No. 2 Michigan Hosts No. 6 Penn State in a Bounce-Back Series for Both Contenders
No. 2 Michigan hosts No. 6 Penn State in a bounce-back series for both squads. The Wolverines are coming off a series split with rival Michigan State, winning 4-3 in overtime on Friday night, before losing 5-2 in game two.
The Wolverines subsequently dropped to second place in the Big Ten, No. 2 in the polls, and also out of the top spot in the National Percentage Index that will be used to select and seed the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State leads the Big Ten race with 39 points, followed by Michigan with 38 and Penn State with 32. However, while both the Wolverines and Spartans have played 18 conference games, the Nittany Lions have only played 16.
Penn State was idle last weekend, but last time out the Nittany Lions were swept at home by Michigan State, losing 6-3 in game one before the 5-4 overtime thriller at oustdie Beaver Stadium the following afternoon. Neither of these teams will get another shot at the Spartans during the regular season, making this series a virtual must-win for both squads if they want to keep up with Michigan State.
The teams split in mid-November at State College, with Michigan taking game one 7-1 before the Nittany Lions won 4-2 the following night. All-time, Michigan leads the series 32-21-1.
The Nittany Lions have been led by freshman star Gavin McKenna, the potential No. 1 pick in the 202 NHL Draft who recently got into an altercation and was charged with two counts of assault. The most serious charge of felony aggravated assault was dropped on Feb. 6, with the Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna stating video evidence did not support the charge. On Wednesday, Nittany Lion head coach Guy Gadowsky confirmed that the 18-year-old McKenna will continue to participate in all athletically related activities.
McKenna is tied for the team lead in points with 32, thanks to 11 goals and 21 assists. McKenna is averaging 2.00 points per game over the last seven contests, with seven goals and seven assists. Teammate Matt DiMarsico also shares the team lead with 32 points on 15 goals and 17 assists. DiMarsico has scored in eight of the last nine games, including a hat trick on Jan. 16 against Notre Dame.
The Wolverines have been led all season by senior T.J. Hughes. He is second in the nation by averaging 1.43 points per game due to 40 points (13 goals and 27 assists). Michigan has also been boosted by the return of goalie Jack Ivankovic. He returned to the lineup last weekend to face Michigan State in the 5-2 loss. Ivankovic is 17-5-0 on the season, posting a .925 save percentage and a 2.02 goals against average.
Both of these programs are at an elite level, and to win these series, the team that can execute their specific game plan comes out on top. A key matchup to watch is on special teams, as Michigan’s power play ranks third in the nation at 29.8 percent and second in the nation with 31 goals. It'll face a top-10 Nittany Lion penalty kill, converting at 86.1 percent.
To round out the season, the Wolverines have a series against Wisconsin and Minnesota to end conference play. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions still have three conference series left, including the season finale at home against Wisconson.
Zach Richardson is a graduate of Augustana University, where he double-majored in journalism and media studies. He's a five-year member of the football team and an active contributor to the university’s student newspapers. He's covered a wide range of sports, including hockey, basketball, softball, and baseball. "I know how to break down the game, ask the right questions, and tell compelling stories on and off the field. ... I’ve spent just as much time in locker rooms as I have in newsrooms, and I understand both the athlete and the fan."
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