Men's Jersey Countdown: #5 Mark Yanis

Sophomore - Defenseman - 6'3" - 207 pounds - Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

While Penn State hockey fans frequently discuss the pro prospects of draft picks like Eamon McAdam and Max Gardiner, don't be surprised if Mark Yanis winds up as the Nittany Lions' first NHLer, via free agency. He has made large developmental strides over the last couple seasons, and despite being sidelined for a large chunk of 2012-13 with a broken ankle, he managed nine points in 15 NCAA games - his 0.6 points per game trailed only Gardiner, Casey Bailey, David Glen, Taylor Holstrom and Jonathan Milley on the team. That stat includes an early second period power play bomb that pulled Penn State within 2-1 at Michigan State on January 26th, a game the Lions went on to win 3-2. Yanis' imposing presence on the blueline and back into his zone is his calling card though, and he's so effective in his traditional role that PSU allowed nearly an entire goal more per game during his absence (3.50 without him, 2.53 with him). With the Muskegon Lumberjacks alumnus (and others who were injured last season) back full time, along with the addition of guys like McAdam and Mike Williamson, Penn State could be one of the nation's finest defensive teams.

Career Statistics:
Season	GP	G	A	Pts.	PIM	PP	SH	GW	GT
2012-13	15	4	5	9	24	1	0	1	0
NCAA Career	15	4	5	9	24	1	0	1	0

Hockey Valley Homecoming

If tweets from Penn State hockey players arriving on campus for fall semester don't get your blood pumping, you may be an empty, red seat and should probably head over to Columbus. Enjoy.

You may be wondering about Jordin Pardoski at this point - after all, I used her photo at the top. Well, she gets her own category.

Let's get 'er going.

Yanis Receiving Late-Round Consideration?

It's sometimes overlooked given all of the attention heaped on Eamon McAdam (guilty), but it is important to remember that there are other Penn Staters hoping to hear their name called during the NHL Entry Draft on Sunday. And D.J. Powers from Hockey's Future has good news regarding one of them:

That tweet was following up on a piece Powers wrote calling Yanis the fifth best NCAA player (meaning those who have played college games and have generally already been passed over once by the NHL, not those merely committed to/about to start at a college, as is the case with McAdam) available in the draft. Here's that excerpt:

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5. Mark Yanis, D
Freshman, Penn State University
Ht./Wt: 6’3”/207 lbs. Shoots: right
DOB: 5/26/94
CSS final ranking: N/A

Mark Yanis is a player that could potentially be a “hidden gem” in this year’s draft. While he doesn’t appear in Central Scouting’s final rankings and despite his limited number of games played, NHL teams have kept a close eye on the young rearguard all season long. The Grosse Pointe Woods, MI native has appeared in 15 games this season, posting nine points (four goals, five assists). His four goals were tied for the most among Penn State defensemen. Yanis got off to a strong start with the Nittany Lions before an ankle injury on Nov. 3rd sidelined him for 12 games. He returned to the lineup on Jan. 11th and simply picked up from where he left off. One of Yanis’ most memorable games came back on Oct. 27th versus Sacred Heart. In that game, he posted a goal and an assist to help guide the Nittany Lions to a 6-3 victory.

Yanis is a defenseman with size (6’3”/207 lbs.) that possesses excellent offensive ability and plays with grit and a competitive edge. What has scouts excited about Yanis is what he can do, particularly from a physicality standpoint, once he fills out his large frame. During his USHL days with Muskegon, Yanis established himself as a physical presence on the blueline and he has shown glimpses of that with Penn State this season.

Yanis possesses outstanding puck skills. He moves really well with the puck and makes great outlet passes. He uses his size and long reach advantageously at both ends of the ice. Yanis is a very good skater and is quite mobile, although he does need to develop a quicker step and improve his agility. There have been no noticeable residual effects of his injury since returning to the Nittany Lions lineup. Yanis can often be found jumping into plays. He sees the ice well and has the ability to quarterback power-plays, too. One of Yanis’ best assets is his shot. He possesses a heavy shot that is likely to become more powerful as he adds strength to his large frame.

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Not much to add here, that pretty much nailed him. Yanis' offensive prowess was a pleasant surprise for Penn State last season after what he showed in Muskegon, and hopefully NHL teams now view him as well rounded enough to draft. His injury was obviously a tough blow given the already-limited number of games played by NCAA teams and the importance of Yanis improving his stock for his second run through the draft.

