East Lansing, Mich. — Freshman Gavin O’Connell has been named the Big Ten’s Third Star of the Week, leading the Conference in goals (3) and points (4) over last weekend’s games. has earned a weekly honor for the second time this season.
The Plymouth, Minn. native has pushed his season totals to 14 goals (tied for ninth, B1G), and 11 assists for 25 points, which is tied for seventh on the squad. He ranks third among B1G players in power play goals (5) and tied for third in game-winners (4), which included the game-winner on the man advantage in the Saturday win over Ohio State last week. He has at least a point in 18 of 32 games.
Twelve of O’Connell’s goals have come in Conference games (third, B1G), and he is tied for ninth in the Big Ten for points in conference games (20). He also ranks second in the Big Ten in shot percentage – his 14 goals have come in 64 shots on net (.219) – he scored three times on six shots in last weekend’s series against OSU. In Conference games only, his 12 goals have come on 42 shots – a .286 success rate, the best among B1G players.
O’Connell’s 14 goals is among the most for a first-year player in recent Spartan seasons. Mitchell Lewandowski posted 19 in 2017-18, which is fifth all-time by a first-year player. The freshman goal record of 27 scores is held by current Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
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