Michigan to Relinquish No. 1? Not so Fast on Overtime-Filled Night: Puck Drop

The 350th meeting on the ice between Michigan and Michigan State, and the first with the rivals ranked No. 1 and No. 2, lived up to the billing Friday night. But they had a lot of company in that respect as well.

A total of 15 Division I college hockey games, nine on the men's side and six with the women, went to overtime, including both games between top-10 teams.

In Ann Arbor, top-ranked Michigan held firm to first place in the Big Ten with a 4-3 victory against the visiting Spartans thanks to Jayden Perron's power-play goal in the extra frame after Will Horcoff was taken down along the board for the Wolverines only time with a man advantage.

Freshman goaltender Stephen Peck improved to 6-0 as his teammates scored the final three goals of the game to overcome a 3-1 deficit heading into the third period. Senior forward T.J. Hughes had two assists to extended his active point streak to 10 games.

The difference in shots on goal? Just the last one that went in, 35-34 in favor of the Wolverines (22-4-0, 13-3-0 Big Ten). For more on the No. 2 Spartans (21-5-0, 12-4-0 Big Ten), check the following from Michigan State On SI:

• MSU Hockey Blows 2-Goal Lead in Third in OT Loss at Michigan

COMEBACK COMPLETE!!!

No. 1 @umichhockey battles back from 3-1 to win in OT against No. 2 Michigan State.

Can't wait for the Duel in the D tomorrow... pic.twitter.com/JRiLvKucuD
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) February 7, 2026

Meanwhile, for the second time this season, North Dakota and Minnesota Duluth opened a series with a game that went into overtime, and just like on Halloween the Bulldogs pulled it out in dramatic fashion. Sophomore forward Zam Plante scored his second goal of the night with just seven seconds remaining in extra time to pull out the 4-3 victory. The last time it was his brother Max who got the game-winner.

The shot was No. 10 UMD's only one on goal in overtime, compared to six for visiting UND. However, the Bulldogs outshot the No. 3 Fighting Hawks 32-24 in regulation.

Zam Plante wins it for Duluth in overtime!

North Dakota 2
UMD: 3pic.twitter.com/n2Jy9MR4pa
— EVERYTHING COLLEGE HOCKEY (@TeamECH) February 7, 2026

• No. 11 Boston College Men's Hockey Suffers 6-1 Home Loss to Vermont

Puck Drop: Saturday, February 7, 2026

• Upon further review of video evidence, prosecutors have dropped the felony aggravated assault charge against Penn State freshman Gavin McKenna because he "did not act with the intent to cause serious bodily harm nor did he recklessly act with extreme indifference to the value of human life” (wrote Centre County district attorney Bernie Cantorna). The 18-year-old still faces a misdemeanor charge after an incident at a State College bar last Saturday. For more check out Penn State On SI.

• Speaking of Penn State, it closed fiscal year 2025 $534.7 million in debt, more than tripling its previous figure of $163.1 million and surpassing Florida State ($437 million) as the likely most indebted department in the country, according to Sportico’s Daniel Libit. The surge is driven by the ongoing $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium. However, Football Generated Record Revenue during its recent playoff run.

• Per the NCAA, today's Wisconsin vs. Ohio State women's game will be the 13th consecutive meeting with the teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the USCHO poll or in NCAA tournament seeding. The last time it wasn't 1 vs. 2 was the 2023 national championship game when at-large Wisconsin beat No. 1 Ohio State. Note: The teams play two weekend series per year season in WCHA play, and then have met in the conference and national tournaments. The last time they played with neither team ranked first or second was Oct. 11, 2015 (No. 3 Wisconsin won 8-0).

Men's College Hockey Friday Scores

Friday's Games
AHA
Air Force 2, Niagara 1 (OT)
Bentley 4, Holy Cross 2
Robert Morris 1, Canisius 0
Sacred Heart 5, Mercyhurst 1
Army 6, RIT 2

Big Ten
No. 1 Michigan 4, No. 2 Michigan State 3 (OT)
Ohio State 6, Minnesota 2
No. 13 Wisconsin 6, Notre Dame 5 (OT)

CCHA
No. 15 St. Thomas 3, Bowling Green 2 (OT)
No. 19 Michigan Tech 3, No. 16 Augustana 2
Ferris State 6, Bemidji State 3

ECAC
RPI 4, Clarkson 3
No. 14 Dartmouth 3, Harvard 1
Princeton 3, Yale 1
No. 5 Quinnipiac 9, Brown 1
Union 4, St. Lawrence 1
No. 9 Cornell 5 Colgate 2

Hockey East
Boston University 3, No. 18 Maine 2 (OT)
No. 7 Providence 6, New Hampshire 1
No. 12 UConn 2, Northeastern 0
Vermont 6, No. 11 Boston College 1
UMass Lowell 3, No. 19 Massachusetts 1

NCHC
No. 8 Denver 2, Colorado College 2 (SO, Denver wins shootout 1-0)
St. Cloud State 4, Arizona State 1
Miami 3, No. 4 Western Michigan 2 (OT)
No. 10 Minnesota Duluth 3, No. 3 North Dakota 2 (OT)

Non-Conference
Alaska 4, Alaska-Anchorage 1
Lindenwood 3, Stonehill 1

Women's College Hockey Friday Scores

AHA
Robert Morris 3, Delaware 2
No. 4 Penn State 6, Lindenwood 3
Syracuse 3, RIT 2

ECAC
Colgate 2, Union 1
No. 7 Princeton 5, Dartmouth 0
No. 8 Quinnipiac 1, Harvard (SO, Harvard win shootout 1-0)
No. 12 Cornell 3, Rensselaer 0
Brown 3, St. Lawrence 2
No. 9 Yale 5, No. 11 Clarkson 4

Hockey East
Boston College 4, No. 13 Holy Cross 3 (OT)
New Hampshire 4, Merrimack 2
No. 6 UConn 2, Providence 1 (OT)

NEWHA
Sacred Heart 3, Post 2 (OT)
Long Island 3, Saint Anselm 2 (OT)
Assumption 6, Saint Michael's 1
Franklin Pierce 2, Stonehill 1 (OT)

WCHA
No. 3 Minnesota 4, St. Thomas 1
No. 10 Minnesota Duluth 3, Bemidji State 2
St. Cloud State 5, No. 15 Minnesota State 1

Games between ranked opponents are bolded. All times are local to where the game is being played.

