The No. 1 Michigan Wolverines (15-3) wrapped up non-conference play last weekend with a sweep against Harvard and are already riding their second four-game heater of the season. With one opponent remaining before the winter break, it’s only fitting it’s a home-and-home series with rival No. 3 Michigan State (11-3), a matchup that could be revisited as the final game of the season in April.

Offensively, head coach Brandon Naurato has assembled a juggernaut. And that’s not hyperbole. The Wolverines lead the country in scoring offense (5.11) and have scored 32 more goals than any other team. Read that again. Furthermore, Michigan has three players tied for the national lead in points — T.J. Hughes (9G, 17A), Michael Hage (10G, 16A) and Will Horcoff (18G, 8A). Additionally, Horcoff comfortably leads the country in goals and is on the best collegiate goal-scoring pace of the 21st century. Horcoff Hobey, anyone?

Defensively, Michigan showcased the full spectrum against the Crimson. Some old wounds resurfaced on Saturday when the team blew a 3-0 lead — before winning in overtime — thanks to some costly penalties. But on Friday, the unit looked as connected as they have all season by smothering Harvard, 5-1 (Harvard’s lone goal was on a power play during garbage time).

Freshman Asher Barnett (8A) has been the definition of additive, leading the team in plus/minus with 20, with the top-line pairing of Luca Fantilli (3G, 4A) and Tyler Duke (8A) hot on his heels with marks of 17 and 15, respectively.

Perhaps the biggest difference for the Wolverines’ blue-liners is Cornell transfer Ben Robertson (14A), who leads all defensemen nationally in assists. Robo’s passing and vision have been a revelation on the power play in Henry Mews’s absence, and his maturation brings “adult in the room” energy the team can rely on in critical moments. Now, the group needs to clean up late-game execution against the Spartans in order to win, but nothing helps D-men perform better than knowing there is a brick wall behind them.

Between the pipes, Jack Ivankovic continues to be the foundation of this team’s success. The nation’s leader in saves (428) has improved his save percentage to .922 and has proven to be one of the nation’s best goaltenders. With a hotly anticipated showdown with Michigan State’s Trey Augustine, the winning goalie could lay claim to being the best in the sport.

Getting to know Michigan State

Head coach Adam Nightingale has performed nothing short of a miracle in East Lansing. In his first three seasons, Nightingale has won two regular-season Big Ten championships, two Big Ten Tournaments, and has never finished below .500. Pre-Nightingale, since joining the Big Ten in 2013, the Spartans had only finished with a winning record once and never won a regular-season or tournament crown. However, despite this incredible success, Nightingale has still never reached the Frozen Four — a fact he is looking to change with this year’s squad.

Michigan State’s offense is third in the Big Ten, No. 11 nationally, and is led by a trio of point-per-game players. Not bad for a team that lost last year’s Hobey Baker winner, Isaac Howard, late in the cycle. Led by freshman Porter Martone (10G, 9A) and returners Charlie Stramel (6G, 11A) and Daniel Russell (4G, 10A), the Spartans are paced by a combination of youthful talent and experienced veterans. To the latter, keep an eye on senior Tiernan Shoudy (4G, 5A) this weekend, who was a plus-three the last time these two teams played and seems to always save his best for the Wolverines.

On the blue line, this will be the best defensive unit Michigan has faced all season. While the biggest reason is between the pipes, these defensemen have been connected and committed to easing the burden on their rockstar goalie. Transfer Colin Ralph (1G, 3A) leads the team with 20 blocked shots through 14 games, and senior captain Matt Basgall (2G, 7A) paces the blue-liners in points and discipline — Basgall has not taken a single penalty this season.

In net, much to the chagrin of the rest of the country, it’s still Augustine. The junior leads the Big Ten with a .938 save percentage and a 1.66 GAA, and already has three shutouts to his name. Augustine has a strong argument as the best player in the sport and represents the immovable object meeting Michigan’s unstoppable offensive force this weekend.

Limit second-chance opportunities. The Spartans have not lost the shot battle once this season and have poured 40 or more on their opposition six times. For comparison, the Wolverines have only crossed this threshold five times despite playing two more games. Michigan State’s offense is predicated on putting everything on net and cleaning up the rebounds around the crease. Ivankovic has been a stalwart in net, but he sometimes allows big rebound opportunities. Against Michigan State, these pucks have to be smothered.

The Spartans have had no fewer than 32 shots on net in any game this season, and if the Wolverines can force their rival to play a gritty, low-volume style — a crazy sentence to type for previous Michigan teams, but this iteration has proven capable of winning in a myriad of ways — both games will come down to the final period. What more could we ask for from a potential Frozen Four or National Championship preview?

When: Friday, Dec. 5, 8:30 p.m. ETWhere: Munn Ice Arena, East Lansing, MIHow to watch: Big Ten NetworkHow to listen: Varsity Podcast NetworkWhen: Saturday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m. ETWhere: Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, MIHow to watch: BIG+How to listen: Varsity Podcast Network