VIDEO: Men's
Hockey Players Head to Philly for Homecoming
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State heads to the Wells Fargo Center in
Philadelphia for a match-up with Vermont in the home arena of the Philadelphia
Flyers. GOPSUsports.com caught up with Dominic Morrone (Sewell, N.J.) and Rich
O'Brien (Furlong, Pa.), who are two of the five Nittany Lion players that will
be making a homecoming in the contest.
VIDEO: Philadelphia Homecoming Chatter with Morrone & O'Brien UNIVERSITY
PARK, Pa. - Penn State will play in its fourth professional arena of the season
on Saturday (Jan. 19) when they travel to Philadelphia to play Vermont in the
Wells Fargo Center, home of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Philadelphia fans are known as being some of the most passionate and
sports-crazed fans in the country. The NHL returns from the lockout on Saturday
with the Flyers playing the Pittsburgh Penguins just five hours before Penn State
takes the ice. The arena will be rocking for the Nittany Lions in one of the
greatest hockey cities in the country.
Coach Guy Gadowsky preached to his team all week that there was "no
game in Philly" so the team could focus on playing Neumann on Tuesday night.
That may have been easier said than done, especially for the five Philadelphia
area natives on the team who are excited for the return home.
Seniors Brian Dolan (Havertown, Pa.), Dominic Morrone (Sewell, N.J.)
and Rich O'Brien (Furlong, Pa.) and sophomore Peter Sweetland (Newtown, Pa.)
return to Philadelphia for the second time after playing at Citizens Bank Park
as part of the NHL's Winter Classic last January against Neumann. For freshman
Connor Varley (Lansdale, Pa.) this will be his first game in the City of Brotherly
Love.
Varley played at LaSalle and North Penn during his first two years of
high school, respectively, two of the best prep programs in the Philadelphia
area. He then left for two years to play junior hockey with the Alberni Valley
Bulldogs of the BCHL and the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL. Varley is
excited to return home and play in front of his friends and family.
"It'll definitely be cool," Varley said. "Being away the last two
years, my family got out [to Des Moines] just a few times. To have the
opportunity to play right at home is going to be really nice."
Sweetland played with the Syracuse Stars and the Green Mountain Glades
of the EJHL before coming to
Penn State. He has heard from a lot of people attending the game and is excited
to play in front of a big, raucous crowd.
"I have friends that go to school and can't see me play," Sweetland
said, "they'll be home for break and they'll be able to see me play. My mom
doesn't come out much so it's pretty exciting for her to see me play, too."
While the other four players live in and around the suburbs of
Philadelphia, Dolan is just a short drive outside of the city. He played at
local Monsignor Bonnor High School where he was first team All-Delco and served
as team captain. The senior anticipates a good crowd and electric environment.
"I've been down there to watch Flyers games throughout my childhood,"
Dolan said. "To get a chance to play there is pretty cool. I have a lot of
people from home coming down for the game. To play in that type of atmosphere
with the team is going to be fun."
Playing in a big arena is not new for this team. Sweetland said he
doesn't change any parts of his routine before the game. Dolan won't change the
way he plays, but admits that nerves will be a little bit higher playing at
home.
"It's going to be a big crowd," Dolan said. "You come into every game
the same way. There may be more nerves on that big ice, but you don't change
anything."
Varley has changed his game throughout the season and is playing some
of his best hockey of the season. He wasn't happy with his play at the
beginning of the season, but is now winning battles and playing with
confidence. Varley is one of six Nittany Lions to play in all 20 games this
season, and is fourth on the team in scoring with four goals and six assists.
His confident play and improvement in doing the little things come at the right
time as he returns home.
"Early
in the season, I wasn't winning battles as much as I should have," Varley said.
"That is one thing the coaches have really stressed to me. I think I've been
doing a better job with that and things are going in the right direction. I
want to continue to work on that and to chip in offensively."
Varley
grew up a New York Rangers fan, but nonetheless is excited to play in front of
a large crowd at a professional complex.
"It's obviously really cool to get a little taste of what it's like to play in
a pro arena," Varley said. "We're expecting a big crowd there and to have them
there to watch Penn State hockey is very exciting. I'm going to have a lot of friends
and family there as well. We've had great alumni support everywhere we've went,
so I expect to be awesome in Philly."
UNIVERSITY
PARK, Pa. - Welcome back to in-game coverage of 2012-13 Nittany Lions men's
hockey season. Insight and reaction will
be provided by GoPSUsports.com throughout the game, so check back often as the
action unfolds.
Check out the running tally from Penn
State's 3-2 overtime loss to Neumann College on Tuesday inside Greenberg Ice
Pavilion. The Nittany Lions rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie the game and
out-shot the Knights 21-1 in the third period, but a late overtime goal sent
the Blue and White to their third straight loss.
Today's Game in 140 Characters: Carry
intensity over from exhib series w/ Team USA...establish pace & tone early...apply
pressure in front & continue streak against DIII teams
1st Period: 19:40 - Penn State 0, Neumann
1
That didn't take long. The Knights won the opening faceoff and took it right
down the ice and scored. Chris Bournazos collected his own rebound in front of
the net and slid it past PSU goalie PJ Musico for the early lead. The initial
shot was set up by a combo pass from Craig Cowie to Jordan Zalba, who found Nuhim
in front. Each player was credited with assists. Penn State will have to fight
out of a hole again if they are going to get this win. PSU is 3-10-0 when not
scoring first.
1st Period: 12:37 - Penn State 0, Neumann
1
There have been flashes of solid hockey and times it looked like Penn State's
first time on skates tonight, but since the opening marker the Nittany Lions
have applied the pressure. David Glenn missed evening the game when his shot
from the shortside glanced off the post and caromed across the crease harmlessly.
Connor Varley then ripped a shot from the point that sailed just high and Michael
McDonagh created a turnover and saw his backhand sail just wide of the net.
1st Period: 8:51 - Penn State 0, Neumann
1
Penn State continues to create turnovers in the neutral zone and work the glove
side of Neumann goaltender Ben Curley. Over the past few game minutes, PSU has
forced six turnovers in neutral ice or in the Neumann zone and three of them
let to multiple shots. Casey Bailey had the best scoring opportunity when his
snap shot from the left slot was gloved by Curley and Olczyk sent a wrist shot
towards goal a minute later that Curley also corralled. Penn State will now
enjoy the first man advantage of the game, a spot where they had success last
weekend.
