GLI gets extension; UM-MSU at LCA on Feb. 10

Olympia Entertainment and the University of Michigan this week announced a four-year extension to keep the Great Lakes Invitational in downtown Detroit.

This season's GLI will be Jan. 1-2 at Little Caesars Arena with Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech and Bowling Green competing for the MacInnes Cup. This will be the 53rd year of the GLI, a longtime mainstay at Joe Louis Arena.

"The GLI has become a holiday tradition for sports fans throughout the state of Michigan," Tom Wilson, president and CEO of Olympia, said in a statement. "We look forward to welcoming college hockey fans to Little Caesars Arena to wear their colors and cheer on their teams."

In this season's GLI, Michigan Tech will face Michigan state at 2:30 Jan. 1, followed by Michigan and Bowling Green at 6. The championship game will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 2, while the consolation game will take place prior, at 2:30.

Michigan, Michigan State and Michigan Tech (the GLI host school) play every year, with a fourth team rotating. Lake Superior State gets the spot in 2019, Ferris State in 2020 and Northern Michigan in 2021.

Tickets for this season's GLI are on sale and start at $20.

Michigan and Olympia also announced the "Duel in the D," which will pit Michigan and Michigan State -- both with first-year head coaches, and both off to pretty good starts this season -- at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at Little Caesars Arena, competing for the Iron D Trophy. Ticket information for that game will be announced at a later date.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

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