A first round draft pick of Winnipeg in last June’s NHL draft, there was little doubt Kyle Connor had skill. In a weekend split with Minnesota, Michigan’s prized freshman put his goal-scoring skills on display.
Michigan forward Kyle Connor brings the puck up ice against Minnesota. He netted a hat trick against the Gophers. Photo courtesy the University of Michigan.
On Friday night, Connor picked up his first career hat trick in the Wolverines resounding 8-3 win over the Golden Gophers in the first matchup of the conference’s top teams in the preseason poll. Tyler Motte added two goals and two assists for the No. 9 Wolverines.
Despite the score, the game was more than competitive. Minnesota had twice battled back one-goal deficits. Motte opened the scoring for Michigan 16 seconds into the game, before Hudson Fasching equalized just 14 seconds later.
Dexter Dancs had given Michigan a 2-1 lead after the first period, but Minnesota responded at 10:09 of the second period on Tyler Sheehy’s power-play goal. Michigan then scored three goals in a 3:55 span to take control of the game. Cristoval Nieves and Connor scored 15 seconds apart, before Connor added his second at 14:38 to make the score 5-2.
Fasching scored his second to close the gap heading to the third period, but goals from Max Shuart, Motte and Connor sealed the Wolverines’ victory.
On Saturday night, Connor scored two more goals to help Michigan rally from a 2-0 deficit, but Vinni Lettieri scored 12 after Connor’s second to give Minnesota a weekend split.
Minnesota (7-8-0, 3-1-0-0) took a 2-0 lead after the first period on goals from Jake Bischoff and Fasching. After Connor scored at 11:53 of the second period, Minnesota was unable to beat Zach Nagelvoort in the Michigan goal on a 5-minute power play after Michael Downing received a major penalty for contact to the head.
Nagelvoort made 30 saves in the loss for Michigan (9-3-3, 2-1-1-1); Minnesota freshman goalie Eric Schierhorn made 33 stops to earn the win.
Michigan State 4, Wisconsin 3; Wisconsin 3, Michigan State 0
The host Spartans got their first Big Ten win of the season on Friday night, rallying from two two-goal deficits to knock off the Badgers. Justin Hoomaian scored on a breakaway with 3:13 left in the game for the win.
Wisconsin led 2-0 late in the first period with goals from Will Johnson and Jake Linhart, but Brennan Sanford responded 31 seconds later for MSU to make it a 2-1 game.
Matthew Freytag scored to restore the Badgers’ 3-1 lead in the second period, but like in the first period, the Spartans responded quickly when Travis Walsh scored 48 seconds later. Michigan State tied the game heading into the third with a goal from Michael Ferrantino.
Ten different Spartans notched points, with Zach Osburn and Sanford getting two apiece.
On Saturday, Wisconsin (4-7-5, 1-2-1) got three goals in the second period and Matt Jurusik stopped 28 shots to lead the Badgers to the shutout win. Deamus Malone, Freytag and Luke Kunin all scored in the middle period for Wisconsin. But it was Jurusik who kept Wisconsin ahead, making 15 saves in the third period as the Badgers were outshot 15-4.
Penn State 6, Princeton 3
Tommy Olczyk notched his first career hat trick as the No. 16 Nittany Lions stayed red hot with a win over Princeton. Penn State (11-2-3, 2-0-0) hasn’t lost since Oct. 30, going 7-0-2 in that stretch.
Olczyk scored twice in the first period, and Chase Berger and David Glen each scored unassisted goals in the second period as Penn State jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Princeton rallied in the third period, scoring three goals in a 3:17 span to cut the lead to 4-3. Penn State got empty net goals from Olczyk and Curtis Loik to secure the win.
Stars Of The Weekend
The stars of the weekend from the Big Ten are:
First star: Kyle Connor, Michigan
Second star: Tommy Olczyk, Penn State
Third star: Hudson Fasching, Minnesota
This Weekend’s Games
Michigan State is the only Big Ten team in action this weekend. The Spartans travel to Boston to take on Northeastern on Saturday night.
Michigan is off until playing Northern Michigan in Great Lakes Invitational on Dec. 28 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. The Wolverines play either Michigan State or Michigan Tech on Dec. 29.
Minnesota is off until the Gophers host Harvard, Ferris State and UConn at the Mariucci Classic on Jan. 1 and 2. The Gophers will play UConn in their first game.
Ohio State is off until the Buckeyes take part in the Florida College Classic in Estero. OSU will play Boston College on Dec. 28, and either Cornell or Providence, on Dec. 29.
Penn State next plays in the Three Rivers Classic against Robert Morris on Dec. 28, and either UMass-Lowell or Clarkson on Dec. 29.
Wisconsin is off until Jan. 1, when the Badgers host an exhibition against Trinity Western a Canadian college.
Follow Lonny on Twitter @lonny_goldsmith and you can always reach him at Lonny.Goldsmith@prohockeynews.com
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