Tuesday, October 25, 2016 // FACEOFF 2016 6B Big Ten Breakdown: Minnesota, Ohio State provide strongest competition After losing nearly two thirds of its scoring to graduation and the NHL, the No. 13 Michigan hockey team will face difficulties in repeating as Big Ten champions. Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio State each enter the season with lineups heavy on experience, and nearly every contending team returns a top-five Big Ten scorer. It will be challenging for the young and raw Wolverines to compete in a conference with four ranked teams. The Daily broke down the Big Ten in 2016, teams listed in order of predicted finish. Minnesota (No. 12) The Golden Gophers won last year’s Big Ten season title by only one point over second-place Michigan. Returning from that winning team are forward Justin Kloos, who tallied 43 points — the most of anyone not named Kyle Connor, JT Compher or Tyler Motte — and Leon Bristedt, who scored 20 goals, the most of any player who returned to the Big Ten this season. In the net, Minnesota returns freshman standout Eric Schierhorn, who played the most games and minutes in the crease of any goaltender in the conference last season. Both Kloos and Schierhorn earned unanimous All-Big Ten preseason watch list selections, while Bristedt also received a spot on the list. With so much preseason promise, the Golden Gophers have disappointed so far, opening this year 2-2 with two losses to then-No. 14 St. Cloud State last weekend. Minnesota will face top-ranked North Dakota, No. 18 St. Lawrence and No. 9 Minnesota State to finish up their extremely challenging non- conference slate. The Golden Gophers begin conference play with a series against Ohio State at home. This series will pit two between the teams projected to lead the Big Ten, and could determine whether the Golden Gophers will defend their season title or fall prey to the just as deep and experienced Buckeyes. Ohio State (No. 15) Through three weeks of hockey, the Buckeyes remain the Big Ten’s only undefeated team. Ohio State returns two top offensive players from last season: forward Nick Schilkey, who scored 19 goals, and David Gust, who earned 36 points, good for ninth in the Big Ten. Standout sophomore wing Mason Jobst is also back in Columbus after a first year in which he bagged 19 goals. Schilkey has already tabbed four goals and two assists to lead the Buckeyes in their first few games this season. Both Schilkey and Jobst were named to the All-Big Ten Preseason watch list along with defenseman Josh Healey, who has garnered four assists in five games. Ohio State opened its season with an impressive 3-2 victory over Denver and defeated Air Force and Miami (OH), two teams that earned votes in this week’s USCHO’s rankings. The Buckeyes success stems from their 10th-ranked defense, which has allowed just 2.20 goals per game and their equally potent offensive attack that averages 3.60 goals. The series with Minnesota will prove to be one of the more important sets of games in conference play this year. In theory, it could show whether the Golden Gophers or the Buckeyes have the early edge in the season standings and send a message to their fellow conference members as to which is the team to beat. Wisconsin Last season, the Badgers finished dead last in the Big Ten, accumulating just three wins in conference play and earning eight total victories. This season, though, Wisconsin seems primed for a rebound, splitting its first two series with Northern Michigan and No. 8 Boston College. The Badgers return their top two offensive leaders from last season, forwards Luke Kunin — drafted by the Minnesota Wild — and Grant Besse, Kunin earned a unanimous All-Big Ten Preseason watch list selection by scoring 19 goals in last year’s campaign, and Besse tallied 22 assists. Also returning on the offensive front is Seamus Malone, who finished last season with 21 assists and, through four games thus far, currently ranks second in the Big Ten in total points with six. Freshman standout Matt Jurusik mans the crease for Wisconsin, and the Badgers hope he will improve upon last year’s performance in which he allowed 114 goals, the most of any Big Ten netminder. Through just two series, Wisconsin has shown tremendous improvement from last season, when it took seven games for the Badgers to earn a Twelfth-ranked Golden Gophers, 15th-ranked Buckeyes are only conference teams besides Michigan in top 15 AVI SHOLKOFF Daily Sports Writer JAMES COLLER/Daily The Michigan hockey team won its first Big Ten Tournament title last year, but the Wolverines must overcome Ohio State and Minnesota to repeat this year.