1st Period: 4:00 - Penn State 0, Neumann
1
Gadowsky wasn't happy when a breakout on the power play turned into a botched line
change and a penalty for too many men on the ice. The Lions recorded three
shots during their three minutes of power play time and no real scoring chances
came from a slashing and boarding penalty
on NU. The last five minutes have been chock full of penalties and poor
execution from both teams and PSU will need to capitalize on poor passing from
Neumann at some point if they want to even this game up.
End of 1st Period - Penn State 0,
Neumann 1 Penn State put a flurry of shots on goal over the final four minutes,
including another post-job from Glen on the power play with just over three
minutes left in the period. The early misstep by the PSU defense gave Neumann
the early lead, but the Knights have given Penn State some nice opportunities to
notch the equalizer. The Lions have created at least 15 turnovers on neutral or
plus ice, but some poor puck handling, a few nice saves and the post - that darn
post - have kept them off the board. On the judge's scorecards, Penn State took
the first round by a slim margin, but the Knights lead on the scoreboard.
2nd Period: 16:05 - Penn State 0,
Neumann 1 I say Gadowsky was displeased with the opening period would be an understatement,
but Kenny Brooks almost Neumann'd Neumann when he raced down the ice after PSU
won the opening faceoff of the period and nearly evened the game. After holding
the puck in the Neumann zone for nearly 90 seconds to start the period, but a
Mark Yanis turnover in the PSU zone nearly cost the blue and white the second goal
of the game. Michael Longo had his shot redirected in front of the net, but
Curley got his pad on the puck and directed it wide of the net.
2nd Period: 15:15 - Penn State 0,
Neumann 2 The intensity hasn't been there tonight like it was on Friday night vs.
Team USA and another letup defensively led to the second Neumann goal. A PSU
misplay in their own zone put Musico in a tough spot and the Knights
capitalized. The Lions are going to need to tighten up the passing the keep
their focus against a determined opponent.
2nd Period: 10:14 - Penn State 1,
Neumann 2 Cue the ZOMBIE NATION! Bailey lights the lamp for Penn State with a laser
beam past Curley on a sweet cross-ice pass from Peter Sweetland. A nice pass
from Justin Kirchhevel from his own blue line connected with a streaking Brooks
that nearly led to the first PSU score just prior to the Bailey goal. There is
something about a team going up 2-0 on the Nittany Lions that hit a cord when I
am in the arena, because since the ten minute mark in this period the hitting
has really picked up on the PSU side.
2nd Period: 5:06 - Penn State 2, Neumann
2 Just as I typed nothing much to
report since the last post you can Cue the ZOMBIE NATION! The Nittany Lions
pulled this contest back to even on a nice rebound goal by Glen. Brooks got the
puck towards the net wrapping around behind Curley and Glen finished things by
getting it to the back of the net. Brooks and Glen have both had great scoring chances
go for not in this contest, so it is nice to see them rewarded.
End of 2nd Period - Penn State 2,
Neumann 2 Neumann spent about four minutes attacking the Nittany Lions and eventually
took a 2-0 lead, but if the Blue and White ever showed the temperament of their
coach it was tonight. There was no panic shown after the Knight second goal and
an adjustment was finally made on the offensive side of things to get them some
flow. A couple of nice passes on an early power play seemed to get the unit in
order and the team's top two goal scores came through when the team needed it
most. I knew it was time for a comeback when my hands went numb. But it's
hockey, a sport for tough guys and I am going to have to tough it out in the
third period. Something I will gladly do for my readers with thoughtful - and hopefully
PSU goal-filled - news over the final 20 minutes.
3rd Period: 17:34 - Penn State 2,
Neumann 2 After crashing the net to open the second period, Brooks nearly gave the
Nittany Lions the lead to start the third period, but Curley just got a stick
on the attempt to guide it away from net. Jacob Friedman, who is playing with
Bailey and Max Gardiner tonight, had a crack in front of the net, as well, but couldn't
get a solid piece of his blade on the puck to direct it on net. There have been four deflections
in front of the net so far in the early going for Penn State, but none have
been able to light the lamp.
3rd Period: 13:00 - Penn State 2,
Neumann 2 The home team is very lucky to still be tied in this contest after a
turnover in their own zone led to an open look for Bournazos - who scored the
first goal of the game - but the puck bounced just over his tape and innocently
into the corner. Brian Dolan had a breakaway chance padded away by Curley just moments
later and Connor Varley was in on the glove side with a chance, but was
disrupted by the defender before he could get a good shot off. Also, the same
post the got in the way in the first half turned away a Kirchhevel attempt just
moments ago. Darn post!
3rd Period: 8:29 - Penn State 2, Neumann
2 A fairly soft tripping call went against Bailey to put the Knights on the power
play, but a shorthanded rush by Brooks and Glen, followed by a faceoff win in the
Neumann zone by Olczyk negated the first minute and some nice board work by the
rest of the squad practically killed the rest. The Lions offense continues to
get chances, but the puck just seems to zig when it should zag. Dominic Morrone
had two chances to get the get the go ahead goal, but saw the attempt go wide
once and bounce over his blade the second time.
3rd Period: 4:10 - Penn State 2, Neumann
2 Gardiner fed Bailey with a sweet, twisting between the legs pass in front
of the net, but the two couldn't connect and that was followed by a Neumann
penalty that gave PSU the man advantage for the fifth time in the game. The
tripping call meant two minutes with the man advantage late. A pair of clears
by the NU penalty kill line limited the chances for PSU, but the pressure was
felt by Curley on a few occasions. After the expiration of the first penalty
another infraction was called on Neumann and we will have two more minutes for
PSU to have the man advantage.
End of Regulation - Penn State 2,
Neumann 2 Give credit to Neumann goalie Ben Curley, who has turned away 21 shots in the
third period and has seen two hit the post and one skirt the goal line before being
cleared by a defender. Penn State put the pressure on the Knights, outshooting
them 21-1 in the third stanza, but the inability to finish on the doorstep or
capitalize on a pair of late power play opportunities have sent us into BONUS
HOCKEY. Bailey, Friedman, Glen, Kirchhevel and Varley all had chances to net
the go ahead goal, but couldn't find the crease to do so. Musico wasn't tested
in the third period and will have to remain locked in during the overtime
period.
Note
to my readers: Hockey plays one sudden death overtime period of five minutes.
