MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The No. 8/8 Penn State Nittany Lions hit the road for the first time this season as they continue Big Ten Conference action with a pair of games against the Minnesota Golden Gophers this weekend at 3M Arena.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Dates: Friday, November 15 | Saturday, November 16
Place: 3M Arena at Mariucci
Time: Friday at 8 p.m. ET | Saturday at 8 p.m. ET
Streaming Video ($): Friday | Saturday
Listen: Friday | Saturday
Live Statistics: Live Stats (Both Games)
Game Notes: Penn State
THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP
- This weekend marks the 28th and 29th meetings all-time between Penn State and Minnesota with the Golden Gophers holding the slim 15-12-0 series advantage.
- The Nittany Lions have won nine of the last 11 meetings between the two teams dating back to the 2017 B1G Tournament semifinals but are only 3-9-0 at Mariucci with two of those victories coming in the last 11 meetings.
- Senior Denis Smirnov leads all active Nittany Lions with 15 career points in 15 career games against Minnesota scoring seven goals while adding eight assists. Junior Alex Limoges has also scored seven times against the Gophers while adding five assists for 12 points in 12 games. Both Brandon Biro and Nate Sucese have added 10 points in 15 games against Minnesota on five goals and five assists each.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
- The Gophers started the season winning three of their first four games but have just one regulation win over their last six contests, however, with seven points and a 1-1-2-2 record in the Big Ten, Minnesota currently sits in third place just two points behind Penn State for second. The Gophers have a pair of 3-on-3 overtime victories to secure the extra point in back-to-back weekends against Notre Dame and last week at Michigan where Minnesota took five of a possible six points on the road against the Wolverines.
- The Gophers entered the season without the services of five of their top-10 scorers from last season including each of its top three as leading scorer Rem Pitlick (21-24-45) left early to sign an NHL contract while Tyler Sheehy (12-29-41) and Brent Gates Jr. (13-18-31) each graduated.
- Minnesota is led by 2018-19 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Sammy Walker who has five goals and eight points through ten games this season ranking tied for third in the Big Ten with his five goals. Brannon McManus is second on the team with four goals and seven points while Scott Reedy has chipped in three goals of his own for the Gophers.
- Between the pipes, Minnesota has a trio of newcomers that have each seen time led by freshman Jared Moe with six starts and a 3-2-1 record with a .929 save percentage and a 2.15 goals against average to rank fifth in the Big Ten for each. Moe ranks third nationally among first-year goalies in both save percentage and goals against average. Michigan transfer Jack LaFontaine has four starts with a 1-2-1 record, .905 save percentage and a 2.75 goals against average.
- Minnesota ranks just sixth in the Big Ten and 41st nationally scoring 2.40 goals per game while allowing 2.60 to rank fifth and tied 29th, respectively. The Gopher power-play is also middle of the pack converting just 16.1 percent of its man-up chances (5-for-31) but is 0-for-16 over the last six-plus games. The PK has been better ranking 17th allowing just four opponent scores in 35 chances (88.6 percent) including killing off 18 of their last 19 penalties.
NEW PLACE, SAME FACE
- Junior Clayton Phillips has played 26 career games at Mariucci, but this weekend will be his first time on the visiting bench after transferring to Penn State earlier this summer. The Edina, Minnesota native has seven career points at Mariucci with one goal and six assists.
FINNISH PHENOM
- In 25 career games, sophomore Aarne Talvitie is averaging just under a point per game with 25 points on eight goals and 17 assists including nine points in nine games this season with three goals and six assists.
- Talvitie also ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally winning 62 percent (57-for-93) of his face-offs this season.
- With a plus-8 rating Talvitie is second on the team and tied for 14th in the Big Ten, however, he has only been on the ice for one even-strength goal against in nine games this season. Only OSU's Tate Singleton and Austin Pooley have been on the ice for less even strength goals this season with zero apiece.
STRONG ISLAND'S FINEST IMPORT
- Junior Sam Sternschein collected his second game-winning goal in as many weeks last Saturday night and is currently tied for the Big Ten lead with his two game-winning tallies this season. The junior is one of 21 players with multiple game-winning goals this season ranking tied for fifth nationally. His four goals rank tied for seventh in the Big Ten.
CHASING HISTORY
- Senior Nate Sucese is tied with Andrew Sturtz for first on the Penn State all-time goals list with 54 for his career. His 54 goals are also the second most in the nation among active players only trailing the 56 of Minnesota State's Marc Michaelis.
- Sucese's 14 points this season lead the Big Ten and rank tied for seventh nationally while his 116 career points are third among active players and just two behind Chase Berger '19 (118) for second all-time at Penn State and 12 shy of David Goodwin's '17 (128) program record.
- Sucese's 10 assists are also tied for first in the Big Ten and sixth in the nation while he has moved into fourth on the Penn State all-time assists list with 62.
START FAST, FINISH STRONG
- Penn State has jumped out to early leads in six of its first nine games while outscoring opponents 12-3 over the opening 20 minutes of play so far this season. The Nittany Lions have also closed strong offensively with 15 third period goals, the most in a single period so far this season. PSU is 6-0-0 when scoring first and 5-0-0 when leading after two periods so far this season. Last season the second period was the strongest for the Nittany Lions with 71 goals and a +16-goal differential.
HOCKEY VALLEY SPECIAL
- Penn State has dominated the special teams battle so far this season as the Nittany Lions rank second in the Big Ten and sixth nationally converting 29.3 percent (12-for-41) of their power-play chances including a 40 percent clip (6-for-15) in Big Ten play.
- The PK has also held its own allowing just five opponent power-play goals in 37 chances (86.5 percent) to rank fourth in the Big Ten and 21st in the nation.
MR. JONES
- Senior goaltender Peyton Jones continued his hot start last weekend allowing just one 5-on-5 goal. His .937 save percentage leads the Big Ten and ranks ninth in the nation while his 1.89 goals against average is good for second and 13th, respectively.
- In eight starts this season, Jones has allowed just eight 5-on-5 goals including just three so far in four Big Ten games.
BLUE-LINE BEAUTY
- Junior Cole Hults is also chasing history of his own as he is currently tied for third all-time in Penn State history for points by a defenseman with 57 just three shy of Luke Juha's '16 program record.
- Hults' 13 goals rank fourth all-time by defenseman as current teammate Kris Myllari holds the record which stands at 17. The junior's 44 career assists also rank fourth among Nittany Lion blue-liners and are just one shy of the top-10 all-time at Penn State.
NEXT UP
- Penn State returns home for the final time this semester with a weekend series against the Ohio State Buckeyes next Friday and Saturday evening. Tickets for each game including student-section tickets due to Thanksgiving Break are still available HERE or you can purchase standing room only by calling 1-800-NITTANY.
For more information on the 2019-20 season presented by the Penn State Bookstore: the Official Bookstore of Penn State Athletics, visit the men's hockey page at GoPSUsports.com or call 1-800-NITTANY Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.