Michigan State Hockey Wins Big Ten Tournament Championship, Advances to NCAA

Michigan State hockey claimed its second consecutive Big Ten Tournament title by defeating Ohio State 4-3 in double overtime, marking a historic achievement as the first program to sweep both the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships in consecutive seasons. Junior forward Isaac Howard scored the game-winning goal and was recognized as both the Big Ten Scoring Champion and Player of the Year. Under head coach Adam Nightingale, the Spartans have transformed into a national contender, returning to the NCAA Tournament as a one-seed for the second year in a row. Despite being ranked No. 1, analytics suggest that Boston College may hold the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament due to a higher PairWise ranking. Michigan State aims to reach its first Frozen Four since 2007, following a disappointing exit in the previous year's tournament. The Spartans' success reflects their impressive season, having also secured titles in the Great Lakes Invitational and the Duel in the D.