament squeezes what what a three-week process down to one weekend, Michigan will have two extra weekends to futz with. They will likely 1) not fill that January 3 slot in anticipation of not having some kids back from the World Juniors and 2) not have a series like those odd BGSU Tuesdays.

What about the nonconference schedule?

We know a few things. Michigan travels to UNO November 15th and 16th. They also go to UNH the 18th and 19th. For some reason I believe they're headed out to Boston to play the BC/BU twin bill they usually do when they go out there but I can't dig that up except this random blog that BC Interruption trusts implicitly about BC hockey scheduling. He was right about the setup of the latest Frozen Fenway double-header, FWIW. I assume he's right and Michigan will play BC plus some other Boston-area team, whether it's BU, Harvard, or Northeastern. Northeastern did come in a couple years back, Michigan may owe them a return.

They will play in the GLI, as always, and four of their nonconference games will be against the Bentleys of the world because that's just how college sports roll, and Michigan's already going on the road for six quality games. It would be nice to get a couple quality nonconference home series in the mix.

I'm a bit dubious that'll happen. They're not playing Miami, UMD, North Dakota, Michigan Tech (a possibility because of Mel Pearson), or WMU (though they are in the GLI). I'd be shocked if things are cordial enough to schedule Notre Dame after the Irish canceled the Michigan series with maximum asshat engaged. So who's left? ECAC teams, mostly. Which would be okay, but I was hoping Michigan could get some sex appeal on the schedule with their 14 nonconference games. They have, but not at Yost.

Comments

gwkrlghl

May 8th, 2013 at 12:34 PM ^

Seems weird that we have all of these great non-con opponents but somehow managed to get zero of them to come to Ann Arbor. Whats up with that?

2 games at UNH

2 games at UNO

1 game at BC

Other games at Boston school(s)?

Michigan's home non-conference schedule has been fairly awful since I started attending in 07-08. I don't understand why we can't get anyone decent (or more than 1 decent team) to come to Ann Arbor

stephenrjking

May 8th, 2013 at 12:37 PM ^

I like almost everything about this. They're not monkeying much with the Fri-Sat series format, the schedule is backloaded, and good teams are on it. Double-header start times will no doubt make attendance in early games a bit dodgy, but having games staggered so die-hards can watch more hockey? Big win. Best guess is they they'll schedule games for 7pm Easter/8:30pm central, but that's only a guess.



Now if we can just convince Michigan to come to UMD. Pleeeeeeeaaaaaase!



gwkrlghl

May 8th, 2013 at 1:00 PM ^

I will have to rescind my above comments above no good teams coming to A2. How'd we manage to get all of Massachusetts to come play in Ann Arbor? Those are actually 4 pretty quality non-con home games.

I believe Niagara nearly got AHA's auto-bid, obviously BC & BU are elite programs, and Lowell was just in their first frozen four last year. Plus, Michigan Tech at home is pretty cool. Glad to get to play one of the other in state schools

If true, that actually makes this upcoming season's schedule pretty amazing. The only crummy opponent in name is RIT, who has actually been pretty good lately and I get to go see the game in Rochester so I don't mind.

tommya14

May 8th, 2013 at 12:53 PM ^

weekend Michigan plays football at PSU, PSU hockey team plays first ever game in new arena on Friday.  On Saturday the football game is at 5:00 pm so doubt PSU would want any game scheduled which I don't believe they do.

justingoblue

May 8th, 2013 at 1:21 PM ^

but in the big scheme of things I don't think it would be that much more per season than a lot of sports. The equiptment has to be a lot more, but travel isn't bad and there would be at least some ticket/TV revenue.

If Allstate Arena or the Sears Centre were reasonably close to Evanston, Northwestern could probably start up programs without much difficulty (moot point, since they're not playing home games in Rosemont/Schaumburg and those big buildings aren't moving).

UAUM

May 8th, 2013 at 2:04 PM ^

Needs to make their hockey team a Division I team, yo!

Do any other B1G schools have hockey clubs or DIII teams?

Can't wait to start waching the Maize and Blue icers on TV more though.

justingoblue

May 8th, 2013 at 2:08 PM ^

has possibly the best ACHA D1 club in the country, but they're in Chambana without a suitable arena within a couple hours. They would need an entirely new stadium, which is ridiculously expensive.

Sambojangles

May 8th, 2013 at 3:11 PM ^

Is it possible that the B1G basketball schedule is worked into a combined weekend like the Thanksgiving/OSU hockey/The Game? I think many more people would be inclined to travel if they could attend a hockey and basketball game on Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday. 

Who makes the B1G basketball schedule and does anyone think they are taking this into account?