Series preview: Gophers hockey at Penn State

5:30 P.M. Fri., 2 p.m. Sat. at Penn State
BTN, 1500-AM on Fri.; 107.1-FM Sat.

Gophers update: After losing to then No. 7 Harvard 4-3 in overtime in the title game of the Mariucci Classic, Minnesota (8-9, 3-1 conference) returns to Big Ten play in first place by one point over Michigan. Penn State is in third place, three points back. … The Gophers are 7-1 all-time against the Nittany Lions. … Freshman goalie Eric Schierhorn leads the Big Ten with eight wins and is coming off a season-high 35 saves against the Crimson. … Junior Hudson Fasching and sophomore Leon Bristedt are tied for the team lead in goals with nine, and are 1-2 in points with 17 and 16, respectively. … Freshman forward Tommy Novak has an eight-game point streak and a team-high 11 assists.

Nittany Lions update: Penn State (12-3-3, 2-0) beat Clarkson 5-1 in the third-place game of the Three Rivers Classic in its last game. … The Nittany Lions are averaging 4.39 goals per game, which is second nationally. They are first among Division I teams in shorthanded goals with seven and shots on goal, averaging 39.2 per game. Their power play, at 28.9 percent, ranks third. … Seniors Kenny Brooks and Curtis Loik lead PSU in points with 18, each has six goals and 12 assists. Freshman forward Chase Berger has a team-high 10 goals. … The two Minnesotans on the roster are senior forward Eric Scheid of Blaine and freshman defenseman Vince Pedrie of Rochester.

ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