#11 Penn State (2-1-0, 1-0-0-0 Big Ten) at #7 Minnesota (1-2-0, 0-1-0-0 Big Ten)
Date: October 15, 2017Time: 3:00 pm CT
Place: 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, MN
TV: Fox Sports North (Doug McLeod, Ben Clymer and Krissy Wendell-Pohl)
Stream: BTN2Go/Fox Sports Go
Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM (Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco)
Nate is covering for today: The Athletic
Among the many things Minnesota failed to do in Friday's 3-1 loss was test Penn State sophomore goaltender Peyton Jones.
"Not at all," junior forward Darian Romanko said. "We got zero shots in the first ten minutes and 16 on the game, I think (Note: It was 21). That's not good enough for Gopher hockey."
The slow start was Minnesota's second consecutive Friday night opening the game being outshot over the first ten minutes. The Gophers didn't have a shot stopped by Jones until the 12 minute mark. He was barely tested as the Nittany Lions forced Eric Schierhorn (making his record-breaking 79th straight start Sunday) to stop 2 breakaways during that stretch.
The slow start was Minnesota's second consecutive Friday night opening the game being outshot over the first ten minutes. The Gophers didn't have a shot stopped by Jones until the 12 minute mark. He was barely tested as the Nittany Lions forced Eric Schierhorn (making his record-breaking 79th straight start Sunday) to stop 2 breakaways during that stretch.
That isn't to say Jones made the saves needed. He had the #3 play Friday night in the Sportscenter Top Ten by robbing Mike Szmatula of a sure goal during one of Minnesota's best chances.
Hey @Buccigross any room on the #SCTop10 tonight for this incredible stick save by @Peyton_Jones31?? @SportsCenterhttps://t.co/DnzQBnEZYw— Penn State Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) October 14, 2017
"I've seen them on Sportscenter. I've never seen one like that live," said Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky.
With Minnesota on a two-on-zero following a defensive breakdown, Jones dove, getting the paddle of his stick to knock Szmatula's shot out of the air.
Big save aside, the Gophers have not gotten the opportunities needed.
Big save aside, the Gophers have not gotten the opportunities needed.
"The hard working guys are scoring our goals. We have 4 five-on-five goals (in 3 games) and Romanko's line has two of the four," said Lucia. "That tells you where as a group we need to go."
Line Combinations
Changing course will require the Gophers to do so without three top-9 forwards.
Minnesota is dressing every available forward Sunday - Luke Notermann is not skating with the team, having undergone double hip surgery and ruled likely out for the season by Lucia, and Connor Hurley is ineligible due to transferring - going with 7 defensemen. Freshmen Sam Rossini and Cullen Munson make their Gopher debuts after being scratched for the team's first three games.
Leon Bristedt is out due to suspension while Scott Reedy suffered an upper body injury towards the end of Friday's game.
Tyler Sheehy remains out for a second consecutive game.
Lucia mentioned postgame that he was likely going to blow up some line combinations, as what worked in practice was not in gameplay.
Now he will by necessity.
The entire "Trench Line" is in the top-nine. Ryan Norman, who scored the lone goal Friday, will take Reedy's spot with Rem Pitlick and Casey Mittelstadt. Romanko moves up next to Tommy Novak and Brannon McManus while Jack Ramsey remains with Brent Gates Jr. and Mike Szmatula.
Penn State, meanwhile, makes no changes from Friday's lineup.
Forwards:
Rem Pitlick (#15) - Casey Mittelstadt (#21) - Ryan Norman (#23)
Brent Gates Jr. (#10) - Mike Szmatula (#9) - Jack Ramsey (#16)
Darian Romanko (#26) - Tommy Novak (#17) - Brannon McManus (#7)
Cullen Munson (#13) - Joey Marooney (#12)
Defense:
Ryan Lindgren (#5) - Jack Sadek (#2)
Ryan Zuhlsdorf (#20) - Tyler Nanne (#29)
Steve Johnson (#4) - Jack Glover (#3)
Sam Rossini (#28)
Goaltenders:
Eric Schierhorn (#37)
Brock Kautz (#1)
Nick Lehr (#34)
Lucia mentioned postgame that he was likely going to blow up some line combinations, as what worked in practice was not in gameplay.
Now he will by necessity.
The entire "Trench Line" is in the top-nine. Ryan Norman, who scored the lone goal Friday, will take Reedy's spot with Rem Pitlick and Casey Mittelstadt. Romanko moves up next to Tommy Novak and Brannon McManus while Jack Ramsey remains with Brent Gates Jr. and Mike Szmatula.
Penn State, meanwhile, makes no changes from Friday's lineup.
University of Minnesota Golden Gophers
Forwards:
Rem Pitlick (#15) - Casey Mittelstadt (#21) - Ryan Norman (#23)
Brent Gates Jr. (#10) - Mike Szmatula (#9) - Jack Ramsey (#16)
Darian Romanko (#26) - Tommy Novak (#17) - Brannon McManus (#7)
Cullen Munson (#13) - Joey Marooney (#12)
Defense:
Ryan Lindgren (#5) - Jack Sadek (#2)
Ryan Zuhlsdorf (#20) - Tyler Nanne (#29)
Steve Johnson (#4) - Jack Glover (#3)
Sam Rossini (#28)
Goaltenders:
Eric Schierhorn (#37)
Brock Kautz (#1)
Nick Lehr (#34)
Penn State Nittany Lions
Forwards
Denis Smirnov (#25) - Nate Sucese (#14) - Brandon Biro (#10)
James Robinson (#7) - Nikita Palychev (#13) - Blake Gober (#23)
Brett Murray (#18) - Alex Limoges (#9) - Liam Folkes (#26)
Alec Marsh (#28) - Chase Berger (#8) - Andrew Sturtz (#16)
Defense
Cole Hults (#2) - Erik Autio (#2)
Derian Hamilton (#19) - Trevor Hamilton (#11)
Kris Myllari (#4) - James Gobetz (#6)
Goaltenders
Peyton Jones (#31)
Chris Funkey (#33)
Matt Erlichman (#30)
Italics indicates starter
Denis Smirnov (#25) - Nate Sucese (#14) - Brandon Biro (#10)
James Robinson (#7) - Nikita Palychev (#13) - Blake Gober (#23)
Brett Murray (#18) - Alex Limoges (#9) - Liam Folkes (#26)
Alec Marsh (#28) - Chase Berger (#8) - Andrew Sturtz (#16)
Defense
Cole Hults (#2) - Erik Autio (#2)
Derian Hamilton (#19) - Trevor Hamilton (#11)
Kris Myllari (#4) - James Gobetz (#6)
Goaltenders
Peyton Jones (#31)
Chris Funkey (#33)
Matt Erlichman (#30)
Italics indicates starter
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