ROSEMONT, Ill. – Freshmen classmates Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alberta) and Matt DiMarsico (Wexford, Pa.) were named Big Ten Hockey's Second and Third Star of the Week, respectively, following their output in a weekend split at No. 12 Michigan as announced by the conference office on Tuesday morning.
Fink led all Big Ten players over the weekend with four goals and six points in the split against the Wolverines as he tallied back-to-back multi-point efforts. The rookie potted one goal with one assist in a 6-4 loss on Friday night before netting the 11th hat-trick in Penn State program history while adding one assist for a career-best four points in a 5-3 victory on Saturday.
The hat-trick was the first for a Nittany Lion since Kevin Wall '23 tipped the hat against Niagara on October 22, 2021. It was also just the second away from Hockey Valley in program history as he joins Liam Folkes '20 who scored three times at Merrimack back on November 29, 2019.
Fink's hat-trick is also just the fourth for a Nittany Lion against a Big Ten opponent and first since Evan Barratt, also against the Wolverines, back on November 17, 2018.
Fink's 15 points lead the team and are tied for the third-most nationally among freshmen while his seven goals also pace the Nittany Lions and are tied for fourth in the nation among rookies.
Fink has now scored in four of his last five games including three-straight, a new career-long goal streak, and with points in three-straight games he has tied his career-best point streak. In six Big Ten games this season, the Calgary, Alberta native leads the conference with his six goals while his eight points are tied for second.
DiMarsico also had back-to-back multi-point efforts against Michigan, the first two of his career, as he matched Fink with six points on the weekend with one goal and five assists. Four of the five assists were primary helpers including on each of Fink's three goals on Saturday night.
Following one goal and one assist on Friday, the Wexford, Pennsylvania native set a new career-high with four points while tying the Nittany Lion single-game record for assists with four on Saturday night. DiMarsico is the first player to hit that mark since Connor McMenamin '23 had four assists against Wisconsin on January 22, 2021.
DiMarsico is tied for fourth on the team with 10 points on three goals and seven assists, however, eight of those points have come in Big Ten play as he is tied with Fink for second in the conference for points while his six assists in league play are tied for the Big Ten best.
Saturday's win at Yost Ice Arena marked the first for Penn State since 2019 and is just the fourth victory all-time for the Nittany Lions in Ann Arbor.
Penn State is back in action on Friday and Saturday as the Nittany Lions host Lindenwood in a post-Thanksgiving non-conference series. Puck drop is slated for 4 p.m. each day and tickets are still available including a BLUE FRIDAY DEAL two tickets for $10.
For more information on the 2023-24 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.
