Minnesota Standouts Honored as Three Stars
Gophers’ Phillips earns first star after recording four assists on opening weekend
First Star
Clayton Phillips, Minnesota
D – So. – Edina, Minn.
- Registered four points on four assists in two games last weekend, helping the Gophers go 1-0-1 against reigning NCAA Champion and top-ranked Minnesota Duluth
- His three assists on Sunday marked a career high and the first time a Minnesota defenseman recorded three points in a game since Jake Bischoff on Feb. 3, 2017
- Currently tied for the national lead in points and assists this season
- Claims his first career weekly award
- Last Minnesota honoree: Mat Robson (Second Star) on Feb. 20, 2018
- Last Minnesota First Star: Tyler Sheehy on Feb. 13, 2018
Second Star
Brannon McManus, Minnesota
F – So. – Newport Beach, Calif.
- Netted the first two goals of Sunday’s game 7:17 and 10:45 minutes into the first period of Minnesota’s 7-4 victory against No. 1 Minnesota Duluth
- Added an assist on the Gophers’ sixth goal early in the third period
- Recorded his second career multi-point game and his first since Oct. 15, 2017 against Penn State
- Earns his second career weekly award and first since Oct. 17, 2017 (Third Star)
- Last Minnesota honoree: Mat Robson (Second Star) on Feb. 20, 2018
Third Star
Sampo Ranta, Minnesota
F – Fr. – Naantali, Finland
- Notched his first career goal and Minnesota’s first goal of the season on Saturday at No. 1 Minnesota Duluth, giving the Gophers the lead in an eventual 1-1 tie
- Netted another goal in Minnesota’s 7-4 victory over the Bulldogs in Sunday’s game
- Became the first Gopher freshman to score a goal in each of his first two games since Ryan Zuhlsdorf in 2016-17
- Claims his first career weekly award
- Last Minnesota honoree: Mat Robson (Second Star) on Feb. 20, 2018
2018-19 Big Ten Hockey Three Stars
Oct. 9
First Star: Clayton Phillips, So., D, MINN
Second Star: Brannon McManus, So., F, MINN
Third Star: Sampo Ranta, Fr., F, MINN
