Around Big Ten Hockey: Week of Jan. 30

The Big Ten conference is as competitive as it gets. With only a few left in the season, teams are ready to buckle down and make a push. How did the conference look this past week?

No. 9 Minnesota Golden Gophers (15-7-4) vs. No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (17-6-3)

A series that ended in a split had its dramatics. In Game 1, Minnesota jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the Spartans never quit tallying three unanswered goals, including a shorthanded tally. MSU would win 3-2 with the game-winner coming from Daniel Russell.

The Golden Gophers did not stay down for long with a huge counterpunch in Game 2. A multi-goal performance from Oliver Moore helped Minnesota record a 5-1 win. Moore would win Big Ten Second Star of the Week.

Notre Dame (13-11-2)

The Fighting Irish enjoyed a bye week as they get ready for their upcoming matchup against Michigan State.

No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers (20-5-1) vs. No. 12 Michigan Wolverines (12-9-3)

Game 1 was all Michigan with Frank Nazar III putting up a three-point game including two goals. Game 2 was a barnburner with goals going back and forth between the two programs.

Wisconsin would end up winning the game 6-5 and getting the split in overtime, but Nazar III would tack on two more points and get Big Ten First Star of the Week. Dylan Duke also had a big impact with two goals of his own. Wisconsin’s Quinn Finley registered four points in the win.

Ohio State Buckeyes (9-13-4) vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (12-11-3)

The Nittany Lions got a much-needed sweep over the weekend against a struggling Buckeyes squad. In Game 1, Ohio State had the early lead, but Penn State rallied for three straight unanswered goals to take control of the game.

Aiden Fink continued his historic season with two goals of his own, setting a single-season program record for powerplay goals with eight and counting for the 4-3 win.

In Game 2, it was more of the same for the star freshman. Fink recorded a goal and an assist en route to another 4-3 win. Liam Souliere came up large when he needed to be and Jarod Crespo had himself a nice weekend from the blue line.

Fink’s four-point weekend was enough to earn him Big Ten Third Star of the Week.

Here’s the upcoming schedule for the Big Ten.

Michigan travels to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes, Notre Dame gets ready to welcome the Spartans and the Golden Gophers prepare for a top 10 matchup as they travel to Wisconsin this weekend.

Penn State will take time off and enjoy a bye week before the final stretch.

Anthony Desher is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email acd5698@psu.edu.