It was 4 weeks between my season preview and my next update. It's been 2 weeks since then. We are now posting at a geometric rate. By Thanksgiving I will be posting about results from January. By New Year I will be posting about 2028. By the Frozen Four I will be posting about hockey in the time of President Michigan. That's right folks, you heard it here first: the whole damn University.
Why not Wisconsin, you might reasonably ask? They're the only undefeated team left in the conference after all! Well, that might be true, but look at these obscene offensive stats from the Wolverines.
Yeah, Michigan has the top 5 point scorers in the conference. Michael Hage and Jayden Perron are also #1 and #2 in the NCAA. They are an offensive juggernaut. But the unstoppable force may meet the unmoveable objects when it comes time to face Wisconsin and Michigan State because look at this shit.
Meanwhile Minnesota and Penn State may have arrested their early season slides. But there is a three-team buzzsaw facing them at the top of the conference, ranked #1, 2, and 3 in the country. Let's dig in.
Wisconsin, 2-0-0 B1G, 6-0-0 Overall (#1 USCHO, #1 USA Hockey)
The Badgers are the new kids at the top of the rankings this week thanks to excellent defense and goaltending. The Wisconsin end of the ice has been where opponents go to die this season; only Robert Morris has managed more than a single goal in a game against the Badgers, and that was in the opener. Daniel Hauser and Alexis Cournoyer, buoyed by a sophomore defensive corps, have absolutely shut down their opponents, including taking 3 games away vs. ranked opponents (2 wins at #19 Minnesota State, 1 win at #5 Western Michigan).
The defensive side of the rink has not been the only highlight either. Wisconsin has scored less than 4 goals in only their 2nd game against Robert Morris, and last weekend completed a sweep of lowly Notre Dame 7-1 and 9-1.
This coming weekend brings what will presumably be a more difficult challenge from #18 Minnesota, playing at home at Mariucci Arena in a Thursday/Friday series. But this is an extremely good team in every facet, and they'll be strongly favored for a Border Battle road sweep.
*Note: Due to LIFE STUFF this week, I am late. As I am writing this there are 10:29 minutes left in the 3rd Period and the Badgers are tied with the Gophers 1-1.
Michigan, 1-1-0 B1G, 8-1-0 Overall (#2 USCHO, #2 USA Hockey)
It finally happened: Michigan lost, and to Ohio State in Columbus 5-2 on Halloween. Spoooooky. The next night day the haunted Wolverines needed overtime to beat the Buckeyes 5-4. It was the first weakness Michigan had shown all season after steamrolling some very good competition. Is the sky going to fall.
Yeah, probably not. Rivalry weekends are funny even if the intensity of the Michigan-Ohio State matchups may not carry quite the same level as the gridiron. Moreover, Michigan has faced a very tough schedule to start the season. This is still and extremely good team.
Michigan has earned a break and they get one this weekend with no games. All the worse news for Penn State next weekend.
Michigan State, 0-0-0 B1G, 5-1-0 Overall (#3 USCHO, #3 USA Hockey)
Sparty brings home the B1G dominance at the top of the rankings. They bounced back from a tough road loss to New Hampshire on 10/23 with a 2-1 win, then followed that up with a home victory over #8 North Dakota on Halloween in a single-game weekend.
Michigan State's defense and goaltending matches up well with, if slightly below, Wisconsin. But their offense has been more concentrated to a handful of skill players, particularly sophomore forward Anthony Romani, one of the few in conference who can challenge the Michigan Five. Wisconsin's balanced attack vs. Michigan State's more top-heavy group could be a story to watch.
It won't be until next weekend that they finally meet a B1G foe, but there's no rest for Sparty this weekend as they face #13 Boston University at home on Friday and Saturday in a delightful matchup of Christmas colors.
Minnesota, 1-0-1 B1G, 3-3-2 Overall (#18 USCHO, #17 USA Hockey)
Minnesota returned to the rankings last week after a very surprising and very complete home sweep of #3 North Dakota, 5-3 both nights. Against their traditional WCHA rivals the Gophers looked like a different team than they had previously this season: confident, physical, and no longer hesitant in either passing or shooting. They had all the momentum before hosting Penn State at home this past weekend.
And then their form reverted; not fully, but the Gophers appeared to let their focus slip while Penn State proved that their slow start has not been fully indicative of their ability. Minnesota's passing was suspect and some bad blue line turnovers game the Lions their chances which they took. The Friday night game ended in a 1-1 draw that Penn State "won" in a shootout. The next night went to OT again but this time Minnesota sealed an official win in the 3-on-3 period by a 4-3 score. It was enough for the Gophers to retain their ranking.
This weekend will be a horse of a different color as the challenging opening season schedule continues by hosting #1 Wisconsin in Minneapolis, sure to draw the red hoards in from Lakeville on Thursday and Saturday evenings.
*Note: Due to LIFE STUFF this week, I am late. As I am writing this there are 10:29 minutes left in the 3rd Period and the Gophers are tied with the Badgers 1-1.
Ohio State, 1-1-0 B1G, 3-5-0 Overall (23 votes USCHO, 6 votes USA Hockey)
Ohio State earned every one of their votes this past weekend stealing the opening end of their series with Michigan and then making the Wolverine's lives hell the following night in an Overtime loss. Tempting to read a lot into that but I'm built different (I can't read).
Evan Jardine and Jake Karabela have been good at Forward for the Buckeyes with 10 and 8 points, respectively, and Karabela in particular was key to the split with Michigan, scoring 4 of his 8 season points in that series. Ohio State is not a complete team but this was a promising performance by any measure, and if the Buckeyes can capitalize quickly they could create some momentum!
But, they're resting this weekend before having to head to Madison so...not ideal.
Penn State, 0-1-1 B1G, 2-5-1 Overall
The Nittany Lions went to Minneapolis last weekend to face a Gopher squad buzzing from its sweep of #3 North Dakota, and immediately dumped cold water on Minnesota. The opener on Friday night was a 1-1 tie but Penn State "won" the shootout to end overtime when Dane Dowiak just snuck the puck underneath goalie Luca Di Pasquo's stick poke. The goal was disallowed on the ice, but review correctly determined that Di Pasquo failed to contact the puck. Minnesota missed the ensuing penalty shot and Penn State skated off with a victory.
Halloween was different as the teams traded goals to end regulation 3-3 before LJ Mooney won it for the Gophers 17 seconds into the Overtime. The performance from Penn State was not enough to garner them any votes, nor enough to knock Minnesota down significantly. But there were moments of hope for the Nittany Lions though they ultimately shot themselves in the skate with penalties.
Penn State has a chance to reset at home against Notre Dame this weekend and they really need a sweep before an away weekend in Ann Arbor to follow.
Notre Dame, 0-2-0 B1G*, 2-5-1 Overall
The season for the Fighting Irish has been f***ing awful and Wisconsin did nothing to allow them hope with a combined 16-2 thrasing over two games. After their opening sweep of Niagara, Notre Dame has been outscored collectively 34-6. Granted, that's come against the #6, #20, and #2 teams in the country but it's still an impressive degree of futility. Their goalies have GAAs of 2.75, 3.61, and 5.86. They're just not good and there's not much else to say about it right now.
They head to Happy Valley hoping to salvage something against a Penn State team that's been frustrated, but at least has a sliver of hope and momentum. We'll know for sure after this weekend who is truly bottom of the conference.