Matthew Knies and Logan Cooley, the left winger and center on the Gophers men's hockey team's top line, on Tuesday were named the Big Ten's first and second stars of the week for their performances in Minnesota's five-point weekend at Penn State.
Gophers' Matthew Knies, Logan Cooley earn weekly Big Ten honors
Knies was named the first star of the week after scoring the tying and winning goals on Saturday at Penn State. Cooley was the second star after a six-point series.
February 21, 2023 at 6:33PM
Knies scored the tying goal with 41 seconds left in the third period and potted the winner 2:49 into overtime in the Gophers' 3-2 win on Saturday. In Friday's 7-2 romp, Knies had a goal and two assists, giving him five points in the series. The sophomore from Phoenix has 20 goals this season, tied for second nationally, and his seven game-winning goals are two more than anyone else in Division I hockey. Knies, one of three Gophers candidates for the Hobey Baker Award along with defensemen Jackson LaCombe and Brock Faber, led the Hobey fan voting as of Monday.
Cooley, a freshman from Pittsburgh, assisted on Knies' winner on Saturday after collecting a goal and four assists in the second period Friday. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft by Arizona became the first player in the Big Ten this season to have a five-point game. He has 15 goals and 29 assists this season, ranking fourth nationally in points with 44 and tied for third in assists.
The weekly honor was the first this season for Knies but the fifth for Cooley, who leads the Big Ten in that category. Ohio State forward Jake Wise was the third star of the week.
Center Dawson Garcia played despite a groin injury, and starting guard Mike Mitchell Jr. and four others were absent for the Gophers. Among the results: a 14-point first half.
