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Three days after Penn State earned its first ever Big Ten conference win, the Nittany Lions also became the final team to break through in the weekly Three Stars.
Sophomore goaltender Matthew Skoff was named the conference's second star for the week ending February 10 in part for making 32 saves in a 4-0 shutout over then #10 Michigan; his second career D1 shutout coming to the day of his first. Skoff, the first Penn State player awarded with one of the three stars, was joined by first star Joel Rumpel and third star Greg Wolfe.
The Big Ten began sponsoring men's hockey in 2013-14. In lieu of naming a player and/or goaltender of the week, the conference is instead naming three stars regardless of position.
Rumpel earned the first star for his role in Wisconsin's home sweep of then #1 Minnesota (whose absence in this week's Three Stars after playing a game is also a first). The junior goaltender only allowed a single goal both nights, making a total of 59 saves in a pair of 2-1 Badgers wins. In doing so, Rumpel helped get Wisconsin, entering the weekend 10 points behind a Gophers team which hadn't been swept since February 2012, back in the Big Ten conference race.
This is the second time the Swift Current, Saskatchewan native was named first star after doing the same on November 19.
Michigan State senior forward and captain Wolfe earned his first Big Ten award with four points (3G-1A) in a pair of 2-2 ties at home against Ohio State. (The Buckeyes won both shootouts to take the extra league point.) The Canton, Michigan native had his second multi-goal game of the season on Saturday with two second period goals. He now has 11 on the season.
The Spartans travel to Penn State for a Friday-Saturday series. Wisconsin, meanwhile, goes on the road to face Ohio State this weekend.
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Nathan Wells is a college hockey columnist for SB Nation. You can also follow him on Twitter -- Follow @gopherstate