MICHIGAN AND MICHIGAN TECH TO PLAY FOR GLI CHAMPIONSHIP ON TUESDAY AT 2:30 P.M. AT LITTLE CAESARS ARENA

DETROIT (December 30, 2019) – Michigan will square off against tournament-host Michigan Tech in the Championship Game of the 55^th annual Great Lakes Invitational at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31 at Little Caesars Arena. Michigan State and Ferris State will meet in the third-place game at 11:30 a.m. The Championship Game will air live on FOX Sports Detroit.  

Michigan Tech returns to the GLI Championship Game for the fifth-straight season and seventh time in the last eight years after defeating Michigan State, 4-2, in the matinee matchup in front of 16,139 college hockey fans at Little Caesars Arena. The Huskies trailed 2-1 entering the third period, but tallied three goals in the final frame, including a shorthanded goal, to advance to the Championship Game for the 28^th time in the tournament’s history. Sophomore defenseman Eric Gotz led the Huskies with the eventual game-winning goal at 15:14 of the third period and also recorded an assist on Michigan Tech’s first goal of the game, which came on the power play. Despite tallying 13 shots in the third period, the Spartans were unable to light the lamp for the tying goal and the Huskies tacked on an empty-net marker with seven seconds remaining. Senior goaltender Matt Jurusik made 27 saves in the victory for the Huskies. 

Michigan won its 60th all-time GLI contest by knocking off Ferris State, 4-1, in Monday’s second semifinal game. Mixed between a pair of breakaway saves by sophomore goaltender Strauss Mann, the Wolverines struck first when senior forward Jake Slaker ripped a slap-shot from the left corner to establish a 1-0 lead. The alternate captain gave the Wolverines a 2-0 lead with a breakaway goal of own at 14:22. Michigan extended its lead to 3-0 when senior captain Will Lockwood potted his fifth goal of the season at 12:55 in the final frame. The Wolverines looked primed for their third shutout of the year, but Ferris State freshman forward Brenden MacLaren slipped a shot past Mann to spoil the clean sheet. An empty-net goal from junior forward Dakota Raabe at 19:03 sealed the deal for a 4-1 Michigan triumph. Michigan advances to the Championship Game for the first time since 2015 when they defeated Michigan Tech to claim the MacInnes Cup. 

Following the GLI Championship Game, the Red Wings will square off against the San Jose Sharks in the team’s annual New Year’s Eve game at 7:30 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena. Tickets to the GLI and Red Wings game against the Sharks are sold separately.

Tickets for the Great Lakes Invitational are available starting at $15 and can be purchased at 313Presents.com, Ticketmaster.com, the Little Caesars Arena XFINITY box office or by calling the Red Wings Ticket Sales and Service office at 313-471-7575.