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Ushering out 2010 at one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious holiday tournaments, Colorado College heads to Detroit, Mich., this week to compete in the 46th annual Great Lakes Invitational at Joe Louis Arena.

The Tigers, who won the GLI title just five years ago, take on Michigan State University in opening-round action at 4:06 pm (ET) Wednesday, with the University of Michigan and Michigan Tech meeting in another match-up later that evening. The consolation and championship games are slated for 4:06 and 7:36 p.m. (ET) on Thursday.

Only Thursday's championship contest is scheduled to be televised, live, by Fox Sports Detroit, available on DirectTV channel 663 (channel 686 via FSN Arizona) and Dish Network channel 430.

CC, 11-8-1 overall and 8-6 in league play, has won six of its last seven outings and eight of its last 11 while climbing from 11th to fifth place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings and earning a No. 20 ranking in the most recent USCHO.com national poll published on Dec. 13.

The Tigers are participating in the tournament for the third time overall, having also played in the inaugural event at the old Olympia Stadium back in 1965, when they lost to the University of Toronto (6-2) and Boston University (10-3).

Colorado College defeated Michigan (6-1) and Michigan State (6-3) in the 2005 GLI. 

This week's tournament opener on Dec. 29 marks the 81st all-time meeting between the Tigers and MSU. CC owns a 45-34-1 advantage in the previous 80 after dropping a 3-1 decision to the Spartans in their most recent encounter – a first-round NCAA playoff contest at the Colorado Springs World Arena on March 8, 2008. The Tigers are 36-57-3 in 96 all-time games against Michigan and 91-71-12 against Michigan Tech after sweeping a WCHA series against the Huskies (7-3 and 5-0) in Houghton earlier this month.