It's No. 1 Michigan against No. 2 Michigan State. As the rankings suggest, first place in the Big Ten is on the line this weekend, with the Wolverines holding a one-point advantage to this point. Stakes don't get much higher than this in college hockey prior to March.

The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (20-1) take a six-game winning streak into play on Thursday night when they host the Penn State Nittany Lions (10-12) at the Crisler Center.

The Nittany Lions are big favorites to win this dual but that doesn't mean there won't be any intrigue in the contest.