Overtime: 2:00 - Penn State 2, Neumann 2 Kenny Brooks wants to score a goal tonight and Ben Curley doesn't want
Kenny Brooks to score a goal. Brooks ripped a one timer from the blue line that
Curley smothered just a minute into bonus hockey. Another puck was put on net
by Brooks later in the frame, but was blocked and never got a chance to get to
Curley. Penn State really outplayed the Knights the last 34 minutes of this
game, but just can't find that elusive third goal.
FINAL - Penn State 2, Neumann 3
Penn State gave up only three shots over the final 24 minutes, but the final
one crawled its way through the five-hole of goalie PJ Musico to give the
Knights the one-goal victory. It wasn't a rocket, but with the traffic in front
of the net after the faceoff, there was just enough steam to get it across the goal line.
If I am going to be honest, Penn State outplayed Neumann for 90 percent of the
game, but the 10 percent that the Blue and White lost focus was
enough for the Knight to snatch victory. However, head coach Guy
Gadowsky was 100 percent upset, but was able to crack a smile after talking passionately
about his teams need to come out ready to play from the initial puck drop each
night.
The Nittany Lions out-shot the Knights by 19, 46-17, and had an eight
minute advantage in penalty time in the contest.
Bailey and Glen each grabbed their tenth goals of the year in the loss, but
each have to feel that they should have netted at least three goals. Neumann
scored all three of their goals at the open end of the arena, while Penn State
netted both of theirs on the closed end.
The second goal was scored when Glen crashed the net and was able to put away a
rebound opportunity and both he and Baily made it known that it was something
that they need to continue to work on as a team.
The next test will be a tough
one on Saturday, Jan. 19 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia against a Vermont
team that will be coming off of a seven-day break. The Catamounts, like the
Nittany Lions, are also riding a three-game losing streak into the contest.
Quick Change Press Conference Quotes
"The goaltending has been the backbone of our team all year...it was phenomenal
tonight. Our defense blocked a lot of shots tonight, too, and they limited the
second chances."
-Neumann head coach Dominick Dawes
"It's a mental toughness issue. I know we are a young team, but that doesn't give
us a pass to skirt the issue. There is snow coming, but we had a heck of a
crowd out there tonight and we came out flat. This has happened a number of
times...and we are going to get back at it and work on it. I am not going to tell
you what we are going to do, but we are going to work on it."
- Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky
"The hockey gods will never let you get away from (not being prepared). They
will not let you come out unprepared and think you are just going to come back
and win late. I was very disappointed in the way we played."
- Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky
"Our focus going into the (third) period was to get more shots, but we really didn't
crash the net very well. We need to be a little more mentally tough and that is
what did us in tonight."
- Freshman Casey Bailey
"I thought we lost a lot of battles on the boards tonight and that is something
that we pride ourselves on. We started off a little lackadaisical and were able
to pick it up a little later, but we are disappointed in that effort."
- Freshman David Glen
"We need to get back to our game. We need to start (games) better. We have to
keep crashing the net, getting pucks on the net and really working hard down
low. It has to be an all the time process."
- Freshman Casey Bailey
What To Look For:
- Penn State is 2-1-0 against Division III opponents this season. The Nittany
Lions fell, 3-0, at Buffalo State in their third game of the season, but have
defeated the Bengals, 4-2, in November and followed that with a 4-0 blanking of
Fredonia State on Dec. 11. The victory over Fredonia State was also the only Tuesday
contest for PSU this season.
- The Nittany Lions flipped the switch against Team USA on Friday night,
falling behind 2-0 before scoring five unanswered goals to claim the victory,
5-2. For this blogger, it was the most complete game that I have seen PSU play
so far this season. The Lions did a solid job on the backcheck, physically controlled
the contest over the final 40 minutes and were much crisper through the neutral
zone and more aggressive the offensive zone.
- Casey Bailey, Max Gardiner and Taylor Holstrom joined together as linemates
at Fredonia State on Dec. 11 and since then have been one of the most
productive lines for head coach Guy Gadowsky. Each players is riding a
three-game point-scoring streak, with Bailey posting six points (3 G, 3 A),
Gardiner accounting for five points (0 G, 5 A) and Holstrom adding four points
(3 G, 1 A).
- The Nittany Lions have produced 134 points so far in 2012-13 and 83 of those
have been delivered by the freshman class. The rookies have 35 of the team's 51
goals and 48 of their 83 assists. The top two scorers on the PSU squad, Casey
Bailey and David Glen, are both rookies. Bailey and Glen are each tied atop the
team goal and point charts with nine and 17, respectively, and each have
produced eight assists, ranking in a tie for second on the squad.
By Pat
White GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State defenseman Mark Yanis (Grosse Pointe Woods,
Mich.) said last week he would prefer to be eased back into the lineup after
being sidelined for two months with an ankle injury. Plans changed quickly for
the freshman and he was a key factor in Penn State's 5-2 win and 3-0 loss to
the United States U18 National Team. Coach Guy Gadowsky opted to dress five defensemen, and Yanis was thrown right
back into the rotation as the Nittany Lions (8-11-0) split a weekend exhibition
series with Team USA. Nate Jensen (Shorewood, Minn.) and Luke Juha
(Mississauga, Ont.) were both out of the lineup, but the defensive unit thrived
while shorthanded in the weekend split. "[They were] phenomenal," said Gadowsky,
"and we played just five defensemen all weekend. Coach [Keith] Fisher came to
me twice in the third and said 'We have to grit this one out because we're
dead.' You have a guy like Mark Yanis and this was his first weekend [back].
They held a very skilled team to zero power play goals and we had to kill a lot
[of penalties] and that's very exhausting for defensemen so I was very happy." Yanis had a rigorous practice last Thursday to prepare for the weekend series
and he was happy with the way his ankle held up over the weekend. Yanis played
with confidence and did not hesitate to throw a hit or take a shot. The added
confidence was a boost for a thin back line. "I think when you have five defensemen you get in the game a little more,"
Yanis said. "You're never sitting down and everyone is playing the same amount.
Overall everyone was happy." Gadowsky pointed to Yanis' play to keep the puck in the zone that led to Tommy
Olczyk's (Long Grove, Ill.) goal that put the game out of reach on Friday night.
