Michigan Looks to Keep Rolling at No. 6 Penn State

Friday, January 17

State College, Pa.

7:00 PM

Michigan

Penn State

Johnny Beecher (Michigan Photography)

1/16/2020 8:28:00 AM | Ice Hockey

By: Kristy McNeil

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The University of Michigan ice hockey team looks to keep things rolling, bringing a two-game win streak to Happy Valley to face No. 6 Penn State. The College Hockey News Team of the Week takes on the Nittany Lions on Friday (Jan. 17) at 7 p.m. and Saturday (Jan. 18) at 6 p.m. at Pegula Ice Arena. Both games will be streamed live on BTN Plus.

Series History

Michigan and Penn State will close out their regular-season series in State College this weekend. The teams split their first series in December with Michigan taking a 4-1 game from No. 6 Penn State on Dec. 6, and the Nittany Lions rebounded with a 3-1 decision on Dec. 7. Overall, U-M leads, 16-13, in the all-time series with Penn State.

Wolverine Bites

• The Wolverines were named College Hockey News Team of the Week after a sweep of No. 14 Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, last weekend (Jan. 10-11).

• Sophomore netminder Strauss Mann was named the Big Ten and the NCAA First Star of the Week after a shutout performance on Jan. 10 against Notre Dame. He finished the weekend series with 57 saves on 58 shots. On the season, Mann ranks eighth in the nation in save percentage at .935 and is ninth in goals-against average at 1.90.

• Leading the offense is a pair of seniors in Jake Slaker and Will Lockwood. Slaker has 12 points on a team-best six goals and six assists, while Lockwood has six assists and five goals for 11 points. Freshmen Johnny Beecher, Cam York and senior Nick Pastujov follow with 10 points apiece. Pastujov leads his team on the draws, winning 57 percent.

• The Wolverines are 3-1 since the holiday break and sit sixth in the Big Ten standings with a 9-11-2 overall record and a 4-7-1 conference record.

Scouting the Nittany Lions

Penn State is No. 6 in the nation with a 16-6 overall record and is atop the Big Ten standings with an 8-4 mark. Leading the second-ranked scoring offense is a trio of seasoned forwards who each have 20+ points on the season. Nate Sucese leads the way with 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists), with Evan Barratt following with 25 points (7G, 18A). Alex Limoges adds eight goals and 13 assists (21 points).

On the blue line, Cole Hults has broken out on offense with a 4-15-19 scoring line while senior Kris Myllari has set the tone defensively with a team-leading 46 blocked shots. In the blue paint, senior netminder Peyton Jones has been a constant presence while posting career best numbers thus far with a 2.37 GAA and a .926 save percentage.

Up Next

Saturday, Jan. 25 -- vs. USA Hockey NTDP U-18 Team (Yost Ice Arena), 7:30 p.m. (exhibition)