Powers' assessment joins one from Future Considerations' NHL draft guide, which called Yanis the 164th best player available, 59th among defensemen. FC added that "Yanis is a big, physical blueliner who uses his size to his advantage. He’s shown some flashes of offensive ability and moves well, but could improve his feet. By doing so, he can shore up some coverage lapses in his own end."

Future Considerations is one of five pre-draft rankings TYT surveyed earlier this month running deep enough to include all seven rounds. Two others in that category have included freshman defenseman Mike Williamson (NHL Central Scouting Services' 183rd-best North American skater) and 2014 defense commit Bo Pellah (the 198th best player available according to HockeyProspect.com). So while none of the three are likely to have a better-than-even-money shot individually with Yanis, Williamson and Pellah each only appearing in one of the five, on a collective level, it's important to not dismiss the idea of seeing two Penn Staters drafted.

That said, if any of the three go on Sunday, the safest bet is on Yanis. Why? Because draft guides don't do the picking, NHL teams do. And reportedly, six of them are at least thinking about the rock-solid defenseman.

NHL Pre-Draft Rankings Include Four Penn Staters

Here's a rundown of how Penn Staters and Penn Staters-to-be have fared in the various pre-NHL Entry Draft guides.

In all, ten rankings of reasonable depth (one-round mock drafts - who doesn't have one of those - need not apply) were checked for this post. Rankings are often constructed a little bit differently from each other, so to help with context and comparison, here's how everyone listed the prospects.

NHL Central Scouting Services: 210 North American skaters, 130 European skaters, 35 North American goalies and 10 European goalies, with no combined list.
International Scouting Services: 200 skaters and 20 goalies, with no combined list.
Future Considerations: 210 players in a combined list.
HockeyProspect.com: 210 players in a combined list.
The Hockey News: 100 players in a combined list.
McKeen's Hockey: 120 players in a combined list.
The Hockey Writers (War Room): 120 players in a combined list.
The Hockey Writers (The Next Ones): 210 players in a combined list.
Bob McKenzie: 75 players in a combined list, plus five honorable mentions.
Craig Button: 75 players in a combined list

All rankings are the respective organizations' final pre-draft issuance.

First, the usual caveat: 30 different NHL teams do the drafting, not McKeen's, The Hockey News, or any single entity unilaterally ordering all available players.

With that out of the way and in summary, incoming goalie Eamon McAdam stands as the only player where it can be said that selection is considered likely. In the six guides that assigned him a numerical rank against all other players, his average placement was 104th, or in the middle of the fourth round. NHL Central Scouting considers him to be one of their top 101 overall, as evidenced by McAdam's invitation to the NHL Scouting Combine. International Scouting Services labeled him as a second-rounder.

Rising sophomore defenseman Mark Yanis (in his second year of draft eligibility), along with incoming defenseman Mike Williamson and 2014 defense commit Bo Pellah have also received attention. However, as each only appears close to the end of one ranking, their being picked has to be viewed as something of a longshot. At the same time, it does need to be said that only five lists are deep enough to incorporate the conclusion of the draft and a Penn Stater not named McAdam appears in three of those. So while individually, their chances might not be fantastic, the odds of one of the three going may be fairly decent.

All seven rounds of the draft will take place on Sunday, June 30th at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Any PSU-affiliated picks will join forward Max Gardiner (2010, 3rd round/74th overall by St. Louis) and defenseman Pat Koudys (2011, 5th round/147th overall by Washington) as NHL prospects on the Nittany Lions.

Eamon McAdam's performance in showcase events has boosted his draft stock

Eamon McAdam

Goaltender
6'2", 185 pounds
2012-13 Team: Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)

NHL Central Scouting Services: 6th North American goalie (additionally, McAdam was one of 101 players invited to the NHL Scouting Combine by CSS, which would seem to place him in their top 101 overall)
International Scouting Services: 3rd goalie
Future Considerations: 106th, 7th goalie
HockeyProspect.com: 144th, 8th goalie
McKeens Hockey: 97th, 10th goalie
The Hockey Writers (War Room): 113th, 7th goalie
The Hockey Writers (The Next Ones): 92nd, 7th goalie
Craig Button: 74th, 7th goalie

Scouting Reports

International Scouting Services: McAdam is a good sized goaltender with good upside for the future. He is not the most athletic goaltender but does a good job of keeping his shoulders back and playing consistent angles. He can struggle at times by making his own mess. He needs a lot of polish but his upside is very intriguing and will be a good investment for the NHL club who selects him. McAdam is verbally committed to Penn State University however the London Knights still own his OHL rights. Size/Strength: Very Good; Athleticism/Ability: Good; Glove: Very Good; Blocker: Good; Lateral Movement: Average.

