No. 11 Penn State (1-1-0 overall, 0-0-0 B1G) vs. No. 7 Minnesota (1-1-0 overall, 0-0-0 B1G)
Date: Friday, Oct. 13, 2017
Location: Mariucci Arena | Minneapolis, Minn.
Puck Drop: 7:05 p.m. CT
TV: FOX Sports North
Stream: BTN2Go, FOX Sports Go
Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM, 103.5 FM
Date: Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017
Location: Mariucci Arena | Minneapolis, Minn.
Puck Drop: 3:05 p.m. CT
TV: FOX Sports North
Stream: BTN2Go, FOX Sports Go
Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM, 103.5 FM
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
It’s a battle of last year’s B1G champs as the 2017 regular season champion Gophers take on the tournament champions of Penn State.
The last meeting between the two teams was in that tournament with the Nittany Lions winning 4-3 in double overtime.
PSU returns their leading scorer from that team, Denis Smirnov. The talented sophomore posted 47 points last season, and already has three in his first two games this year.
Despite the Nittany Lions drastically improving during their short D1 tenure, Minnesota holds a commanding 13-4-0 advantage in the all-time series. That includes at 7-1-0 mark playing at Mariucci Arena.
Like the Gophers, PSU is just 1-1-0 on the season after losing their season opener to St. Lawrence. What the record doesn’t show is 4-3 OT loss to Ottawa.
Penn State is back to their old ways of putting pucks on net from anywhere. They’ve totaled 74 shots on net in their first two games compared to 57 for the Gophers.
STORYLINE CENTRAL
Mikey Mandorini of Onward State has a nice look at the Gophers from the Penn State perspective. An interesting connection? Minnesota’s Casey Mittelstadt was drafted by Buffalo, owned by Penn State’s arena namesake, Terry Pegula.
Gordon Brunskill with the Centre Daily Times writes about the early season conference action this weekend. Penn State’s players noted that the conference play gets them more excited for an October series.
Likewise, Matt Lingerman of the Daily Collegian notes how important the early B1G matchup is for the Nittany Lions.
QUOTES
Don Lucia
On starting conference play early:
“I like it. I never really liked the fact that you wouldn’t start conference play until Thanksgiving. It’s nice play some conference games then going back to non-conference games. They’re mixed in throughout the year a little bit more. Only having 20 league games, it was limiting when we were going to play those league games after Thanksgiving to begin with. I’m glad we’re starting them in October, now.”
On Eric Schierhorn making his 78th consecutive start, a record for the Gophers:
“He’s a very competitive kid. The one thing I’ve always liked about Eric; his teammates love him. They want to play for him. If Eric struggles in a game, you can pretty much count on that he’ll be really good the next game. That’s part of his competitiveness and mental makeup he brings to the rink each and every day.”
Leon Bristedt
On starting conference play early:
“I like it. You get thrown in there right away. It’s good. Obviously I don’t think too much about it but it’s nice to mix in some conference right away. You can play those out-of-conference games a little later in the season, as well. It’s always nice to mix it up a little a bit and I think it makes oursel alert.”
Eric Schierhorn
On the home opener:
“I can’t wait. Actually, it’s fun playing on the road in hostile environments, it really is. But it’s also fun having your fans behind you, especially fans at Mariucci, so we’re psyched for that.”