He blocked four shots and added toughness to the blue line. "I thought he was excellent," Gadowsky said about Yanis. "I thought he shot the
puck really well which is something that we've lacked. He's a big, imposing
guy...I thought he moved the puck really well." The Penn State penalty killing unit continued to impress, finishing the weekend
going nine-for-10 while playing a man short. The Nittany Lion defenders slowed
down some of the top-flight talent of Team USA. Goaltenders Matthew Skoff (McKees Rock, Pa.) and PJ Musico (Orange, Calif.)
split duties this weekend and both had good showings. Skoff got the win on Friday night, making
some unbelievable saves that displayed his flexibility and athletic ability. There were a couple saves that were just dynamite and obviously many saves
because they had a lot of shots," Gadowsky said of Skoff. "He also made a few
that you shouldn't make. We weren't going to win that game without him. There
are not too many good hockey teams without a great goaltender. That's why he's
here." Team USA took a 2-0 lead at the start of the second period. Instead of getting
rattled, Skoff and the defense tighten up and shutout Team USA the rest of the
game. "Tonight I thought the defense did a good job of just keeping their shots to
the outside," Skoff said. "They are a team that shoots the puck a lot. The
whole defensive corps really stepped up with only five healthy defensemen. It
was a good overall response to adversity only having five defensemen." Rich O'Brien (Furlong, Pa.) received the hard hat, given to the player who
excels in the little aspects of the game. O'Brien had his best weekend to date,
blocking five shots and playing a punishing style of defense. He made Team USA
pay for coming into the zone. "I thought the third period [O'Brien] made three awesome defensive plays and he
played very physical without taking penalties," Gadowsky said. "He led by
example of how to play tough without taking penalties and I think he played
classy tough." Joe Lordo (St. Louis, Mo.) was an anchor on the Penn State blue line all
weekend, and played solid all around defense. He stepped in as the quarterback
of the power play, a position usually played by Jensen and Juha, and didn't
skip a beat. Lordo was rewarded for his efforts with his first goal of the
season, which turned out to be the game winning goal on Friday night. Connor Varley (Lansdale, Pa.) lead the Nittany Lions with eight blocked shots
during the weekend. He was a pivotal piece on the penalty killing unit and stepped
up in a big way in the absence of Juha and Jensen. Gadowsky said that good teams usually have good goaltending, and that is what
Penn State had this weekend. A major part of the defensive success was the
communication between the goaltenders and defensemen. Skoff has been the more
vocal of the two goaltenders throughout the season, but Musico continues to
improve as the season progresses. He was noticeably loud on Saturday night and
played a large role in the team's solid play. "I couldn't do it without my defensemen," Musico said. "Communication is such a
huge part, especially with only five defensemen playing tonight. I know I was
yelling and giving direction and they were yelling at me when there was a
scramble in front of the net. So it is definitely a team effort." Penn State has a quick turnaround with Division III Neumann College paying a
visit to Happy Valley on Tuesday. The Nittany Lions then travel to
Philadelphia, Pa. to play Vermont at the Wells Fargo Center next Saturday.
By Pat
White GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State defenseman Mark Yanis (Grosse Pointe Woods,
Mich.) said last week he would prefer to be eased back into the lineup after
being sidelined for two months with an ankle injury. Plans changed quickly for
the freshman and he was a key factor in Penn State's 5-2 win and 3-0 loss to
the United States U18 National Team. Coach Guy Gadowsky opted to dress five defensemen, and Yanis was thrown right
back into the rotation as the Nittany Lions (8-11-0) split a weekend exhibition
series with Team USA. Nate Jensen (Shorewood, Minn.) and Luke Juha
(Mississauga, Ont.) were both out of the lineup, but the defensive unit thrived
while shorthanded in the weekend split. "[They were] phenomenal," said Gadowsky,
"and we played just five defensemen all weekend. Coach [Keith] Fisher came to
me twice in the third and said 'We have to grit this one out because we're
dead.' You have a guy like Mark Yanis and this was his first weekend [back].
They held a very skilled team to zero power play goals and we had to kill a lot
[of penalties] and that's very exhausting for defensemen so I was very happy." Yanis had a rigorous practice last Thursday to prepare for the weekend series
and he was happy with the way his ankle held up over the weekend. Yanis played
with confidence and did not hesitate to throw a hit or take a shot. The added
confidence was a boost for a thin back line. "I think when you have five defensemen you get in the game a little more,"
Yanis said. "You're never sitting down and everyone is playing the same amount.
Overall everyone was happy." Gadowsky pointed to Yanis' play to keep the puck in the zone that led to Tommy
Olczyk's (Long Grove, Ill.) goal that put the game out of reach on Friday night.
He blocked four shots and added toughness to the blue line. "I thought he was excellent," Gadowsky said about Yanis. "I thought he shot the
puck really well which is something that we've lacked. He's a big, imposing
guy...I thought he moved the puck really well." The Penn State penalty killing unit continued to impress, finishing the weekend
going nine-for-10 while playing a man short. The Nittany Lion defenders slowed
down some of the top-flight talent of Team USA. Goaltenders Matthew Skoff (McKees Rock, Pa.) and PJ Musico (Orange, Calif.)
split duties this weekend and both had good showings. Skoff got the win on Friday night, making
some unbelievable saves that displayed his flexibility and athletic ability. There were a couple saves that were just dynamite and obviously many saves
because they had a lot of shots," Gadowsky said of Skoff. "He also made a few
that you shouldn't make. We weren't going to win that game without him. There
are not too many good hockey teams without a great goaltender. That's why he's
here." Team USA took a 2-0 lead at the start of the second period. Instead of getting
rattled, Skoff and the defense tighten up and shutout Team USA the rest of the
game. "Tonight I thought the defense did a good job of just keeping their shots to
the outside," Skoff said. "They are a team that shoots the puck a lot. The
whole defensive corps really stepped up with only five healthy defensemen. It
was a good overall response to adversity only having five defensemen." Rich O'Brien (Furlong, Pa.) received the hard hat, given to the player who
excels in the little aspects of the game. O'Brien had his best weekend to date,
blocking five shots and playing a punishing style of defense. He made Team USA
pay for coming into the zone. "I thought the third period [O'Brien] made three awesome defensive plays and he
played very physical without taking penalties," Gadowsky said. "He led by
example of how to play tough without taking penalties and I think he played
classy tough." Joe Lordo (St. Louis, Mo.) was an anchor on the Penn State blue line all
weekend, and played solid all around defense. He stepped in as the quarterback
of the power play, a position usually played by Jensen and Juha, and didn't
skip a beat. Lordo was rewarded for his efforts with his first goal of the
season, which turned out to be the game winning goal on Friday night. Connor Varley (Lansdale, Pa.) lead the Nittany Lions with eight blocked shots
during the weekend. He was a pivotal piece on the penalty killing unit and stepped
up in a big way in the absence of Juha and Jensen. Gadowsky said that good teams usually have good goaltending, and that is what
Penn State had this weekend. A major part of the defensive success was the
communication between the goaltenders and defensemen. Skoff has been the more
vocal of the two goaltenders throughout the season, but Musico continues to
improve as the season progresses. He was noticeably loud on Saturday night and
played a large role in the team's solid play. "I couldn't do it without my defensemen," Musico said. "Communication is such a
huge part, especially with only five defensemen playing tonight. I know I was
yelling and giving direction and they were yelling at me when there was a
scramble in front of the net. So it is definitely a team effort." Penn State has a quick turnaround with Division III Neumann College paying a
visit to Happy Valley on Tuesday. The Nittany Lions then travel to
Philadelphia, Pa. to play Vermont at the Wells Fargo Center next Saturday.
