Minnesota, Penn State and Wisconsin Earn Three Stars
Badgers’ Hayton named first star after stopping 70 of 73 total shots in a pair of wins
First Star
Kyle Hayton, Wisconsin
G – Sr. – Denver, Colo.
· Backstopped No. 10/10 Wisconsin to victories at No. 13/- Boston College and Merrimack
· Led the conference in save percentage (.959) and goals-against average (1.51) over the weekend
· Stopped 70 of 73 shots in two games to lead the Badgers to their best start since opening the 2004-05 season with a 5-0-0 mark
· Claims his first career weekly award
· Last Wisconsin honorees: Linus Weissbach (First Star), Will Johnson (Second Star) and Trent Frederic (Third Star) on Oct. 3, 2017
Second Star
Denis Smirnov, Penn State
F – So. – Moscow, Russia
· Registered three points, including a pair of goals, to help lead No. 11/11 Penn State to a series split on the road against Big Ten foe No. 7/7 Minnesota
· Secured his second-straight multi-point game and 15th of his career in the Nittany Lions’ 3-1 victory over Minnesota, netting the game-winning goal and posting an assist
· Registered a goal in his third-consecutive game in Sunday’s 6-3 loss
· Earns his fifth career weekly award and first of the season
· Last Penn State honoree: David Goodwin (Third Star) on March 7, 2017
Third Star
Brannon McManus, Minnesota
F – Fr. – Newport Beach, Calif.
· Tallied his first career hat trick on Sunday to carry the No. 7/7 Gophers over No. 11/11 Penn State by a 6-3 margin
· Notched the eventual game-winning goal at the 1:43 mark of the third period, before adding a pair of insurance tallies for his first three collegiate goals
· Paced all NCAA and Big Ten Freshmen with three goals on the weekend
· Earns his first career weekly award
· Last Minnesota honoree: Eric Schierhorn (Third Star) on March 14, 2017