No. 2 Michigan to Head to No. 19 Penn State as B1G Season Heats Up

Thursday, November 11

State College, Pa.

8:30 PM

Michigan

Penn State

Kent Johnson (Michigan Photography)

No. 2 Michigan to Head to No. 19 Penn State as B1G Season Heats Up

11/10/2021 5:57:00 PM | Ice Hockey

By: Kristy McNeil

• Michigan is averaging 4.1 goals per game, with 41 tallies in 10 games.
• Neither team has swept the other since the 2017-18 season, with Michigan leading the series against Penn State 18-14-1.
• Jacob Truscott leads the nation with a +14 on-ice rating, with defensive partner Luke Hughes second at +13.

• Complete Game Notes (PDF)

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The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team (8-2-0, 3-1-0 Big Ten) heads to State College, Pa., to take on No. 19-ranked Penn State (6-3-0, 0-2-0 Big Ten) in a two-game set at Pegula Arena. With Michigan at Penn State football on Saturday, the teams will face off on Thursday (Nov. 11) at 8:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network and Friday (Nov. 12) 7 p.m., streamed live on B1G+.

Wolverine Bites

• Michigan is ranked No. 2 in the USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls with an 8-2-0 overall record.

• After sweeping in-state rival MSU in a home-and-home series, Michigan has nine points and is tied with Ohio State for second place in the conference standings. Minnesota (10 points) holds the first-place spot.

• The 8-2-0 start to the season marks the best for the program since 2007-08, a Kevin Porter- and Chad Kolarik-led team that started 13-1-0 and 22-2-0 as Porter went on to win the Hobey Baker Award.

• A quartet of sophomores lead U-M in scoring. Kent Johnson is tops on the team with 14 points (four goals, 10 assists, 14 points) while Brendan Brisson leads in goal-scoring with seven (7-5-12). Defenseman Owen Power (2-10-12) had a four-assist weekend vs. MSU to pull into a tie for second. Last year's leading point-getter, Thomas Bordeleau, sits at fourth with a 2-9-11 line, and freshman Luke Hughes rounds out the top-five with 10 points (4-6-10).

• Sophomore blueliner Jacob Truscott leads the team in plus/minus at +14, while freshman Hughes checks in at +13. Power leads the team in blocked shots with 15, followed by freshman Ethan Edwards' 11 and alternate captain Matty Beniers' 10.

• Erik Portillo has played every minute in goal for the Wolverines thus far, assembling a 8-2 record with one shutout, a .919 save percentage and a 2.20 goals-against average.

Scouting the Nittany Lions

• Penn State was picked to finish fifth in the preseason Big Ten poll ahead of only Michigan Stata and Ohio State. The Nittany Lions ar 6-3 overall and were swept by the Buckeyes to start conference play 0-2.

• Forward Kevin Wall leads PSU with seven goals and 38 shots on goal. He also has chipped in two assists for nine points overall, tied for the team lead with Connor MacEachern (6-3-9).

• On the back end, Clayton Phillips has emerged as a two-way threat on the blue line while Paul DeNaples' +6 rating leads the team. Kenny Johnson has slotted in for all nine games.

• In net, senior Oskar Autio has played a majority of the games for Penn State, amassing a 4-2 record with a .917 save percentage and a 2.17 goals-against average over six starts.

Series History

• U-M owns a 18-14-1 lead in the all-time series against Penn State.

• Neither Michigan nor Penn State has swept the other since Jan. 19-20, 2018, when the Wolverines won back-to-back games over the No. 12-ranked Nittany Lions at Yost Ice Arena (4-0, 3-2).

• Nick Blankenburg has a team-best seven points (two goals, five assists) in his 10 career games against Penn State with a +7 rating. Forwards Johnny Beecher and Luke Morgan lead the way with three career goals apiece against PSU.

• Erik Portillo, who has backstopped U-M in every game this season, faced PSU for 28:39 in a relief appearance last season, allowing two goals on 17 shots.

Up Next

Friday, Nov. 19 -- vs Notre Dame (Yost Ice Arena), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 20 -- vs Notre Dame (Yost Ice Arena), 8p.m.