"Who Will Prevail: Michigan vs. MSU in the Ultimate B1G Showdown?"

The Wolverines will head to East Lansing for the Big Ten title game. They beat Michigan State just once in the four-game series this season, a flipping of the past few years of the rivalry, but that win? A 7-1 thumping of the Spartans at MSU's Munn Ice Arena on Jan. 19 that featured 164 penalty minutes and 14 Wolverines with at least one point.

To get to the Big Ten title game Michigan hockey eliminated the third-seeded Golden Gophers on their home ice for the third straight Big Ten tournament. This time, after a pair of 4-3 Wolverine victories in the championship game, it was an 2-1 victory in Saturday’s semifinal. That sets up a state rivalry between fourth-seeded U-M and top-seeded Michigan State at 8 p.m. this Saturday (Big Ten Network) in East Lansing, with the Wolverines coming off a pair of Big Ten titles and Frozen Four berths, and the Spartans playing in their first league title game in 13 seasons (with a likely No. 1 seed in the NCAA field).

Aside from the B1G title game lets talk about why this Michigan team has a better shot at an NCAA title this year. The hype around Michigan’s offense is justified. However, what is often overlooked are the specific players producing these goals and making that offensive powerhouse so strong. While Michigan has four World Juniors gold medalists and two first round NHL draft picks, they’re not the only ones at the top of the stat sheet.

In fact, there are five Wolverines with over 40 points — sophomore forwards Gavin Brindley, Rutger McGroarty and T.J. Hughes, sophomore defenseman Seamus Casey and junior forward Dylan Duke.

All five of these players are averaging more than a point a game. Among the top 50 point producers in NCAA hockey, the Wolverines have six of them, the lowest being sophomore froward Frank Nazar III at 38th.

Michigan's offensive depth is what could keep them going in the NCAA tournament