Penn State Hockey News
Penn State Hockey Impressive in Division I Play
The Penn State men's ice hockey team is off to an impressive start with an early season upset against RIT. This marks the team's first season as an NCAA Division I competitor.
Guy Gadowsky, former professional ice hockey player and coach of the Princeton Tigers, will be leading the team as head coach. With Gadowsky’s
guidance last year, the men’s ice hockey was ranked first in the American
Collegiate Hockey Association. Gadowsky will be working with assistant coaches
Keith Fisher and Matt Lindsay, who both served with him on the team at
Princeton.
The athletes this season include 16 holdovers and some brand new recruits. Tommy Olczyk, who was formerly a member of the Sioux City Musketeers, will be a top leader of this season, serving as team captain. His father, Eddie, was recently inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Nate Jensen, a former player for Mercyhurst of Atlantic Hockey will be the Nittany Lion’s assistant captain.
The team's first season practice began in the wee hours of October 6—just a week before their first game in— accordance with the NCAA official start practice regulations. The team named the event the “Midnight Ice Breaker,” and welcomed hundreds of fans at midnight to watch the practice and to cheer on the new team. Free tee shirts and pizza were given to the fans, followed by a free public skate.
The Blue Band will be making appearances at all of the games this season, playing some of the famous Penn State songs. In case you can't make it out to see them in person, this season’s hockey games will be broadcasted on both The Penn State Sports Network and GoPsuSports.com’s All-Access channel.
The Pegula Ice Arena will be the newest addition to ice
hockey at Penn State, but won’t be completed until September of the 2013-2014
season. It will be located on the corner of Curtin Road and University Drive. The
arena will seat up to 6,000 fans at the main rink, with a 1,000-seat student section.
It is being constructed with a large donation from Terry Pegula and other supporters. Just
in time for the Penn State Men’s Ice Hockey Team to join the Big Ten, the
facilities will enable Happy Valley to host both National Hockey League and
American Hockey League games. A second rink will be in the arena for the
community, hopefully spiking a hockey interest in the area’s youth.
The home games this season will be held at Greenberg Ice Pavilion, on the corner of Hastings and McKean Road. Single-game tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for youth (12 and under). Student tickets are available in 5-game-packages for $20. Tickets are available for fans on Ticketmaster, by calling 1-800-NITTANY, or by visiting the Athletic Ticket office at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Image courtesy of Penn State men's hockey Facebook page.
Penn State Icers Hockey Update 2/6
Record: 19-8-1
ESCHL Record: 9-4-1 (3rd place with 19 points)
Ranked #11 in latest ACHA Division I rankings
LAST WEEK: vs. #6 Rhode Island
Friday (2/4) W
Saturday (2/5) L 5-4 (Shootout)
THIS WEEK: vs. Robert Morris
Friday (2/11) at 9pm
Saturday (2/12) at 3:30pm
In this stretch of the season, every game matters for the Penn State Icers, and they played like it this past weekend against #6 Rhode Island. The Icers finished the weekend with a split, but come away with three points after taking the Rams to overtime, losing 5-4 in a shootout. That loss gave Rhode Island the ESCHL regular season championship, making this season the first ever that Penn State did not claim at least a share of the title according to PennStateHockey.com.
However, there is still a lot to play for. The ESCHL playoffs begin a week from this Friday, and the Icers sit just a point back of Delaware for 2nd place heading into the final weekend of league play. They also hold the #11 spot in the latest ACHA Division I rankings, which right would put them inside the 16-team field that makes the ACHA Tournament.
This weekend, the Robert Morris Colonials come to the Penn State Ice Pavilion for the final series of ESCHL play for both teams. The Icers swept Robert Morris a month ago in Pittsburgh, and a sweep this weekend and at least one loss by Delaware (who have a home-and-home against West Chester) could have big implications on the ESCHL playoff field.
Penn State Icers Update 1/30
Record: 18-8-0, 8-4 ESCHL
Ranked #11 in ACHA Division I
LAST WEEK:
@ #4 Delaware
Friday (1/28) L 4-2
Saturday (1/29) W 3-2
THIS WEEK:
vs. #6 Rhode Island
Friday (2/4) at 9pm
Saturday (2/5) at 2pm
All games played at the Penn State Ice Pavilion
Can't make it to the game? Watch Penn State Hockey's free webcast here
In a crucial series with major implications on the ESCHL standings, Penn State came away with a split this weekend against #4 Delaware to remain in third place. Friday night, the Icers trailed 3-2 late in the 3rd period before giving up the clinching goal with just over three minutes left in the game to lose by a 4-2 score. They rebounded on Saturday with a 3-2 victory, as freshman goaltender Mathew Madrazo stopped 43 shots in a game that the Icers had to win to keep their chances at post-season hockey alive.
The next two series will be critical in Penn State's quest to make their 20th straight ACHA Tournament, the only team to do so since it's inception according to PennStateHockey.com. Fortunately, the Icers will have the benefit of home ice the next two weekends, starting when they host #6 Rhode Island this coming weekend.
The 21-3-1 Rams hold the top spot in the ESCHL standings with 23 points and swept the Icers at home back in mid-November. This weekend's series will also be Alumni Weekend at Penn State.
Penn State Icers Update 1/23
RECORD: 16-7, 7-3 ESCHL
Ranked #11 in ACHA Division I
LAST WEEKEND:
Friday (1/21) @ West Chester (W 7-1)
Saturday (1/22) vs. West Chester (W 4-2)
THIS WEEKEND:
Friday (1/28) @ Delaware (7pm)
Saturday (1/29) @ Delaware (5pm)
Both games can be seen via webcast ">here.
The Icers remain in third place in the ESCHL, but can overtake Delaware for second place by sweeping the Blue Hens this weekend in Newark. Delaware enters the series with an impressive 21-2-2 record (8-2 in ESCHL play), but one of their two losses came in a 4-0 shutout by Penn State in early December.
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