BUCKEYES TO BROWNS
Mike Hall Jr. is selected 54th overall in the second round of the NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns.
Big Ten hockey’s opening weekend is finally upon us. (Although it is weirdly not being covered by Big Ten Network.) Ohio State kicks off its conference slate with a series at Minnesota. Like many B1G teams the Buckeyes and Golden Gophers enjoy a fresh start after less than stellar non-conference results.
| game info | friday | saturday |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Faceoff | 8pm ET | 8pm ET |
| Radio | 1460 AM | 1460 AM |
| Television | FS North | ESPNews |
| Online | BTN2Go | Watch ESPN |
Both teams come into the weekend after being swept by top ten foes. OSU dropped a pair of hard fought games at No. 6 Nebraska-Omaha while Minnesota was downed twice by No. 7 St. Cloud. The Bucks and Gophers are fairly even statistically and each side is looking to rebound in a big way. A series split is a likely outcome.
As we stand on the brink of the B1G season I thought this might be a good time to revisit the preseason predictions for each member team. After two months of non-conference play we have a better idea what to expect from the Big Ten. While the top contender remains the same, the battle for second through sixth seems to have tightened up significantly. In this league any team can win on any night.
Michigan
No. 11/12 | 7-2-2 overall (1-1-1 vs current top 20) | B1G Coaches Prediction: First
Initial Outlook: The Wolverines’ high flying offense lost leading scorers Zach Hyman (54 pts) and Dylan Larkin (47 pts) but still retains a lot of firepower. The team’s Achilles’ heel still looks to be inconsistent defense and goaltending. However Michigan’s goal scorers cover a multitude of sins in their own end. The Wolverines should finish in the upper tier of the conference.
| Other week 1 b1G Match-ups |
|---|
| Michigan State vs. No. 19 Penn State |
| Wisconsin vs. No. 11/12 Michigan |
Current Outlook: So far, so good for Michigan. Freshman Cooper Marody (12 pts) and Kyle Connor (12 pts) lead an extremely effective offense that averages 4.09 goals per game. A clear starter has yet to emerge in net but senior Steve Racine and junior Zach Nagelvoort have at least been sufficient to the task.
The Wolverines' resume boasts a win over then-No. 10 Boston University. Their team stats are better than those of any other Big Ten squad save Penn State. The B1G still looks like it’s Michigan’s conference to lose.
Michigan State
Not Ranked | 4-7-2 overall (0-7-0 vs current top 20) | B1G Coaches Prediction: Third
Initial Outlook: The Spartans struggled to create offense last season and said goodbye to top point man Matt Berry (29 pts). Luckily for Michigan State, senior goaltender Jake Hildebrand returns to the net. He will once again be the cornerstone of the team’s success. Between Hildebrand’s stellar netminding and the Spartans’ hard working (if not particularly score-y) veterans the team is a solid mid-tier pick.
Current Outlook: The Spartans are apparently playing in Opposite Land this year. Two months into the season they have allowed more total goals than any other Big Ten team. The resurgent MSU offense, led by juniors J.T. Stenglein (13 pts) and Mackenzie MacEachern (13 pts), is covering for Hildebrand’s worst ever start to a season.
The netminder traditionally plays better after the holiday break. However if he continues to struggle MSU may be in trouble. The Spartans look like a less solid mid-pack pick, sliding into the lower tier if Ohio State or Wisconsin manages to up its game.
Minnesota
Not Ranked| 4-7-0 overall (1-5-0 vs current top 20) | B1G Coaches Prediction: Second
Initial Outlook: The Gophers suffered heavy losses to graduation and early departures. Gone are goaltender Adam Wilcox, defensive stalwarts Mike Reilly and Brady Skjei, and five of the team’s top eight scorers (Reilly, Kyle Rau, Travis Boyd, Sam Warning, and Seth Ambroz). Fortunately for Minnesota its second rank players are still highly skilled. The skaters should adjust to their new roles fairly quickly. Goaltending may be more of an issue yet not such a serious one that it prevents the Gophers from contending in the mid to upper tier.
Current Outlook: Minnesota’s stock isn’t what it was back in October. The team is getting serviceable goaltending from freshman Eric Schierhorn. The rookie has a 2.53 GAA and .916 save percentage. However the players expected to head up the offense are struggling.
Justin Kloos, Taylor Cammarata, and Hudson Fasching (a combined 85 points last season) have just 18 collective points midway through 2015-16. The Gophers don’t seem to be as much of a threat, although their talent could reassert itself at any time. It’s fifty-fifty whether they’re contenders or mired in mid-pack.
Ohio State
Not Ranked | 3-9-0 overall (0-6-0 vs current top 20) | B1G Coaches Prediction: Fifth
Initial Outlook: Like last season, this year’s Buckeyes look to be a scoring-by-committee offense. Unlike last season, this is a young group that includes 16 underclassmen. Success may come down to goaltending, not an area in which Ohio State usually excels. The team will be tested early with a difficult non-conference schedule which may or may not accelerate its progress. Still, a bottom tier finish is most likely.
Current Outlook: The non-conference schedule has been brutal, but both OSU’s goaltending and scoring have been more successful than expected. Just as importantly the team looks a little better with each passing week. The Buckeyes could be a dangerous squad in conference play. A lower tier finish is still a possibility but the team’s odds of making the mid-tier have increased exponentially.
Penn State
No. 20 | 8-2-3 overall (1-2-1 vs current top 20) | B1G Coaches Prediction: Fourth
Initial Outlook: The Nittany Lions bring back an experienced group including eight seniors and seven juniors. They do not return breakout star Casey Bailey (early departure), fellow top scorer Taylor Holstrom (graduation), or freshman phenom Scott Conway (dismissed from team). Still, Penn State is a hard working, veteran group. That should to be enough to keep the Nittany Lions in the middle tier and out of the cellar.
Current Outlook: PSU boasts a great record, if not a particularly impressive one. (Crushing a bunch of teams like American International doesn’t quite do it for me.) However the Nittany Lions are winning the games they ought to win. They’re also averaging more goals per game (4.15) than any other Big Ten team and operating a wickedly effective power play (30.4%).
At its worst, Penn State should be a solid mid-tier team. If Michigan falters the Nittany Lions could take advantage. I just don’t see them overcoming the Wolverines without some help.
Wisconsin
Not Ranked | 3-5-4 overall (1-4-1 vs current top 20) | B1G Coaches Prediction: Sixth
Initial Outlook: The Badgers were a young team last year. They’re an even younger squad this season. 21 of the 28 players on Wisconsin’s roster are freshmen or sophomores. Starting goalie Joel Rumpel departs for the pro ranks. His stable presence in net will be missed. Unproven goaltending makes an already challenging situation even tougher. Growing pains likely mean a bottom tier result.
Current Outlook: The Badgers pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the early season, going on the road to defeat then-No. 1 North Dakota. Was it a fluke? Time will tell. The team’s other results are neither outstanding, nor terrible. Wisconsin is still probably a lower tier team but definitely not one to overlook.
That's my take on the conference: Michigan on top, followed by a tight knit pack of which Penn State is probably the leading contender and then shifty Minnesota and longshots MSU, OSU, and UW. How do you see things shaking out? Share your predictions in the comments for maximum postseason I-told-you-so potential.
