Friday, August 29, 2025
Referees try to break up fights between Michigan State and Penn State players at Munn Ice Arena on Feb. 22, 2025. The Spartans lost 3-2 to the Nittany Lions.
Michigan State ice hockey will face Big Ten rival Penn State on Jan. 31, 2026, for the first-ever outdoor game on Penn State’s campus.
The regular season match-up will be held at Beaver Stadium, the home of Penn State football, which holds over 106,000 fans.
A now 20-year tradition of outdoor hockey games got its start in East Lansing when MSU took on Michigan a Spartan Stadium in 2001. MSU has since inspired the NHL Winter Classic, The Frozen Confines at Wrigley Field and more.
Last year, the Spartans were projected to make a long run in the NCAA tournament but fell short in overtime to Cornell in the first round. The Spartans finished 26-7-4 and finished atop the Big Ten in the regular season, also for the second year in a row.
The game will set stage for some of the most hyped up Candian prospects in hockey, featuring MSU’s Porter Martone who was drafted No. 6 overall in the 2025 NHL draft, and Penn State’s Gavin McKenna who is the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft. MSU had previously been in pursuit of McKenna before he ultimately committed to Penn State, adding another layer of intrigue to the matchup.
The Nittany Lions are coming off an impressive season, landing their first Frozen Four in program history. After a slow start, they went on a 15-5-1 run before losing to Boston University to finish their season.
MSU and Penn State will also face each other the day after the outdoor game on Feb.1 at Pegula Ice Arena, and on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8 at Munn Ice Arena.
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