Future Considerations: McAdam is a big stopper with some very interesting professional upside. Immediately, you notice his great size; seals off his posts very well but altogether he doesn’t utilize his frame all that effectively. He arcs out toward the top of the crease when he goes to move post to post, pulling away from the goal line. He challenges the shooter and his size will force puck carriers into taking lower percentage shots. He can have nights where he struggles fighting the puck and having a hard time nabbing it clean, kicks out numerous rebounds, scrambles and flops around in the crease. McAdam really battles and never gives up; gets his mind right after letting in a bad goal. He shows impressive resiliency. His vision and tracking of the puck is great and compliment great athleticism and reflexes. His athleticism is key to his professional upside. He could stand to just play more positionally and let his size do more of the work instead of over committing and rolling around in his crease. NHL Potential: Starting Goaltender

HockeyProspect.com: Eamon got his developmental push out of Team Comcast in 2009-2010 where he made the jump to the junior hockey ranks splitting time between the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks and the NAHL’s Austin Bruins. Eamon received a fair amount of starts for a player who was just 16 to start the season in 2011-2012 and increased his starts again this year getting a lot of exposure and recognition early thanks to his participation at the Junior Club World Cup in August. Eamon has proven to cover the lower part of the net very well. He gets around post to post moderately well and shows good second effort on rebounds. He struggles a little with high shots because he has a tendency to go down a little too early. McAdam also benefited from playing at the World Jr. A Challenge. Eamon is slated to join Penn State University this fall of 2013. January 23, 2013, USHL Top Prospects Game (Muskegon, MI): Had a great night. Very athletic goaltender. Positionally sound and showed the ability to make desperation saves including one unbelievable goal-line glove stop. Communicated well with his teammates, barking commands and warnings to help.

McKeen's Hockey: Set career highs in his second season - sharing duties with fellow draft-runner Cal Petersen .. led the Black Hawks to the final of last summer’s World Jr. Cup in Russia - and Team USA to gold at the World Jr. A Challenge (4-0, 2.18, .927) .. made biggest impression at the USHL Top Prospects Game, claiming MVP honours and delivering one of the year’s best saves .. Perkasie, Pennsylvania native will attend Penn State University this fall .. SCOUTING REPORT .. quick, hybrid goalie casts a solid net presence .. effectively deploys a good-sized frame to manage shooting angles - aided by efficient footwork and deceptive agility .. methodical and structured - reacts and makes decisions relying on his natural instincts and strong anticipation .. style blends poise and competitiveness .. persistence and hard working - won’t give up, sticks with plays .. patient staying up and not over-reacting prematurely .. mostly does a good job of tracking the puck, sustaining solid positions, and not losing the middle of his net .. moves easily post to post and is tough to beat down low .. flashes instantly into a wide and flexible butterfly .. can go flat when down and fully extended - and expose the upper corners .. stays aware - directs teammates about threats - and comforts with positive body language and the mental strength to bounce back after a bad goal.

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Mark Yanis' outstanding freshman year at PSU has earned him some draft consideration

Mark Yanis

Defenseman
6'3", 207 pounds
2012-13 Team: Penn State (NCAA)

Future Considerations: 164th, 59th defenseman

Scouting Report

Future Considerations: Yanis is a big, physical blueliner who uses his size to his advantage. He’s shown some flashes of offensive ability and moves well, but could improve his feet. By doing so, he can shore up some coverage lapses in his own end.

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HockeyProspect.com views Bo Pellah as a high-end puck mover

Bo Pellah

Defenseman
5'11", 150 pounds
2012-13 Team: Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL)

HockeyProspect.com: 198th, 67th defenseman

Scouting Report

HockeyProspect.com: Pellah is a poised puck moving defenseman who provided a very strong offensive presence from the backend this season and made the power play look quite impressive with his smart decisions with the puck. Pellah does most of his damage offensively with his hockey sense and very impressive passes. He reads the play quite well, and displays good vision from the blue line. He can thread passes through small seams and be mobile to create some space and time to make a play. Pellah does not have a great shot, but he does a good job of getting them on net and creating rebounds by shooting low. He does not carry the puck too often, but does limit the turnovers that he commits and makes a pass or simply dumps the puck in when he feels pressure.

The issue with Pellah’s game his is lack of strength and defensive game. He still has a lot of weight to put on, and really lacks the upper body strength to physically handle players along the walls and in the slot. He has to become much stronger to have any sort of a chance to be a professional player one day. Defensively, Pellah is not particularly great without the puck. He does a good job of positioning himself, but when he has to engage physically, he gets beat time and time again, and bigger players easily get positioning around him.

