MINNEAPOLIS – The first-ever Big Ten Three Stars were announced by the league on Tuesday morning with Sam Warning and Kyle Rau earning accolades from the conference after leading the Gophers to the 2013 Ice Breaker Tournament title last weekend.
Warning was named the Big Ten’s Second Star after being named most valuable player of the 2013 Ice Breaker Tournament and an all-tournament team member. The junior forward tallied three points (one goal, two assists) in Minnesota’s 6-0 win over Merychurst to open the 2013-14 campaign and added the game-tying goal in an eventual 3-2 Gophers’ win over No. 12/13 New Hampshire on Saturday in the championship game. Friday’s multi-point game was Warning’s 10th-career game with more than one point as the Gophers own a perfect record when he does so.
Rau was honored as this week’s Third Star after tallying four points (one goal, three assists) over the weekend and being named to the Ice Breaker all-tournament team. The junior captain posted the game-winning goal and a pair of assists in Minnesota’s win over Merychurst on Friday – giving the junior his 25th career multi-point game – and added an assist in the Gophers’ win over the Wildcats on Saturday.
Michigan’s Andrew Copp was named the Big Ten’s First Star this week.
Minnesota returns to action this weekend with a nonconference series at Bemidji State.