Week #7 Hockey Release

Photo courtesy of Penn State Athletics

OFFICIAL RELEASE

• Four Big Ten schools look to make up ground on first-place Minnesota this weekend as the schedule features two conference series. Rv/rv Notre Dame travels to No. 4/3 Michigan State and No. 18/18 Penn State plays host to Wisconsin. No. 3/3 Minnesota will meet Bemidiji State and No. 14/14 Ohio State takes on Lindenwood in nonconference action. No. 5/6 Michigan is idle. All of this week’s conference games will be streamed on B1G+.

• Big Ten schools occupy three of the top five spots in the USCHO.com Poll. Minnesota, Michigan State and Michigan rank third through fifth respectively while Ohio State (14/14) and Penn State (18/18) also occupy spots in the Top 20.

• Minnesota has captured 11 of a possible 12 points to open a five-point lead atop the Big Ten standings. The Golden Gophers are the nation’s second-highest scoring team, averaging 4.30 per game. Five of the top six scorers in the Big Ten (for all games) wear Maroon & Gold with Connor Kurth leading the way with 14 points in 10 games. Teammates Matthew Wood and Jimmy Snuggerud are tied for second in scoring (13 points). Snuggerud registered a game-winning goal and four points in a series sweep over Wisconsin to earn Big Ten First Star of the Week honors. 

• Michigan State’s Daniel Russell continues to score clutch goals, notching his fourth game-winner this season in a 4-2 victory over Ohio State on Friday. MSU completed the sweep the next night, signaling their best start to a season since 2007-08. Head Coach Adam Nightingale earned his 50th win, reaching the milestone faster (in 85 games) than any coach in program history.

• Big Ten teams have excelled in nonconference games this fall, posting a .732 winning percentage and a 29-10-2 record. The Big Ten owns a winning record against four conferences and independents and has a chance to improve on those marks with four nonconference games this weekend.

• Big Ten Hockey fans can make a difference by taking part in “The We Give Blood Drive” organized by Abbott and the Big Ten Conference. Abbott and the Big Ten are pitting school against school in a donation competition to combat the largest blood shortage in a generation. The winning school will receive $1 million to advance student or community health. Individual donors will be offered a free one-month subscription to B1G+ and will be entered to win a trip to the 2024 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game on Dec. 7, 2024. Students, alumni, and fans can donate at mobile blood drives on campus and blood donation centers across the country. Results are being tracked at BigTen.Org/Abbott after donors attribute donations to their favorite school.

• Tickets for the Frozen Confines: Big Ten Hockey Series are on sale at Cubs.com/BigTenHockey. Tickets start at $15.