Pellah is not heading to the NCAA until 2014, so he has a lot of time to develop physically and improve on his defensive game. He is definitely another project, and teams may pass on him this year, but if he can get stronger and be a better presence without the puck to go with his impressive offensive skills, an NHL team may sign him to a rookie contract in the future, or draft him this year and give him a lot of time to develop.

Sept 9, 2012, Prince George Spruce Kings vs. Langley Rivermen (BCHL): A smooth puck moving defenseman who had a very good game. So smart with the puck, and uses time and patience to his advantage. Not afraid to stickhandle and try to beat opponents one on one. Definitely has the skills to do so. A very good skater, could turn from one direction to another in a hurry. Pushes the pace of the game very well. Needs to bulk up and get much stronger. Was listed as 5’11, 139 lbs last year, but this year listed as 6’1, 165 lbs. Defensively, above average in terms of positioning, but play along the walls could improve a lot.

Really impressed with Bo Pellah (2013). His puck moving skills were by far the best out of any 2013 NHL Entry Draft eligible defensemen from this weekend. I was able to talk to his old major midget coach and he said Pellah has moments once in a while where he tries to put on a stickhandling clinic and gets caught and pays for it. Did not see that today, but could be evident later.

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Mike Williamson's versatility probably helped him get a nod from NHL Central Scouting

Mike Williamson

Defenseman
6'3", 195 pounds
2012-13 Team: Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)

NHL Central Scouting Services: 183rd North American skater, 71st defenseman

M: Penn State 3 at Wisconsin 2 (OT)

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // UWBadgers.com recap
BTN highlights // Guy Gadowsky postgame video // UWBadgers.com photos

Mike Eaves postgame video // Zengerle/McCabe/Peterson postgame video

College Hockey News recap // Bucky's 5th Quarter recap

Centre Daily Times recap // PennLive recap // USCHO recap

So, let's reset.

Penn State, a first-year NCAA Division I program featuring eight members who arrived in Happy Valley before Terry Pegula's donation announcement, went into the Kohl Center Monday night to play a nationally-televised game on Big Ten Network against Wisconsin. The Badgers, after a slow start to their season, had gone 13-3-5 since December 1st to climb to 16th in this week's USCHO poll and - more importantly - 19th in the pairwise rankings. In front of 9,078 hostile fans, the Nittany Lions rallied from a two-goal third-period deficit to win 3-2 in overtime and, despite having nothing tangible to play for themselves in their final game of the season, effectively end historic power Wisconsin's chances of receiving at at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

Did I get that right? Unreal. This offseason is going to take forever.

For the record, Penn State finishes:

• 19-16-0 in all games, including ACHA opponents and the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 team
• 13-14-0 in NCAA games, which includes Division I and Division III
• 11-12-0 against DI
• 4-4-0 against major conference DI programs, including the ECAC's Union (0-2-0), the CCHA's Ohio State (1-0-0) and Michigan State (1-1-0), Hockey East's Vermont (1-0-0) and the WCHA's Wisconsin (1-1-0)
• 3-2-0 against teams that will join PSU in the Big Ten next season - Ohio State, Michigan State and Wisconsin being the opponents, of course

Less than one year ago, we were mourning a loss to Oakland in the ACHA national tournament and the championship-free death of the Icers.

More thoughts when I'm able to express them coherently, of course. For now, here is the GoPSUSports.com recap, with what was one of the more fun live blogs I've ever done at the bottom.

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Junior forward Taylor Holstrom (Yorba Linda, Calif.) scored the game-winning goal with 34 seconds left in overtime as the Penn State men's hockey team erased a 2-0 deficit in a 3-2 overtime victory against No. 16 Wisconsin in its season finale at the Kohl Center Monday night.

The Nittany Lions, who defeated a ranked opponent for the first time and improved to 3-2-0 against future Big Ten opponents, finished their inaugural NCAA Division I campaign at 13-14-0. Penn State, which also defeated Michigan State Jan. 26 in its only other appearance on BTN, improved to 10-2-0 when scoring a power-play goal.

Penn State found itself down 2-0 in the third period after goals from Mark Zengerle and Jason LaBate. The Nittany Lions then began to claw back beginning with Holstrom's marker. The forward tallied his first of the game at 6:48 of the period and, with 7:44 left in regulation, Casey Bailey (Anchorage, Alaska) tied the game with a power-play marker.

