Michigan’s hockey team came into the season as the favorites in the Big Ten and the Wolverines showed why last weekend, opening its 2015-16 campaign with a sweep of Mercyhurst, 6-4 on Friday night and 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Star freshman Kyle Connor, the 17th overall pick of the Winnipeg Jets in the 2015 NHL draft, had two goals and an assist on Friday and scored the game-winning goal in the second period on Sunday. Connor’s first goal on Friday came with the Wolverines short-handed and trailing 2-1. He ended the scoring with an empty-netter to seal the win.
Fellow freshman Justin Selman added three assists in the two games, as the Wolverines fired a combined 92 shots on goal over the two games. 
Denver 4, Michigan State 2; Denver 3, Michigan State 0
On Friday night in Denver, JT Stenglein and Matt DeBlouw gave the Spartans (1-2-1) a 2-1 lead before the No. 5 Pioneers scored twice in a 3:19 span of the third period before adding an empty-netter to rally for the victory. Jake Hildebrand made 32 saves in the Friday loss, and another 38 on Saturday. He moved into fourth place on MSU’s all-time saves list.
Minnesota-Duluth 3, Minnesota 1; Minnesota-Duluth 3, Minnesota 0
The Golden Gophers continue to struggle on offense, having now scored just one goal in the first three games after a sweep by their northern rivals. Brent Gates Jr. got his first career goal in the third period to cut the Gophers’ deficit to 2-1, but the Bulldogs scored 32 seconds later to give the game its final margin. Eric Schierhorn made 32 saves on Friday night and 30 on Saturday for Minnesota (0-3-0).
Miami (Oh) 3, Ohio State 2; Miami (Oh) 3, Ohio State 1
Anthony Greco scored two goals on Friday night, but the Buckeyes (0-4-0) allowed the game winner just 72 seconds later after Greco tied the game at 2 to fall to the Redhawks in Columbus. On Saturday night in Oxford, Mason Jobst scored his first career goal to tie the game at 1-1 before Miami pulled away for the sweep.
Notre Dame 7, Penn State 4; Penn State 5, Notre Dame 3
In a wild Friday night in Hockey Valley, Notre Dame scored four unanswered goals to break a 1-1 tie and then hung on for a 7-4 win. Trailing 5-1, Alex Marsh and Dylan Richard scored for the Nittany Lions in a 46 second span to cut the deficit after two periods to 5-3. Notre Dame responded with goals 2:17 apart to make the lead four goals. Marsh scored his second with 14 minutes to go in the game, but the Fighting Irish would hold on despite getting outshot 36-24 and never having a power play opportunity.
On Saturday night, Penn State (2-1-0) went a perfect 3-3 on the power play and scored three goals in a 2:21 span in the second period to earn the split. Trailing 2-1, Chase Berger, Marsh, and Ricky DeRosa all scored — the first two on the power play — to take a 4-2 lead. Notre Dame quickly answered to make it a 4-3 game, and the Nittany Lions hung on before a Curtis Loik empty-netter sealed it. A crazy second period featured a combined five goals in 5:02.
Boston College 6, Wisconsin 0, Boston University 4, Wisconsin 1
Wisconsin fell behind Boston College on Friday night 12 seconds into the game and the Badger never found their footing in a shutout loss to the fourth-ranked Eagles. Adam Miller got the start in goal and was pulled after allowing two goals on four shots in 4:39. Matt Jurusik replaced Miller and made 19 saves.
Jurusik started Saturday night against the No. 6 Terriers and made 40 saves, but didn’t get help from his offense as he couldn’t hold the early 1-0 lead he was staked to as Boston University overran the Badgers (0-2-2). Adam Rockwood scored Wisconsin’s lone goal.
Stars Of The Weekend
The stars of the weekend from the Big Ten are:
First star: Kyle Connor, Michigan
Second star: Alec Marsh, Penn State
Third star:Justin Selman, Michigan
This Weekend’s Games
- Michigan heads for Upstate New York for games at Union on Friday and at Rensselaer on Saturday.
- Michigan State opens its home slate with Thursday and Friday night games against Lake Superior State. The Spartans beat the Lakers 4-1 at the Ice Breaker Tournament on Oct. 10.
- Minnesota tries to get its first points of the season at home against Northeastern on Friday and Saturday.
- Ohio State tries to get in the win column with a weekend set against Providence.
- Penn State hosts American International College — the first team it played when it became a Division I program in 2013 — for Friday and Saturday games.
- Wisconsin travels to Big Rapids, Mich., for a pair of games against Ferris State.
Follow Lonny on Twitter @lonny_goldsmith and you can always reach him at Lonny.Goldsmith@prohockeynews.com
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