Special teams could decide the battle between Michigan Hockey and Wisconsin this weekend, as Big Ten title and NCAA Tournament positioning hang in the balance:

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – With six games left in the regular season, entering Thursday, the Michigan State hockey team controls its own destiny in the race for the Big Ten title. Where they sit in the standings,

Michigan scored three unanswered goals to give the Wolverines a 4-3 overtime win over Michigan State and an all-important extra point.

After defeating Michigan 5-2 in Detroit, Michigan State hockey hopped its biggest rival in the latest USCHO rankings.

Michigan State’s hockey team has ended Michigan’s 10-week run at the top of the national polls. The Spartans and Wolverines changed places at the top of the U.S. College Hockey Online and USA Hockey polls after MSU took four of six points against Michigan during last week’s two-game series – the first ever with the two rivals ranked as the top two teams in the country.

Michigan is four points ahead of Michigan State but the Spartans have two games at hand. Both team, however, are trying to ignore the title noise.

Follow along live as No. 1 faces off with No. 2 in college hockey's biggest rivalry between Michigan State and Michigan.

Wisconsin men's hockey scored a 4-1 victory over No. 2 Michigan Feb. 20. Afterward coach Mike Hastings shared his thoughts on the performance.

Open the Youtube video Watch as M&BR’s Dennis Fithian previews Michigan Hockey’s upcoming series against Wisconsin with radio play-by-play voice Al Randall. *__[Sign up for Maize & Blue Review and get PLUS access for $1!

The freshman is on a serious hot streak now, getting a hat trick against Notre Dame on Friday.