The stage was then set for Holstrom's heroics in the overtime frame. Bailey gloved a clearing attempt at the blue line and worked the puck toward the cage. After Max Gardiner's (Deephaven, Minn.) attempt was stopped, Holstrom fired the game-winner to the back of the cage.

Freshman netminder Matthew Skoff (McKees Rocks, Pa.) matched a career-high with 42 saves while Landon Peterson stopped 33 shots for the Badgers. Wisconsin outshot the Nittany Lions, 44-36, and went 0-for-4 on the power play. The Nittany Lions finished 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

M: Penn State 3 vs. Oklahoma 0

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // USCHO recap

PennLive.com recap // GoPSUSports.com photo gallery

Penn State, in the final Ice Pavilion game ever for the Icers/NCAA men's team, rode a third-period surge aided significantly by a boarding major to Oklahoma's Nic Power, to a 3-0 victory over the Sooners. With the win, PSU improves to 18-15-0 in all games, while remaining 12-13-0 in NCAA games and 10-11-0 against NCAA Division I.

Here's the GoPSUSports.com recap - its incredible depth undoubtedly reflecting the respect the writer has for the tradition built at the closing venue prior to this season - followed by the live blog from the game.

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Jamie Hettema, the Nittany Lion, Joe Battista (out of frame in the first picture)...it doesn't get much more symmetrical than these photos, of the first and last ceremonial faceoffs in Ice Pavilion history. In a nice touch, Matt Glass - the first goal scorer at the rink - and John Dufford joined the latter version.

After two scoreless periods, the Penn State men's hockey team tallied three third-period goals as it garnered a 3-0 exhibition victory against the ACHA's Oklahoma Sooners in the team's final game at Greenberg Ice Pavilion. The Nittany Lions competed in front of a sellout crowd for the 14th time this season.

Freshman Curtis Loik (North Vancouver, B.C.) opened the scoring, while classmate Kenny Brooks (Las Vegas, Nev.) and senior Michael Longo (Allison Park, Pa.) tallied a power-play goal each. Defenseman Connor Varley (Lansdale, Pa.) collected two assists and freshman goaltender Matthew Skoff (McKees Rocks, Pa.) turned aside 26 shots for the shutout.

Penn State outshot the Sooners, 51-26, and went 2-for-8 on the power play. Oklahoma went 0-for-4 on the man advantage, while goaltender Colin Fernandes made 48 saves.

After two scoreless periods, Loik tallied the game's first goal at 3:24 of the third. Varley sent a pass to Loik, who skated above the circles near the blue line before sending a shot through traffic for the marker.

Brooks doubled the advantage while the Sooners were defending a five-minute major. Sophomore forward Max Gardiner (Deephaven, Minn.) passed to Brooks, who went around the net before sliding a shot past the goal line. Freshman David Glen (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) also collected an assist on the play.

The Nittany Lions needed just 14 seconds to take a 3-0 lead. Freshman defenseman Joseph Lordo (St. Louis, Mo.) sent a pass to Varley at the blue line, where his shot was stopped by Fernandes. The rebound fell to the goaltender's feet, where Longo quickly knocked it in for the goal.

Penn State will conclude the 2012-13 season when it travels to Madison, Wis., for a two-game series against No. 18 Wisconsin Feb. 24-25. Opening faceoff Sunday, Feb. 24 is set at 8 p.m., while the game Monday, which will air on BTN, is set at 8:30 p.m.

M: Penn State 4 vs. Oklahoma 1

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // USCHO recap

Guy Gadowsky postgame video // Michael Longo postgame video

Here's the GoPSUSports.com recap, as PSU improves to 17-15-0 in all games, while remaining 12-13-0 in NCAA games and 10-11-0 against NCAA DI.

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After falling behind 1-0 in the first period, the Penn State men's hockey team scored four unanswered goals as it skated to a 4-1 exhibition victory against the ACHA's Oklahoma Sooners at Greenberg Ice Pavilion Friday night.

Freshmen Kenny Brooks (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Mark Yanis (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) notched a goal and an assist each, while Michael Longo (Allison Park, Pa.) and Taylor Holstrom (Yorba Linda, Calif.) also scored. Jordan Greenberg tallied for the Sooners.

Penn State outshot Oklahoma by a 41-32 margin and finished 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Sooners were 0-for-5 with the man advantage. Sophomore netminder PJ Musico (Orange, Calif.) turned aside 31 shots, and Oklahoma goaltender Colin Fernandes made 37 saves.

