Top 2021 NHL prospect Owen Power was named the first star in his NCAA debut with the men’s hockey team at the University of Michigan on Saturday.
Power, a 6’5″, 215-pound defenseman who has been compared to Stanley Cup champion defenseman and 2020 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning, had a goal and two assists in No. 12-ranked Michigan’s 8-1 victory over No. 15 Arizona State University at Yost Arena in Ann Arbor.
The other two stars were also freshmen and first-round NHL prospects on the Wolverines. Forward Matty Beniers was the second star with two assists and defenseman Kent Johnson was third star with four assists.
The two teams will play again on Sunday at Yost Arena at 7 p.m.
Earlier this week on TSN Radio in Toronto, Michigan coach Mel Pearson clarified his decision not to release Power to this weekend’s Team Canada training camp in preparation for the world junior championships in Edmonton later next month.
“Owen’s right in the middle of his first semester here at Michigan,” Pearson said. “If he makes the team, he would be gone 51 days . . . and that was a no-go for our school, with his midterms coming up and his finals.
“I told Hockey Canada, I would be happy to release him come Dec. 10. His midterms, finals and our schedule would be over. He’d be coming off a really good, 10-game schedule, when he’d be made available.”