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Big Ten Breakdown: Minnesota back atop
Where does junior forward Kyle Rau returns ability. seventh in the nation with a .929 inaugural season as a varsity


Mi
in
On
travels
second
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to lead the offense. The Golden
chigan stack up Gophers return the majority of
the BigTen's their scoring options from last
year's sixth-ranked offense.
second year? But even scarier might be
their defense. A first-team All-
American last season, junior Mike
By ZACH SHAW Reillyleads awhoppingeightNHL
Daily Sports Writer draftees that will rotate blue-line
duties.
Nov. 20, Michigan State With goaltending, defense
to Ohio State to open the and an offense all contending as
Big Ten hockey season. among the nation's best, it's hard
uing to establish itself to imagine anyone in the Big Ten
the nation's premiere - or the country for that matter -

On the other side of the ice, the
junior defenseman and alternate
captain Sam Jardine will lead
eight of nine Buckeye defensemen
returning from last season.
After surprising many by
ranking in the top 15 nationally
in all statistical categories as a
freshman, sophomore goaltender
Christian Frey returns in hopes of
complementing a talented and fast

save per
defensem
Chase Di
Doughert
No. 8 fre
ISS Hock
unit caps
team int

centage last season. The
nan in front of him, senior
rake and freshman Jack
ty - recently named the
shman in the nation by
ey - will look to lead a
ble of shutting down any
he country.
Michigan State

ences, the Big Ten boasts taking do

four teams ranked inside the top
20. Before the conference slate
f kicks off, The Michigan Daily

own Minnesota.
No.17 Ohio State

breaks d
Sitting
the Gol
the team
but the
of 27 pla
season's
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elite in a
Junior
returns
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earned B
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own the other five teams. One overtime loss to Wisconsin
away from the NCAA Tournament
No.1 Minnesota last season, Ohio State returns 20
of 27 players, and splitting two
g atop preseason polls, season-opening overtime games
den Gophers aren't just with No. 5 Providence to begin the
to beat in the Big Ten, season certainly doesn't hurt.
entire country. With 21 Despite losing its top-two
ayers returning from last scorers to the NHL, Ohio State
national runner-up team, returns many key pieces from
ita is among the nation's an offensive unit that was 14th
ll areas. in the nation with 3.19 goals
r goaltender Adam Wilcox per-game Junior forward Aaron
after going 26-6-6 with Greco and senior forward Tanner
oals-against average. He Fritz - who combined for five
ig Ten player of the year goals in Ohio State's 5-4 win over
or his efforts, while fellow the Friars - will put pressure on
eam All-American and defenses with their quick-scoring

offense.
The B
ranked
being up
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first rou
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But af
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and Ala
Big Ten
growing
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After
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Wiscons
13 freshi
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Joel Rut

Michigan State was among the
bottom five teams in the country
No.18 Wisconsin in nearly every offensive category
last season. With their top three
ladgers began the season point-gettersfrom a year ago gone,
10th nationally after it's hard to expect much different
set in devastating fashion this season for the Spartans.
odering three goals in Junior goaltender Jake
1 two minutes - in the Hildebrand, who at times looked
nd of last year's NCAA like a one-man show on the ice
nent. last season, may once again have
ter being outscored 5-2 in to carry this team as it continues
pening losses to Alaska to rebuild. Among the nation's
ska-Anchorage, the 2014 most highly regarded netminders,
Tournament champions' Hildebrand's .923 save percentage
pains may be worse than will keep Michigan State ina lot of
ticipated. gamesitwouldn'tnormallybe able
losing five of its top six to compete in.
rers from last season, Highly touted freshman
in will be counting on its defenseman Josh Jacobs will help,
men to step up by the time but this defense will continue to
ce play rolls around. struggle.

program, Penn State is
undoubtedly still in building
mode. Yet with 20 of 21 player
who scored last season back for
another year, things should only
get better for the Nittany Lions.
The optimism was mirrored by
students, who purchased all of
the 1,000 alotted season tickets in
three minutes.
Last season's leading goal-
scorer and junior forward and
Eric Scheid will lead the way
on offense, while captain and
redshirt senior defenseman
Patrick Koudys will look to lead a
defensive squad that allowed 3.58
goals per game last season, good
for 54th out of 59 teams.
You can follow us
on Twitter for live
updates.
@TH EBLOCKM

nately for the Badgers,
nse will provide at least
ety net. Senior goaltender
mpel returns after ranking

Penn State
After going 8-26-2 in it

STAFF PICKS
The Daily hockey
writers take their best
shot to predict what will
happen in the world
of college hockey
during Michigan's
2014-15 campaign.

Jason
Rubinstein

iacn Jeremy
Shaw Summitt

Erin
Lennon

Big Ten First Place Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota
Big Ten Second Place Michigan Michigan Michigan Michigan
Big Ten Third Place Ohio State Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin
BigTen coach of the Year Don Lucia, Minnesota Lucia Guy Gadowsky, Penn State Lucia
BigTen Tournament champion Minnesota Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota
GIl Champion Michigan Ferris State Michigan Ferris te
Michgan's Season Ends Here NCAA Tournament 2nd round - NCAA Tournament 2nd round Frozen Four Frozen Four
Michigan MVP Steve Racine Racine Andrew copp.Copp
MichiganTop Scorer Andrew Copp Copp Copp TCompher
Top Michigan Freshman Dylan Larkin Larkin Larkin Zach Werens
Frozen Four1 Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota Mi nesota
Frozen Four 2 North Dakota Providence Boston Univeristy Boston Univest
Frozen Four3 3UnionN orth Dakota BostonCollegeMichign
Frozen Four 4 4chBpst MonCes Boston College MichigansUnion
........ . ............ ................. .. ... .. . . ..... ... .. ... .... .......... .......... .. ......... ... ..... ....... ..........:..... ..... .. .....
National Champion. Minnesota Minnesota Boston College Boston Uniest