It’s two weekends deep into Division I play and the Big Ten is already showing what it may do best this season: score.
In a dozen collective games, four B1G teams have put up some impressive goal differentials. Yes, it’s far too early in the season to project too much, but these early numbers are tantalizing.
In four games, Ohio State has outscored opponents 15-7 and Minnesota has a 16-8 differential. In their opening sets last weekend, Michigan outscored Lindenwood 10-5 and Penn State bested Canisius 12-7.
Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky called his team “aggressive” in the opening 5-2 win over the Griffins.
“We certainly didn’t sit back,” said Gadowsky. “We did a pretty good job of being aggressive ourselves. I like that. But we obviously have to clean up positioning and our exits where we turn over pucks.”
Sophomore Ryan Kirwan had three goals for the Nittany Lions, earning the B1G third star for the week. Kirwan had 13 goals in 36 games last season, and Gadowsky thinks this may be a sign of things to come.
“He’s very talented, as you can see,” said Gadowsky. “If that line of himself, Kevin Wall and Ture Linden can all continue even remotely what they’re doing now, it’s going to be fun to watch all season.”
The trio accounted for half of Penn State’s goals in the series and nine assists.
Nine different Wolverines scored in Michigan’s sweep of Lindenwood, with sophomore Mackie Samoskevich the only player to score twice. Michigan interim coach Brandon Naurato said at the start of the season that he knew the Wolverines would score by committee.
With eight freshmen skaters in the season-opening weekend, the Wolverines will take a minute to find their feet this year. Down 2-1 at the end of the first in Friday’s 7-4 win, Michigan scored five goals in the first nine minutes of the second before giving up two more in the game.
“When we do it the right way, good things happen,” said Naurato. “When we chase offense and we’re not above our checks, it goes the other way.”
Three Michigan rookies scored their first career goals on the weekend. Forward Adam Fantilli had a goal and two assists. Forward Jackson Hallum and defenseman Seamus Casey each had a goal and an assist. Fantilli, who had 37 goals and 37 assists for the USHL’s Chicago Steel in 54 games last season, is the leading scorer for the Wolverines after their first weekend of play.
The rookie that everyone is talking about this week is Minnesota’s Jimmy Snuggerud, who had four goals in the Golden Gophers’ split with Minnesota State. Snuggerud’s first three collegiate goals came in the form of a hat trick in Friday’s 4-1 win.
Minnesota coach Bob Motzko said that Snuggerud “was frustrated last week” after being held scoreless in the Gophers’ opening series against Lindenwood.
“Boy,” said Motzko, “did he come through tonight because he can shoot a hockey puck.”
Snuggerud is the B1G first star of the second week of the season, an honor that went to another Minnesota rookie in the first week. Logan Cooley had two goals and two assists when the Gophers swept the Lions Oct. 1-2. Minnesota outscored Lindenhurst 10-4 in those two games, with Cooley and sophomore Matthew Knies the only players to record more than a goal in the series.
The only Big Ten conference action of the season so far was last weekend’s Ohio State sweep of visiting Wisconsin. The Buckeyes beat the Badgers 3-1 and 4-3 and had to overcome a three-goal deficit to secure the sweep on Saturday after Wisconsin led 3-0 by the end of the opening minute in the second period of that game.
“We never felt like we were going to lose,” said Ohio State’s Jake Wise. “Even when they scored that third one, it was just right back to business. That’s kind of been the story of our team the last couple of years. We’re confident in our ability to win those third periods.”
Wise is a fifth-year senior who transferred to OSU last year after playing his first three seasons at Boston University, where he had three goals in 50 games. Last season, he netted 10 goals in 35 games with Ohio State. He has two goals through four games this season.
Through two weekends of play, three Buckeyes have earned B1G stars for their performances. Against Mercyhurst (Oct. 1-2), sophomore goaltender Jakub Dobeš was the league’s third star for his 1.51 GAA and .935 save percentage, while junior Travis Treloar was the top star for his goal and three assists against the Lakers.
This week, the Big Ten second star goes to Ohio State freshman forward Stephen Halliday, who had a goal and three assists in the sweep of Wisconsin.
Ohio State is 5-for-19 on the power play this season, with Wise and Treloar each scoring two of those goals and Halliday scoring one. Ohio State coach Steve Rohlik said that is a result of confidence.
“I think the guys have a different attitude when they step on the ice,” said Rohlik. “Instead of hoping to score, I think our guys expect to score.”