Men's College Hockey Saturday Schedule

AHA
Mercyhurst at Sacred Heart, 3 p.m. ET
RIT at Army, 4 p.m. ET
Air Force at Niagara, 6 p.m. ET
Holy Cross at Bentley, 6 p.m. ET
Canisius at Robert Morris, 7 p.m. ET

Big Ten
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Michigan State, BTN, 6:30 p.m. ET, at Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Mich.
Notre Dame at No. 13 Wisconsin, 7 p.m. CT
Ohio State at Minnesota, BTN, 8 p.m. CT

CCHA
No. 16 Augustana at No. 19 Michigan Tech, 5 p.m. ET
Ferris State at Bemidji State, 6 p.m. CT
No. 15 St. Thomas at Bowling Green, 7 p.m. ET

ECAC
Union at Clarkson, 4 p.m. ET
Colgate at No. 9 Cornell, 7 p.m. ET
Brown at Princeton, 7 p.m. ET
Yale at No. 5 Quinnipiac, 7 p.m. ET
RPI at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m. ET

Hockey East
UMass Lowell at No. 19 Massachusetts, NESN 7 p.m. ET
Vermont at No. 7 Providence, 7 p.m. ET

NCHC
St. Cloud State at Arizona State, 5 p.m. MT
No. 4 Western Michigan at Miami, 6 p.m. ET
No. 3 North Dakota at No. 10 Minnesota Duluth, 6 p.m. CT
Colorado College at No. 8 Denver, 7 p.m. MT

Non-Conference
Alaska at Alaska-Anchorage, 5 p.m. AT
Lindenwood at Stonehill, 7 p.m. ET

Women's College Hockey Saturday Schedule

AHA
No. 4 Penn State at Lindenwood, 1 p.m. CT
Syracuse at RIT, 3 p.m. ET
Delaware at Robert Morris, 3 p.m. ET

ECAC
No. 11 Clarkson at Brown, 3 p.m. ET
Rensselaer at Colgate, 3 p.m. ET
Union at No. 12 Cornell, 3 p.m. ET
No. 8 Quinnipiac at Dartmouth, 3 p.m. ET
No. 7 Princeton at Harvard, 3 p.m. ET
St. Lawrence at No. 9 Yale, 3 p.m. ET

Hockey East
Boston College at No. 6 UConn, 3 p.m. ET
Maine at Boston University, 4 p.m. ET
No. 5 Northeastern at Vermont, 5 p.m. ET
New Hampshire at No. 13 Holy Cross, 6 p.m. ET
Providence at Merrimack, 7 p.m. ET

NEWHA
Franklin Pierce at Stonehill, 2 p.m. ET
Saint Anselm at Long Island, 2 p.m. ET
Saint Michael's at Assumption, 3 p.m. ET
Post at Sacred Heart, 7 p.m. ET

WCHA
St. Thomas at No. 3 Minnesota, 2 p.m. CT
Bemidji State at No. 10 Minnesota Duluth, 2 p.m. CT
No. 2 Ohio State at No. 1 Wisconsin, 3 p.m. CT
No. 15 Minnesota State at St. Cloud State, 6 p.m. CT

Inside the NHL Diet at the Winter Olympics

Olympic Hockey Update

• It was a good news, bad news day for the Swiss women's hockey team. The good news was that it rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to defeat Czechia in a shootout, 4-3. Ivana Wey scored the shootout winner. Alina Muller (Northeastern) had a goal and an assist, and Laura Zimmerman (St. Cloud State), and Lara Christen scored for Switzerland. ...

• The Swiss Olympic Committee announced later in the day that a player tested positive for norovirus and as a result the entire team was in isolation and skipped the opening ceremony.

• Finland's coach said: "We will play the USA, no matter what" after 13 players had to be isolated Thursday and its opening game against Canada had to be postponed.

Olympic Women's Hockey Friday Scores
Group A
Switzerland 4, Czechia 3
Group B
Japen 3, France 2

Olympic Women's Hockey Saturday Schedule
Group A
United States vs. Finland, Fiera Milano, Milan, 12:40 p.m. ET
Switzerland vs. Canada, Fiera Milano, Milan, 5:10 p.m.
Group B
Germany vs. Japan , Fiera Milano, Milan, 6:10 a.m.
Sweden vs. Italy, PalaItalia Santa Giulia, Milan, 8:40 a.m.

Hockey Quote of the Day

During a phone call, Bob Johnson, who was scouting for the University of Wisconsin, asked Chris Chelios about his free time and the defenseman said, "I'm working on my stick." Johnson's response: "Must be a hell of a stick."

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We'll Leave You With This ...

David Deputy scores to give Miami a 3-2 overtime victory over reigning national champion No. 4 Western Michigan. — David Deputy scores the game-winner to give Miami a 3-2 overtime victory over reigning national champion No. 4 Western Michigan on Feb. 7, 2026. | Will Miklautsch/Western Michigan Athletics