Greenberg gave Oklahoma a 1-0 lead with 51 seconds remaining in the opening frame. Augie Hoffman received Mason Miller's pass at the left point and found Greenberg near the bottom of the right circle for the backdoor goal.

Penn State struck twice in the second period to take a 2-1 lead. With 10:54 left in the second, Longo tied the game following an Oklahoma turnover. Sophomore Jacob Friedman (West Bloomfield, Mich.) intercepted a Sooner outlet pass along the boards and fed Longo in the slot, where his wrister beat Fernandes high.

Yanis put Penn State ahead, 2-1, 5:28 later. Junior Justin Kirchhevel (Brookings, S.D.) stopped an Oklahoma clearing attempt from behind the cage and fed a pass to Yanis above the left circle. The Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., native took a stride toward the net before his shot through traffic beat Fernandes.

In the third period, Brooks made it a two-goal game just 36 seconds into the stanza. After getting the puck from Curtis Loik (North Vancouver, B.C.), Brooks spun around a defenseman and scored on a low shot. Holstrom added a power-play tally with 14:28 left in the game. After receiving a pass from Yanis at the top of the left circle, Holstrom wristed a shot past Fernandes to account for the 4-1 final.Penn State and Oklahoma will conclude their two-game series Saturday, Feb. 16 when the teams play the final Penn State hockey game at Greenberg Ice Pavilion. [Note: Categorically false, so I'm crossing it out. The ACHA D2 women are "Penn State hockey," and have a game remaining at the rink.] Opening faceoff is set at 3:30 p.m.

Three Stars: February 4-10

3. A Sneak Peek at the Pegula Ice Arena
(The Penn Stater)

PIA tours have become frequent enough that it's no longer a guaranteed all-time top tenner (traffic wise) when I drop in a photo of the progress, whether from myself or someone else. Regardless, here's a solid recent look from Tina Hay, the editor of PSU's alumni magazine. Pics beyond the two in the post were dropped in a Facebook gallery as well.

2. State College High School grad Holdcroft playing big role
(Centre Daily Times)

If you don't like the way Jill Holdcroft plays, you don't like hockey.

"I work hard, which might make up for not having some other essential skills," Holdcroft said. "I love to forecheck and get into the corners and make the other team work even harder to defend against."

Yeah, no kidding.

1. Fourth concussion forces an end to Lady Icer's career
(The Daily Collegian)

While I referenced it directly and indirectly a few times over the weekend, I wanted to get one last shoutout to Kate Christoffersen on the record, following the forward's Senior Day on Saturday. She's a pre-donation player who finished on the NCAA team, a great thing in and of itself. But for those who don't know by now, this happened at the end of the 2010-2011 season:

Kate Christoffersen and her parents couldn’t help but cry at their kitchen counter.

The three shed tears on March 6, after Kate arrived home to Trumbull, Conn., for spring break as David and Mary talked to their daughter about the possibility of ending her 14-year hockey career.

The Lady Icers sophomore defender had sustained her fourth career concussion on Feb. 11. After the season, Christoffersen decided to hang up her skates and stop playing the game she has played since age 6 because of what she calls her “most severe concussion.”

From there to here - one of my favorite stories ever.

Best of the Rest

Minnesota-Grown College Commitments
(Let's Play Hockey)

When combining the men and women, and among DI schools, Penn State's six recruits from Minnesota trail only North Dakota's eight among out-of-state schools. They're not leftovers either. On the men's side, Anchorage transfer Eric Scheid is a proven DI player, as he was fourth on the Seawolves in scoring as a freshman last year. For the women, Amy Petersen and Laura Bowman are most of the offense for two-time defending state high school champ Minnetonka and Hannah Ehresmann is part of a 50-50 goalie rotation for the Skippers. Christi Vetter (Lakeville North) and Sarah Nielsen (Edina) are also two of the best players on two of the best teams in the state. National and district camp invites are sprinkled throughout as well. Basically, well done, coaches.

B³ Postgame Recap: Lincoln 2, Omaha 4
(Black and Blue Blog)

One of those Minnesotans - Scheid - had a chance to play in the USHL's first outdoor game on Saturday, the afternoon half of a doubleheader at Omaha's TD Ameritrade Park. However, the archrival Omaha Lancers jumped all over Scheid's Lincoln Stars early and coasted to the win in front of an announced 13,650. The Blaine High School product was a +1 with a pair of shots.

The nightcap was an NCAA game, with host Nebraska-Omaha (or just "Omaha" if you ask them) falling to the North Dakota [Nickname] ("Fighting Sioux" if you ask them) 5-2.