UNIVERSITY
PARK, Pa. - Welcome back to in-game coverage of 2012-13 Nittany Lions women's
hockey season. Insight and reaction will
be provided by GoPSUsports.com throughout the game, so check back often as the
action unfolds.
Take a look back at Penn State's 5-2
victory over the US National U18 Team in their first of a two game exhibition
series. The Nittany Lions fell behind, 2-0, before raddling off the final five
games of the game - including an empty netter - behind an amazing effort in net
by freshman goalie Matt Skoff. All four lines scored for the Nittany Lions and 10
players recorded points for the Blue and White.
Today's Game in 140 Characters: Can't
cheer against either team...#PennState needs to establish offensive zone...back
check will be key...loads of talent upfront for USNT
1st Period: 14:35 - Penn State 0, US
National U18 Team 0
The student section saved the pregame festivities with a great rendition of the
National Anthem after a microphone malfunction hampered the anthem singer. She came
through with a great performance, as well, but the students surely stole the show.
Penn State has had a couple of nice passes through the USNT zone, but has no
shots to show for it and the backcheck has been good. Every time I see these
USA hockey sweaters two things come to mind; Mighty Ducks 2 and the Miracle on
Ice. Both teams have connected on some nice passes with just a few stoppages.
1st Period: 11:13- Penn State 0, US
National U18 Team 1
Skoff has stood tall for most the first nine minutes, but a rebound off of the
initial save gave Team USA the early advantage. The Nittany Lions are playing
with the same intensity we saw against Robert Morris in a tough loss in late
December. Tyler Motte was credited with the early marker with an assist from
Hudson Fasching. PSU is right back on the attack, but still trail 10-2 in the
shot department.
1st Period: 6:39- Penn State 0, US
National U18 Team 1
I knew, just from watching warm-ups, that Thatcher Demko, the Team USA goalie,
was going to be tough to score on and Bailey - who was teammates with Demko last
season with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. Bailey had a breakaway opportunity
and was looking to even the tally at one goal apiece, but Demko got a pad on the
shot and turned away his former ice mate. The Nittany Lions also had a good
look from the wing, but Bailey missed wide with his attempt.
1st Period: 3:09- Penn State 0, US
National U18 Team 1
Penn State got the first opportunity on the power play, but the USNT unit ...The
best chance of the advantage came early on when Mark Yanis - who missed a handful of games due to injury
- took a shot from the point that was deflected by David Glen. The deflection
went over the left shoulder of Demko, but ricocheted off the post and bounced
harmlessly away. This game has featured the most flow of any I have seen so far
this season and has been a real treat for the fans. The Blue and White have had
more pressure over the last six minutes, with two of the last three faceoffs taking
place in the USA zone.
End of 1st Period- Penn State 0, US
National U18 Team 1
A pair of late penalties led to a four-on-four for most of the final two
minutes and the open ice led to some fast-pace hockey. Penn State had the final
20 seconds of the half on the man advantage, but was unable to do much with the
extra skater. The US National Team holds an 18-5 edge in the shots department,
but Skoff has turned away 17 of those shots and the Nittany Lions have won 11
of the 18 faceoffs in the contest. As the horn sounded a scrum behind the Team
USA net led to the second PSU penalty of the first half, as Bailey will start
the second period in the penalty box.
2nd Period: 19:23 - Penn State 0, US
National U18 Team 2
The Nittany Lions will have to dig out of a two-goal hole now, after Team USA collected
a shorthanded goal just 16-seconds into the man advantage from the period-ending
penalty on Bailey. J.T. Compher took a pass from Keaton Thompson from across
the crease and beat Skoff to his glove side. Will Butcher led the paly into the
offensive zone, finding Thompson who connected with the wide open Compher.
Gardiner had the first opportunity of the period, but Demko made his seventh save
to keep PSU off the board.
2nd Period: 17:31 - Penn State 1, US
National U18 Team 2
One way to dig out of a two goal hole; score one yourself. The Nittany Lions
got on the board just two minutes after Team USA took their two goal lead on a
tally from George Saad. The assistant captain collected a rebound off of a Rich
O'Brien shot and stuffed it past Demko. Saad, who has not points during the
NCAA schedule, also had an assist vs. Arizona State in the series opening win.
2nd Period: 11:17 - Penn State 1, US
National U18 Team 2
The second period has started out with a lot of intensity, just as the first
half ended with it, and Penn State has had some great chances on net. The US
goalie, Demko, has shown why he is the choice in net for this team, making some
outstanding plays under duress. Penn State has launched five shots in the early
going on this period, two coming from Bailey. After the US team had a shot
bounce off the post, Bailey skated through the US defense and into the crease,
but Demko turned the shot away. Just a few seconds later, Michael McDonagh sent
a pass across the crease, but Bailey whiffed on the chance to score the equalizer.
2nd Period: 9:25 - Penn State 2, US
National U18 Team 2
The Nittany Lions netted the equalizer thanks to a pair of concurrent penalties
on Team USA, but the Blue and White played 90 percent of the power play 100
percent wrong. Poor passing and the inability to control the puck ran the
advantage down to just eight seconds before they took their first shot, but the
one shot they took was a good one. Kenny Brooks gathered the loose puck in
front of the net and was able to find the back of it to pull even at two goals apiece.
The assists came from Glen and Curtis Loik, who each had touches on the puck
before Brooks lit the lamp.
