Michigan State hockey hosts Notre Dame in weekend series

The Spartans look to complete a regular season sweep of the Fighting Irish

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Michigan State hockey is back in action this weekend, hosting a two-game series against Notre Dame. The Spartans have won the first two matchups against the Fighting Irish this season and will look to complete the regular season sweep at home. Michigan State has won seven of its last eight games and trails rival Michigan by just four points in the Big Ten title race, though the Spartans have two games in hand.

Why it matters

This series is an important one for Michigan State as they look to maintain their position near the top of the Big Ten standings and potentially clinch the regular season title. A sweep of Notre Dame would also give the Spartans a confidence boost heading into the final stretch of the season.

The details

The first game of the series will be played on Thursday, February 19th, with the second game following on Friday. Michigan State won the previous two matchups against Notre Dame on the road earlier this season. The Fighting Irish are having a tough year, sitting at just 6-20-4 overall and 2-15-1 in Big Ten play, but are coming off a win and tie against Minnesota last weekend.

  • The series opener is on Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
  • The second game is on Friday, February 20, 2026.

The players

Michigan State hockey team

The Michigan State Spartans hockey team is currently 22-6-0 overall and 13-5-0 in Big Ten play, trailing rival Michigan by just four points in the conference title race.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish hockey team

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish hockey team is having a difficult season, currently sitting at 6-20-4 overall and 2-15-1 in Big Ten play.

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What they’re saying

“This series is an important one for Michigan State as they look to maintain their position near the top of the Big Ten standings and potentially clinch the regular season title.”

— Robert Bondy, Sports Writer (yahoo.com)

What’s next

The Spartans will look to complete the regular season sweep of Notre Dame and continue their push for the Big Ten title in the final stretch of the season.

The takeaway

Michigan State hockey is in a strong position to potentially win the Big Ten regular season title, and a sweep of Notre Dame this weekend would be a big step towards that goal. The Spartans have been one of the hottest teams in the conference over the past two months.