Brandon Saad First Goal
(nhl.com)

Congrats to George Saad's brother on scoring his first NHL goal for the Blackhawks. I'm going to be honest with you guys though, I'm a little tired of living vicariously through Penn State siblings and other, much more tenuous, connections to the show. Here's hoping for our very own NHLer - not one from the OHL's Saginaw Spirit or Wisconsin (Max Gardiner's brother Jake) - in the next five years or so.

Five collegians to watch for the 2013 NHL Draft
(Hockey's Future)

...so, towards that end, here's someone who thinks Mark Yanis is a "collegian to watch" for this year's NHL Entry Draft. As a second-year eligible guy, the deck's kind of stacked against him, because there's a whole new birth year available for people to get excited about, and hey, everyone already passed on him once (seven times, actually).

That said, it does happen. One example is a player PSU saw this year, and in fact scored a game-winning goal against the Nittany Lions: Union defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who was passed over in 2011 before being drafted 78th overall by the Flyers in 2012. Yanis, who was given a B rating (roughly translating to mid-round consideration) on the NHL Central Scouting watch list in 2011 before dropping out of the ratings closer to the 2012 draft, is an intriguing prospect. He does fit the mold as a possible second-year pick, since he's someone who has taken a developmental step that many expected to see last year, specifically with respect to his offensive capabilities. He's been as advertised otherwise, of course (see photo above). The bottom line for me is that he is good enough for an NHL team to own his rights, but the logistics are against him. We'll see - here's hoping.

2013 Draft Blog: Eamon McAdam Pt. 3
(The Pipeline Show)

A PSU guy much more likely to be drafted is Eamon McAdam, an incoming freshman next year, who chipped in a long-awaited third blog entry for TPS last week. In it, he discusses his SportsCenter-worthy save at the USHL Top Prospects Game, as well as his other experiences at the showcase.

PJ Musico riding the Penn State hockey wave and making the most of it
(Stack the Pads)

Keeping the goalie love going, here's a comprehensive look at Penn State's repository of Caliswag.

Also, is there a more Canadian place name than Flin Flon? Maybe Moose Jaw.

Penn State ice hockey team might not return to Hershey for a while
(pennlive.com)

Obvious statement is obvious. PSU will want to play at Pegula Ice Arena as much as possible, and if they do venture to neutral Pennsylvania sites, it will likely be to cultivate their following in the major cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

2/9 Postgame: Guy Gadowsky, Mark Yanis, Kenny Brooks, Kurt Kleinendorst

Comments from head coach Guy Gadowsky, freshman defenseman Mark Yanis (on the left in the second video), freshman forward Kenny Brooks (on the right in the second video), and Alabama-Huntsville head coach Kurt Kleinendorst following Penn State's 4-3 win over the Chargers on Saturday night.

M: Penn State 4 vs. Alabama-Huntsville 3

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // UAHChargers.com recap

USCHO recap // PennLive.com recap // StateCollege.com recap

Penn State (16-15-0 in all games, 12-13-0 in NCAA games, 10-11-0 vs. NCAA DI) fought off a resilient Alabama-Huntsville (8-20-2 in all games, 3-19-1 in NCAA games, 1-18-1 vs. NCAA DI) to earn a sweep in the Independent League MegaBowl. Here's the GoPSUSports.com recap, followed by the live blog.

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With the score tied with less than five minutes remaining in the game, freshman defenseman Mark Yanis (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) blasted a slap shot to the back of the net to send the Penn State men's hockey team to a 4-3 victory against Alabama Huntsville at Greenberg Ice Pavilion Saturday night.

The Nittany Lions, who improved to 12-13-0 in front of a sellout crowd, secured their third straight win for the first time since a four-game winning streak Oct. 20-Nov. 3. Penn State, which also swept a weekend series for the first time this season, closed out Greenberg Ice Pavilion at 4-4-0 against NCAA competition.

Freshmen forwards Casey Bailey (Anchorage, Alaska/1g, 1a) and David Glen (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.), who completed a five-point weekend with a goal and an assist, gave the Nittany Lions a 2-0 lead midway through the second period before the Chargers tied the game with two markers, the latter coming 54 seconds into the third.

Freshman Kenny Brooks (Las Vegas, Nev.) put Penn State up, 3-2, and, after UAH's Brice Geoffrion evened the score, Yanis unleashed the game-winner with 4:27 left in regulation.