2nd Period: 4:44 - Penn State 2, US
National U18 Team 2
After allowing the second goal to Team USA, Skoff has been solid in net for the
Nittany Lions over the last 12 minutes. Penn State has had a few scoring
opportunities since tying the game, but they have been nothing more than
chances. Those opportunities have been created by crisper passing, something
that lacked for most of the first eight minutes for PSU and if you live in
State College, those noises you hear are the boards shaking inside Greenberg;
there has been some major hitting going on tonight.
End of 2nd Period - Penn State 2, US
National U18 Team 2
The last four-plus minutes of the second period featured some chippy play at
both ends and a handful of solid stops by Skoff in net for PSU. The rookie
netminder made three saves on a Team USA power play and another one on a
breakaway late in the clock. The two teams skated four-on-four for one minutes
and Loik nearly netted a goal to go along with his earlier assist when he drove
down the boards on the right flank and sent a shot towards Demko, who literally
sat on the puck to get the whistle and stop ply. A late Penn State penalty will
allow the USNT to skate with the man advantage for the first1:30 of the third
period.
3rd Period: 13:48 - Penn State 2, US
National U18 Team 2
The first six minutes of the third period have flown by, but not without its
fair share of hard checks and solid passing from both squads. Penn State and
Team USA have each had their opportunities around the net, but neither has been
able to get good tape on them. Penn State has the first power play opportunity
of the third period after the third slashing penalty on the Red, White and
Blue.
3rd Period: 13:01 - Penn State 3, US
National U18 Team 2
Cue the ZOMBIE NATION!! Joseph Lordo unloads from the blue line and Gardiner
provides the screen in front of Demko to give the Nittany Lions their first lead
of the game. The assists came from Bailey and Holstrom, on a nice combo passing
effort , marking the second power play goal of the game for PSU. Skoff
continues to be focused in the other net and has turned away a couple of nice
scoring opportunities for Team USA.
3rd Period: 6:10 - Penn State 4, US
National U18 Team 2
A scramble at the boards was dug out by McDonagh and he connected with the
captain, Tommy Olczyk, who buried the backhand past the outstretched glove of
Demko. The Nittany Lions have been the more physical team over the last seven
minutes and their chances have been much more plentiful. Team USA has had their
chances, too, but Skoff and a solid backline for the blue and white are really
cleaning up and limiting the second chances. Press row just commented that three
goals might not be enough for PSU and another strike was needed. Thanks for obliging,
Tommy.
3rd Period: 3:08 - Penn State 4, US
National U18 Team 2
The Penn State student section has been rocking tonight. From singing the
National Anthem to heckling Team USA goalie Thatcher Demko, they have been in the
game all night. One thing is for certain, when Pegula Ice Arena opens in Fall 2013
that is going to be the best student section in the NCAA. On the ice, Penn
State has dominated the third period offensively. PSU holds an 11-8 shot
advantage in the third period...wait that advantage is now 11-9 after Skoff saved
that one.
FINAL - Penn State 5, US National U18
Team 2
After falling behind, 2-0, the Nittany Lions responded with five unanswered
goals, in large part to the play of goalie Matt Skoff, and claimed a 4-2
victory over the US National U18 Team on Friday night. It was a combined effort
with Skoff leading the charge and all four lines produced scores for Penn State,
who added a late empty netter to account for the final margin, 5-2.
It was the most complete game that the Nittany Lions have played all season and
Penn State imposed its size late in the contest against the U18 squad. The passing
was much more in sync, the shots came from spots on the ice that gave the team
better chances to score and they played tough shorthanded and on the power
play.
After Team USA scored their second goal on its 20th shot of the contest, Skoff went
on to save the final 29 attempts that came his way. Skoff made some easy saves, but added some
serious highlight reel saves to hold the opposition off the board for the final
39 minutes.
Goals came from all four lines, one from a defenseman, and assists came from
all over the board for the Blue and White. Brooks was the top star of the game
with two goals - on just two shots - and George Saad, Joseph Lordo and Tommy
Olczyk
In the under the radar stat department, David Glen won 18-22 faceoffs and
Holstrom won nine faceoffs
for
Penn State, who won 49 of 72 bouts in the circle.
Quick Change Press Conference Quotes
"I think this was a very good hockey game. It was up and down and we really
played well in the second period. I am very happy with the way we played the
final two periods and I was confident from the beginning after listening to the
student section sing the National Anthem. How cool was that, really cool. How
cool is (Penn State), very cool. " - Head
coach Guy Gadowsky "When
George (Saad) scored that really lifted the team. It was because it was George,
he is a grinder every day in practice and on game day and he did it by taking
the puck to the net. We needed someone to take the puck to the net and he was
the guy to do that." - Head coach Guy Gadowsky "They have a number of good players...we didn't, we couldn't focus on just one
person. I think it means a lot to us to be able to say we came back against a
good team. We are not judging our season by wins and losses, but we really came
to play in the second and third period. I am happy with the win and happy that
we were able to play well in the second and third period." - Head coach Guy Gadowsky "Skoff was fantastic. There were a couple of saves he made that were dynamite and he made all the save he
should have and some that were pretty tough, too. We are not winning that game
without Matt Skoff. It shows that a good goaltender can really help a team." - Head coach Guy Gadowsky
What To Look For:
- Penn State will play three straight games at home, starting with tonight's
games against the US National U18 Team. The Blue and White own a 3-4 overall
record at home this season with wins over Buffalo State, Air Force and Arizona
State. The USNT owns a 3-4-4 record vs. NCAA Division I programs in 2012-13,
defeating Alabama-Huntsville, Merrimack and Michigan.
- The games vs. the USNT will be the third and fourth exhibition contests that
PSU has played this season. The Nittany Lions claimed an 8-3 victory and
dropped a 3-1 contest to Arizona State, a
member of the American Club Hockey Association, to end November and
begin December. PSU will play four more ACAH members near the conclusion of the
2013 slate, hosting Ohio (Feb. 1-2) and Oklahoma (Feb. 15-16).
- Casey Bailey, Max Gardiner and Taylor Holstrom joined together as linemates
at Fredonia State on Dec. 11 and since then have been one of the most
productive lines for head coach Guy Gadowsky. Each players is riding a
three-game point-scoring streak, with Bailey posting six points (3 G, 3 A),
Gardiner accounting for five points (0 G, 5 A) and Holstrom adding four points
(3 G, 1 A).
