Penn State carries an NCAA-best nine-game active winning streak into Big Ten play, which begins Thursday vs. Michigan. The Nittany Lions have been fueled by a fantastic freshman class, including the team’s top two scorers. Denis Smirnov (Moscow, Russia/Fargo-USHL/NHL draft eligible) leads the way with points in 12 of 13 games, including seven multiple-point games. Only Kyle Connor (1.87) and Jack Eichel (1.77) have recorded more points per game among freshmen than Smirnov (1.69) since 2000.

Source: Notes: Rookies Lead PSU into Big Ten | College Hockey, Inc.