By Jacob Messing

The Michigan Wolverines open Big Ten play this weekend when they visit the No. 15-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions

Both games of the series will be streamed right here on FloHockey, in addition to the full schedule of BTN Plus Hockey throughout the 2017-18 season.

The 3-3-0 Nittany Lions are on a three-series home stand, with Michigan visiting for the middle frame. They defeated the Wolverines in three of five meetings last season, winning both home games at Pegula Ice Arena as well as the Big Ten quarterfinal en route to claiming the conference title.

Penn State has split each of their last two game series, including a surprising 3-2 overtime loss to an unranked American International team.

“When you win games, it masks a little bit of the problem . . . you don't learn anything unless there's failure involved,” Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky told Gordon Brunskill of NCAA.com last week.

But for a team that went 25-12-2 last season, went to its first NCAA Tournament in school history, and has four of its top five scorers returning, losing is harder to accept.

“We'd rather be losing now than at the end of the year," captain James Robinson said, according to Brunskill’s report. "With any team, especially a championship team, at some point in their season they're going to have some downturns. It's good that it's happening now and we're taking it as a learning curve.”

Penn State has improved its win total in each of Gadowsky’s four years behind the bench, and if that trend is going to continue they’ll need to prey on a newly minted Michigan team this weekend.

#MichiganWeek pic.twitter.com/uIkBUAwQ14

— Penn State Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) October 23, 2017

For the first time in 33 years, the Wolverines entered the season without Red Berenson behind the bench. Mel Pearson, Berenson’s former assistant coach of five years, took over the team after the legend stepped down in the offseason.

Pearson has guided the team to a 3-1-0 start, and while the Wolverines’ offense doesn’t boast the same scoring threats as the Nittany Lions, they’ve been a gritty team led by strong defense and a competitive goaltending battle.

Sophomore goaltender Jake LaFontaine has won both of his starts and holds a 1.00 GAA and .950 save percentage. Co-starter Hayden Lavigne is 1-1-0 with a 2.50 GAA and .898 save percentage. The two have combined for an overall team GAA of just 1.76.

Michigan’s offense has been heating up, though, as Jake Slaker and Josh Norris carried the team to two victories over the Vermont Catamounts this past weekend.

MICHIGAN HOCKEY REWIND: The Vermont Series#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/6UBeSvkaQZ

— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) October 25, 2017

Slaker was named the Big Ten Second Star of the Week after the two home wins. The sophomore had an assist in last weekend’s first game and then scored the game-tying and -winning goals in the third period the following day. Norris recorded a goal and an assist. He leads the team with two goals and four points through the first four games.

Don’t forget to tune in for the first game, which starts Friday, October 27, at 7 PM ET. The puck drops for game two at 8 PM ET the following day.

Have a question or a comment for Jacob Messing? You can find him on Twitter @JMessing23.