- The Nittany Lions have produced 134 points so far in 2012-13 and 83 of those
have been delivered by the freshman class. The rookies have 35 of the team's 51
goals and 48 of their 83 assists. The top two scorers on the PSU squad, Casey
Bailey and David Glen, are both rookies. Bailey and Glen are each tied atop the
team goal and point charts with nine and 17, respectively, and each have
produced eight assists, ranking in a tie for second on the squad.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After opening the 2013 portion of their schedule with a
pair of close losses at Connecticut, men's hocky head coach Guy Gadowsky talked
to GoPSUsports.com about the first half of the season and gave his insight on
the team's growth during the first half of their inaugural season.
The Nittany Lions will host three straight games on their home ice before taking
to the road to play in two great hockey venues . The US National U18 Team will
travel to Happy Valley for a pair of games on Friday, Jan. 11 and Saturday,
Jan. 12 with faceoff scheduled for 7:30 on both nights. After hosting Neumann
University on Tuesday, Jan. 19 before heading to Philadelphia to tangle with
Vermont at the Wells Fargo Center, home of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers. After
taking the week off, Penn State heads to East Lansing, Mich. to face Michigan
State at Munn Ice Arena.
U.S. U18 National Team Notes Penn
State welcomes the United States Under-18 National Development team to the
Greenberg Ice Pavilion this weekend. The team plays collegiate teams and
competes in the United States Hockey League (USHL). They are currently 6-18-3
in USHL play. Here are five players to become familiar with: Forwards J.T. Compher, Evan
Allen, Tyler Motte, Michael McCarron and Hudson Fasching .
Last Friday, the United States U-18 Nationals defeated Michigan 5-3 in Ann
Arbor, Mich. They recorded 2-2 ties against current top-5 teams, No. 1
Minnesota on Oct. 10 and No. 4 New Hampshire on Dec. 9. On Nov. 1 they defeated
the Dubuque Fighting Saints, the top team in the USHL and former team of Penn
State forward Max Gardiner.
United States U-18 goaltender Thatcher Demko played with Penn State forward
Casey Bailey last season with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. Notes for US National U18 Team provided by
Pat White, GoPSUsports.com men's hockey blogger.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Coach Guy Gadowsky knew this season would be about
adapting to Division I hockey and building the foundation for the future. With
so many new faces on the team, finding good line chemistry can be a process of
trial and error. Assembling lines is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Each piece has its
place within the puzzle with other pieces that fit around it. Some pieces are
obvious fits, and others take time to find the appropriate place in the puzzle. Freshmen David Glen (Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta), Kenny Brooks (Las Vegas,
Nev.) and Curtis Loik (North Vancouver, British Columbia) were able to find
synergy as a unit from day one. They made up one portion of the puzzle that
Gadowsky could leave untouched. Gadowsky may have found another big portion of the puzzle at the midway point
of the season. The pieces were there all along, but he needed to turn them a
different way for them to fit. Casey Bailey (Anchorage, Alaska), Max Gardiner (Deephaven, Minn.) and Taylor
Holstrom (Yorba Linda, Calif.) played together earlier in the season, but are now
hitting their stride in the second half of the season. Gardiner centered the line when they previously played together, moving
Holstrom out of his natural center position. Gadowsky has since moved Holstrom
back to center and the move has paid off. They have combined for six goals,
nine assists and are a plus-seven in the last three games. "They've been our best line," Gadowsky said. "Taylor has been working extremely
hard. We've been putting him in a few different places. He's a natural center
man and we finally put him in the middle and Max on the wall. Max has been
playing awesome on the wall. He's a big guy; he handles himself really well on
the wall...we made two adjustments that have been positives." Holstrom admitted that he had a rough start to the season. He is glad to be
back at center, a position he knows better and allows him to go out and play
his game. "I struggled at the beginning of the year, but now the puck is bouncing my
way," Holstrom said. "I have more confidence and the monkey is off my back so
to say. Things are coming a little bit easier." Gadowsky said that Holstrom never took a wait-and-see approach to his game.
While some players may become complacent amid a slump, Holstrom kept plugging
away. "I give Taylor a lot of credit because he was in a funk," Gadowsky said. "He
was getting chances and wasn't really scoring. He continued to work really hard
at his game. When guys do that, they come out of (that funk) in a big way." Gardiner said that all three forwards came back recharged after the holiday
break. He embraced the move to the wing--having played both positions in high
school--so that Holstrom could return to the middle. Gardiner recognizes Holstom's
speed and tenacity has elevated the play the whole line. "Taylor has it going now," Gardiner said. "He's been one of our best players
since the break and he's helped us out a lot. We're playing with confidence and
swagger which is a good thing." Each forward brings something different to the table. Gadowsky describes Bailey
as a natural offensive goal scorer. Bailey is tied for the team lead in goals
with nine, and is second in shots with 76. He started his offensive outburst
against Ohio State, tallying two goals and two assists and has six points in
his last three contests. He is often the benefactor of the playmaking abilities
of Gardiner and Holstrom. Gardiner made a flawless transition to the wing and works hard in the corners
and along the boards with his big, 6-foot-3 frame. Working along the outside
has allows the St. Louis Blues draft pick to use his great vision and passing
ability to find his teammates. Gardiner leads the Nittany Lions with 12 assists
and has dished out five helpers in the last three games. Holstrom is only 5-foot-9, but is the big playmaker between the two 6-foot-3
wingers. He scores his fair share of goals, but Gadowsky sees him as more of a
setup man. Opposing defenders often lose him in the offensive zone because of
his size, speed and creativity. Holstrom's coming out party started against Ohio State with two goals, and he followed
that with a goal and an assist in two games against Connecticut last weekend. "I think we're getting a lot more pucks to the net," Bailey said. "We are
complimenting each other really well and it's easier to create offense." Aside from their offensive skill, the unit is also responsible in all three
zones. Gadowsky has praised the back checking efforts of Bailey and Gardiner
all season. Both Gardiner and Holstrom are adept in the faceoff circle and have
split duties on draws. Gardiner takes faceoffs on his stronger side, the left,
and Holstrom the right. "I think we're gaining some chemistry," Bailey said. "We've had a good start
here to the second half. We have a lot of confidence and its turning into goals
and offense." If this line continues to excel on the ice, Gadowsky may have solved half of
the puzzle. The picture is becoming clearer with each passing game.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A flip of the calendar brings a fresh start, a new year.
