Michigan
Penn State
Michigan to Open B1G Play at Penn State
10/25/2017 6:07:00 PM | Ice Hockey
THIS WEEK
Friday, Oct. 27 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 7 p.m.
Live Stats | Listen | Watch
Saturday, Oct. 28 -- at Penn State (State College, Pa.), 8 p.m.
Live Stats | Listen | Watch
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team travels to No. 15-ranked Penn State over the weekend (Oct. 27-28) for a two-game series to begin Big Ten play.
The Penn State Series
ÂMichigan and Penn State meet for the 20th time since the series began in 2014, with U-M holding a 10-9-0 edge all-time against the Nittany Lions. When playing in State College, Michigan is 2-5, winning the first matchup there in February 2014 and then in January 2016. U-M went 2-3 against Penn State last season, losing both road games and winning both home games before falling 4-1 to the Nittany Lions in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament at Joe Louis Arena.
Scouting the Nittany Lions
Finishing at 25-12-2 (10-9-1 Big Ten) last season, the Nittany Lions made their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance after winning their first Big Ten Tournament. Through four seasons in the Big Ten under head coach Guy Gadowsky, Penn State has improved its win total each year. The Nittany Lions have posted a 10-9-1 conference record each of the past three seasons. Penn State had a 14-5-1 home record last season, including a 12-game unbeaten streak in State College during the regular season.
Nittany Lions This Year
The Nittany Lions, who return their top four goal scorers from last season, enter the weekend series with Michigan at 3-3-0 (1-1-0 Big Ten). Penn State split its series with American International at home last weekend, winning 7-5 on Thursday and falling, 3-2, in overtime on Friday.
Penn State was picked to finish fourth in the Big Ten this season in the league's annual preseason poll. Two players from the Nittany Lions were named to the 2017-18 Big Ten preseason watch list, including sophomore goaltender Peyton Jones, the 2017 Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and sophomore forward Denis Smirnov.
Leading the Lions
Smirnov leads the Nittany Lions with four goals and six assists on the year, while Andrew Sturtz, Cole Hults, Trevor Hamilton and Erik Autio have each contributed with five points.
Jones has started five games in net with a 3-2-0 record, 3.06 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage.
Where They Rank
Penn State comes into the weekend ranked No. 15 in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls, falling four spots from a week ago when they sat at No. 11. After six games, the Nittany Lions sit 37th in the PairWise Rankings -- a system which attempts to mimic the method used by the NCAA Selection Committee to determine participants for the NCAA Division I men's hockey tournament. The PWR compares all teams by these criteria: record against common opponents, head-to-head competition and RPI.
Sweepin' at Berenson Rink
The Wolverines opened their home season at the newly renamed Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena with a weekend sweep of Vermont, marking Mel Pearson's first two home victories as Michigan's head coach. Freshman Josh Norris recorded his first two career goals on Friday, becoming the first Michigan player to record two goals in his home debut since Kyle Connor on Oct. 16, 2015, against Mercyhurst. Michigan held Vermont to just 16 shots, the lowest total allowed by the Wolverines since holding Wisconsin to 17 shots on Jan. 24, 2015.
On Saturday, sophomore Jake Slaker scored two goals in the third period, including the first game-winning goal of his career with 54 seconds left in regulation. Sophomore Adam Winborg also scored his first goal of the season in the 3-2 win.
In Friday's game, sophomore Jack LaFontaine earned the win in net after recording 15 saves for the Wolverines. One night later, sophomore goaltender Hayden Lavigne earned his first win of the season while recording 28 saves between the pipes.
October 21 Magic
Slaker's two goals on Saturday, Oct. 21, came exactly one year after his first multi-goal game when he netted two goals at home against Michigan Tech in a 4-3 victory on Friday, Oct. 21, 2016. Slaker's final goal in the last minute of play at 19:06 in the third was also the first Michigan game-winning goal since Will Lockwood, who assisted on Slaker's goal, scored at 19:08 into the third period in that same Oct. 21, 2016, game against Michigan Tech.
Slaker, You the Star
Jake Slaker registered three points, including a pair of goals, in Michigan's weekend sweep of Vermont. He assisted on the game-winning goal in Friday's 4-1 victory, while netting the game-tying and game-winning goals in the Wolverines' 3-2 come-from-behind victory on Saturday. Slaker earned his second career weekly award and first of the season.
