Big Ten announces 2015-16 hockey schedule

By @MichaelCaples –

Get your calendars out – the Big Ten just announced their 2015-16 hockey schedule.

All six of the Big Ten hockey programs will open conference play on Dec. 4-5, with Michigan hosting Wisconsin, and Michigan State traveling to Penn State.

On Dec. 11-12, Michigan will host Big Ten champion Minnesota, while Michigan State will play their first home weekend set with Wisconsin.

Ten consecutive weekends of conference play will begin on Jan. 8-9.

Michigan and Michigan State have a home-and-home weekend set on those above dates, with MSU hosting the Friday game and Michigan hosting the Saturday game.

The two in-state rivals will meet again on Feb. 5-6 for another home-and-home set. That may be when the two teams play at Joe Louis Arena – locations are not listed on the Big Ten composite schedule.

Michigan will play Penn State at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Jan. 30.

The final weekend of the regular season will take place on Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12, with Ohio State visiting Michigan State and Michigan hosting Penn State.

The 2016 Big Ten Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament will return to Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn., and take place from March 17-19.

See the full schedule here.