Junior defenseman Nate Jensen (Shorewood, Minn.) has already made a few New
Year's resolutions for himself and the Penn State hockey team. "My
resolution is I want to try and stay healthy and to be in game shape every
game," Jensen said. "As for a resolution for our team, we need to keep the
energy and momentum going for the rest of the season."
Coming off a monumental victory against Ohio State in the Three River Classic,
the Nittany Lions (8-9-0) open the 2013 calendar year with a visit to Storrs,
Conn. to tangle with the Connecticut Huskies (5-8-2). Carrying the momentum and intensity from the Ohio State game is crucial to a
successful road trip. The Nittany Lions learned a few things from the Ohio
State matchup that they want to apply against Connecticut. "We're trying to build off the win," Jensen said. "We want to try to limit the
opponent's odd-man rushes, we want to get pucks deep and keep doing the little
things going into this series." One of the many bright spots from the Ohio State game was the offensive
explosion from the line of Casey Bailey (Anchorage, Alaska), Max Gardiner
(Deephaven, Minn) and Taylor Holstrom (Yorba Linda, Calif.). Bailey recorded a
career-high four points, Holstrom scored two-goals and Gardiner added three
assists. Bailey is now tied for the team lead with eight goals and Gardiner
leads the team with 10 assists entering 2013. "That line is really helping us out offensively right now with Holstrom at
center," said Jensen. "He had a great game setting (Bailey and Gardiner) up and
making good plays. They did a great job for our team and hopefully they can
keep that up." Coach Guy Gadowsky put extra emphasis on driving the middle of the ice on the
fore check this week and he wants his team to force the opposing defense to
turn earlier and thinks that can create more offense for his team. One area that Penn State hopes will improve in 2013 is the power play. The
power play has scored just six goals on 68 opportunities, but began to show
some signs of life late in 2012. The importance of success with the man
advantage is simple for Penn State. The Nittany Lions are 6-0 this season when
they score a power play goal, but are 2-8 when not tallying a goal with the advantage. As the season progresses, Penn State will need to be able to rely on the power
play to produce more offense and Jensen will have a lot to do with that. He serves
as a quarterback of the Nittany Lion power play. His smooth stride and great
on-ice vision leads to easier entries into the offensive zone. He is tied for
fifth on the team in scoring with two goals and six assists and expects success
as the chemistry of the unit continues to improve. "Coach wants us to be creative on the power play right now," Jensen said. "We
are getting more comfortable with the guys we are out there with. We want to
create a little bit more offense and momentum on the power play." On the other end of the ice, the penalty killing unit has continued to be a
strong point for the Nittany Lions. Penn State continues to be one of the most
penalized teams in the NCAA, but remain strong as a penalty killing unit. The
team has killed off 55 of 63 power plays in its last 11 games. Jensen played his freshmen season at Mercyhurst of the Atlantic Hockey
Association and is familiar with Connecticut's playing style. "Each team has their own identity in this conference," Jensen said.
"Connecticut has some skilled guys up front. They are a hard working team and
tough to play against." Penn State and Connecticut both play with a hard working style of hockey. The
teams have very similar numbers on the stat sheet. Penn State has a bit of an
advantage in goal column, averaging 2.8 goals per game to the Huskies 1.8 average,
while Connecticut has a slight advantage in goals allowed per game (2.6 goals
allowed to Penn State's 2.9). Nonetheless, Jensen expects the Nittany Lions to
stick to their hard working style and let the game come to them. "We're trying to stick to our game plan," said Jensen, "the game plan that
we've had all year. We want to create offense from getting the puck deep and
crashing the net hard." The Nittany Lions will take that game plan into their matchup with the Huskies
on Friday at 7:05 p.m. at the Freitas Ice Forum in Storrs, Conn.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State (7-8-0) will close out 2012 at the Three Rivers Classic in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Dec. 28-29. The Nittany Lions will tangle with Robert Morris (7-4-2) in the first round at the CONSOL Energy Center.
The two-round tournament that also features No. 5 Miami (11-3-4) and Ohio State (7-6-5) will be played at the CONSOL Energy Center, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The tournament is especially meaningful for freshman goaltender Matthew Skoff (McKees Rocks, Pa.), who grew up in the Pittsburgh area. After a three-year stint with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League, Skoff is excited to play in his hometown.
"It's going to be a pretty cool experience being from Pittsburgh," Skoff said. "I played hockey away from home the past three years, so it is a bit of homecoming for me. Playing in the CONSOL Energy Center, home of my favorite team growing up (Pittsburgh Penguins), is pretty exciting."
Skoff said he celebrated a traditional Christmas with his family and enjoyed spending time with loved ones he hasn't seen in a while. He also used time to reflect on the first 15 games of the season.
"It's a good step in just reflecting on what the team has done so far," Skoff said. "We look at what we can keep consistently doing well, what we like and what we can improve on throughout the rest season."
One key characteristic of the Nittany Lions in their inaugural season has been resiliency and hard work.
"We have surprised a lot of people with the games we've been in and the teams we have competed with," Skoff said. "I'm proud of the guys for being a very good bounce-back team. We can improve on that, instead of being a bounce-back team we can be more consistent at playing our game all the time and dictating the flow."
Despite a 3-6-0 record, Skoff has played well for Penn State between the pipes. He has started nine games and dawns a 2.32 goals against average with a .926 save percentage. Skoff registered his first win against Buffalo State on Nov. 3 and his first shutout against Fredonia State on Dec. 11. He has shown signs of being a top-shelf collegiate goaltender with his endurance and poise in net.
Skoff said that playing a 60-game schedule in the USHL last year prepared him for the wearisome college hockey schedule. The holiday break was an opportunity to rest mentally after a busy semester in the classroom and on the ice.
Now, Skoff prepares to play in front of his friends and family in Pittsburgh against a Robert Morris team that defeated Penn State, 3-2, back on Dec. 15. This will be the first time playing in the three-year-old CONSOL Energy Center for the Pittsburgh native. He played in the previous home of the Penguins, Mellon Arena, in high school.
"I'm looking forward to playing in front of Pittsburgh fans and other Penn State alumni," Skoff said. "I'm excited to see what it's like to play in front of Pittsburgh fans. I know my mom, dad, aunts and uncles will all be there, so it will be a lot of fun."
Although there is a lot of excitement surrounding his homecoming, Skoff knows that there is still a job to do.
"It isn't all about me," he said. "We have two winnable games and we have to take care of business. It'll be a good experience not only for me but for Penn State hockey, in general."