Not in Our House
After holding the Catamounts to just 16 shots in Friday's 4-1 win, the Wolverines allowed 30 shots in their 3-2 win on Saturday. The 46 total shots for the Catamounts was the lowest total in a weekend series since the Wolverines allowed 51 shots to Lake Superior State last season on Nov. 25, 2016, and Nov. 26, 2016. The 16 shots by Vermont on Friday night were the lowest total allowed by the Wolverines since they held Wisconsin to 17 on Jan. 24, 2015.
Captain Calderone and Co.
The University of Michigan hockey team elected senior forward Tony Calderone as captain for the 2017-18 campaign, while classmate Sam Piazza will serve as alternate captain alongside junior defenseman Joseph Cecconi and sophomores Griffin Luce and Jake Slaker.
Calderone becomes the 98th captain in the program's history, joining the likes of Al Renfrew, Red Berenson, Mel Wakabayashi, Brendan Morrison, Kevin Porter and JT Compher, to name a few.
Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena
Red Berenson was honored for his 33 seasons of coaching Michigan hockey when the ice rink inside Yost Arena was officially named the Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena.
The University of Michigan Board of Regents approved on Thursday, Oct. 19, an addition to the naming structure at historic Yost Arena at its monthly meeting. In honor of a legendary figure, the regents formally approved the designation of the ice rink as the Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena.
Boo-yah!
Wolverine alum Cristoval "Boo" Nieves was called up by the New York Rangers on Tuesday, Oct. 25, from the Hartford Wolfpack, becoming the 20th U-M product to be on an NHL roster this season.
Did you know?
• Michigan is 7-4 all-time on Friday, Oct. 27.
• These are the first B1G contests for U-M in October since the start of the conference in 2013-14.
• Dating back to the WCHA and CCHA days, Michigan is 78-47-7 versus conference foes in October.
• The Wolverines are 4-3-1 in B1G opening weekends.
• Michigan's average age of 20 years, 324 days is the third youngest in NCAA DI Men's Hockey, ranking only behind Boston College (20 years, 125 days) and Boston University (20 years, 127 days).
• Michigan freshman defenseman Quinn Hughes is the youngest player in NCAA DI Men's Hockey (Oct. 14, 1999), while fellow classmate Michael Pastujov is the fourth youngest (Aug. 11, 1999).
• With an average weight of 191.52 pounds, Michigan ranks as the ninth-biggest team in NCAA DI Men's Hockey according to weight, with the biggest being UMass Lowell (199.66).
• Mel Pearson is one of nine new head coaches in NCAA DI Men's Hockey.
• Michigan had 17 alums make an NHL opening-night roster, second most amongst NCAA DI Men's Hockey programs behind Boston College (19). U-M had 22 alums make at least one appearance in the NHL last season, ranking only behind BC (24) and tied with North Dakota.
• With Carl Hagelin and Kevin Porter raising the Stanley Cup last spring with the Pittsburgh Penguins, U-M alums have now raised the cup 16 times, which is tied for third most amongst NCAA DI Men's Hockey programs (Wisconsin 19, Boston College 18, North Dakota 16).
• Michigan's 36 NCAA Tournament appearances ranks second behind Minnesota (37), while ranking tied for fourth with six appearances in the last 10 years.
• Michigan's 24 Frozen Four appearances ranks second behind Boston College (25).
• Michigan's 10 draft picks on the 2017-18 roster are the third most of any NCAA DI Men's Hockey program, trailing Minnesota (13) and Boston University (12).
• Built in 1923, Yost Ice Arena is the second oldest arena (tied with Princeton's Baker Arena) in NCAA DI Men's College Hockey, trailing Northeastern's Matthews Arena (1910).
• Jason Botterill '97 was named the General Manager of the Buffalo Sabres on May 11, 2017, becoming 12th GM of an NHL organization who played collegiate hockey.
Up Ahead
The Maize and Blue will return to Ann Arbor next weekend for a two-game series with Ferris State (Nov. 2-3). Michigan defeated the Bulldogs, 2-1, last season on the road, marking the 70th win over Ferris State in program history. Michigan is 70-30-4 in the all-time series against Ferris State and 43-10-2 at home. The Wolverines have not lost to Ferris State at home in their last 13 matchups, with the most recent loss coming on Feb. 25, 2006, in overtime. Since then, Michigan has recorded 11 wins and two ties against the Bulldogs in Ann Arbor.
