Penn State Hockey: Nittany Lions Look for Big Ten Tournament Sweep Vs. Michigan
After a dramatic win over Michigan on Friday, Penn State men’s hockey can clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals and likely a trip to the NCAA Championships. The Nittany Lions will meet Michigan in Saturday’s second game of their best-of-three Big Ten quarterfinal series looking to sweep the fourth-seeded Wolverines on the road.
Penn State scored a 6-5 win Friday night in Ann Arbor, where freshman JJ Wiebusch scored the team’s last three goals, including the overtime game-winner. Wiebusch broke a 5-5 tie with a slick, betwee-the-skates move to beat Michigan goalkeeper Logan Stein five minutes into overtime. Wiebusch’s hat trick was the first in Penn State postseason hockey history.
Wiebusch scored twice in the third period for Penn State, which held a 5-3 lead before giving up two Michigan goals over the last 11 minutes. The Wolverines scored twice during the game within 15 seconds of a Penn State goal. But the Nittany Lions scored last, continuing a remarkable run over the past eight weeks.
Penn State improved to 11-2-3 in their past 16 games, making a run to the postseason after starting the Big Ten schedule at 0-8. Penn State now sits at No. 13 in the PairWise Comparison Ratings and have a strong chance to make the NCAA Championships field.
Penn State’s Aiden Fink, who leads the nation in points, had four assists in the game, including the secondary assists on Wiebusch’s game-winner. Fink now has 51 points, a new Penn State single-season record.
How to watch Game 2 of the Penn State-Michigan series
The Nittany Lions (19-12-4) can clinch the series sweep tonight in Game 2 of the best-of-three series against Michigan (18-14-3). The game starts at 7 p.m. ET at Yost Ice Arena and will be streamed on B1G+. Can’t watch? Listen to Brian Tripp and Eric Ohlson on the Penn State Sports Network.
Penn State-Michigan Game 1 notes
- Penn State improved to 17-0-1 on the season when leading after two periods. The Nittany Lions held a 3-2 lead entering the third period, when the teams combined for five goals.
- Penn State outshot Michigan 36-26 in Game 1 and went 2-for-4 on the power play.
- Fink has 15 multi-point games this season and 24 in his career.
- Penn State improves to 19-12-4 following the victory while the Wolverines fall
to 18-14-3 overall with the loss.
- Wiebusch set a new career-high with four points, adding an assist to complement the hat trick. It was his seventh multi-point game of the season.
- Penn State improved to 15-13-0 all-time in Big Ten Tournament games.
