ROSEMONT, Ill. – Junior Denis Smirnov (Moscow, Russia) has been named the Big Ten Conference Second Star of the Week as announced by the league office earlier Tuesday morning following his four-point weekend against Wisconsin.
Smirnov earns his first weekly award this season and the seventh of his career becoming the ninth different Nittany Lion to garner weekly accolades this season.
On Friday, Smirnov tied his career-high with four points while snapping an 11-game goalless streak where he only managed five total points during that stretch. The Moscow, Russia native lit the lamp twice, including the game-winning goal, while dishing out a pair of primary assists during an 8-2 victory over the Badgers.
The Junior has now hit the 20-point mark for the third-straight season and currently sits fifth on the Penn State all-time points list with 94 and sixth in goals with 41. Smirnov's 53 career assists rank fourth all-time as a Nittany Lion.
Penn State closes out the regular season with a trip to South Bend this weekend to battle the 17th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Friday and Saturday evening.