No. 11 Michigan State is headed to Grand Rapids this week to participate in the annual Great Lakes Invitational. For the first time since 2019, the event is returning to a tournament-style format.

The invite was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic and was held as a showcase event both in East Lansing and Ann Arbor in 2021.

Both Michigan State and Michigan alternated playing Michigan Tech and Western Michigan last season. However, 2022 will be the first time in more than 40 years that Michigan will not play at the event.

Since 1976, Michigan Tech and Michigan have co-hosted the invitational. Traditionally, MSU has been the third participant in the event with a fourth school selected each year.

This year's GLI will take place on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28 in a new setting: Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, home of the AHL’s Griffins. On the first day, No. 17 Michigan Tech will face No. 18 Western Michigan at 3:30 p.m. Michigan State will take on Ferris State at 7 p.m. The winners of each game will play the following night at 7 p.m. with a third-place consolation game taking place prior to the championship matchup at 3:30 p.m.