Junior Taylor Holstrom (Yorba Linda, Calif.), who garnered a pair of assists, extended his team-leading point-scoring streak to eight games (6g, 6a), while sophomore Max Gardiner (Deephaven, Minn.) recorded a point in his fourth consecutive contest with a helper on Glen's power-play tally. Freshman Matthew Skoff (McKees Rocks, Pa.) improved to 8-8-0 with 24 saves.

The Nittany Lions outshot Alabama Huntsville by a 36-27 margin and went 1-for-2 on the power play. The Chargers finished 1-for-6 on the man advantage, while Alabama Huntsville netminder John Griggs made 32 stops.

With 11:15 left in the first period, Bailey gave the Nittany Lions a 1-0 lead. Holstrom sent a pass to defenseman Peter Sweetland (Newtown, Pa.) at the blue line, where he fed Bailey in the high slot. The Anchorage, Alaska, native then ripped a shot that pinged off the left post before hitting the back of the net.

Glen doubled the Penn State advantage at 10:45 of the second period. While on the power play, Bailey sent a pass to Glen at the bottom of the right circle, where he one-timed a blast past Griggs. Gardiner also collected an assist on the play.

At 17:34 of the frame, Lysaght made it a 2-1 game. Steven Koshey started the play in his defensive zone and fed Lysaght, who sent an outlet pass to Michael Webley through the neutral zone. Webley took the puck behind the cage before passing back to Lysaght in the right circle, where he wristed a shot for the goal.

Justin Cseter tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play goal 54 seconds into the third stanza. While on a 5-on-3 advantage, Cseter corralled the loose puck in front of the net and slipped it past Skoff.

With 12:37 left in the game, Brooks skated Penn State to a 3-2 advantage. After Glen's shot went wide, Brooks won the race to the loose puck and had his shot from below the goal line sneak past Griggs.

The Chargers tied the game once more at 12:20 of the frame when Anderson White connected with Geoffrion at the bottom of the right circle for the marker.

At 15:33, Yanis provded the heroics with his fourth tally of the season. Junior Justin Kirchhevel (Brookings, S.D.) moved the puck to Holstrom, who fed Yanis above the right circle. The blue liner's first attempt was blocked before firing a shot to the back of the net for the 4-3 final.

The Nittany Lions, who have two weekends left in the their inaugural NCAA season, will return to action Feb. 15-16 for a two-game exhibition series against the ACHA's Oklahoma Sooners.

M: Penn State 4 vs. UAH 0

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // UAHChargers.com recap

USCHO recap // PennLive.com recap // StateCollege.com recap

The Nittany Lion men improved to 15-15-0 in all games, 11-13-0 in NCAA games and 9-11-0 against NCAA DI with what, in hindsight, was quite a dominating win over Alabama-Huntsville in round one of the so-called Independent League MegaBowl - but one that still contained enough juice (mostly in the form of late chippiness) to set up an interesting match on Saturday. Here's the GoPSUSports.com recap, followed by the live blog.

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Freshman forward David Glen (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) notched the first hat trick in program history to lead the Penn State men's hockey team to a 4-0 victory against Alabama Huntsville at Greenberg Ice Pavilion Friday night. The Nittany Lions improved to 11-13-0 with the whitewash, while the Chargers fell to 3-18-1.

Freshman netminder Matthew Skoff (McKees Rocks, Pa.) corralled 23 shots for his second shutout of the season, while sophomore forward Max Gardiner (Deephaven, Minn.) added a power-play marker. Freshman forward Kenny Brooks (Las Vegas, Nev.) collected a career-best two assists, and junior Taylor Holstrom (Yorba Linda, Calif.) extended his point-scoring streak to seven games with an assist on Glen's second goal.

After a scoreless first period, Glen opened the scoring just 1:41 into the second before Gardiner tallied for the first time since Oct. 27 with 4:29 left in the frame. The Nittany Lions added a pair of goals within a 3:30 span in the third period as they skated to the 4-0 lead. Glen added his second of the game at 11:20 of the period before completing the hat trick with 5:10 left in the game.

Penn State out shot the Chargers by a 43-23 margin and went 1-for-6 on the power play, while Alabama Huntsville finished 0-for-4 with the man advantage. Charger netminder John Griggs made 39 saves.

The two teams will conclude their weekend series Saturday, Feb. 9 with a 7:30 p.m. faceoff.

After a scoreless first period, Glen put Penn State on the board less than two minutes into the frame. Griggs stopped a dump-in behind the net, but Brooks won the battle to the puck and sent a diagonal pass from behind the goal line to Glen at the left circle, where he fired the puck past Griggs.

While on the power-play, Gardiner collected his third marker of the season at 15:31. From the left hash marks, Casey Bailey (Anchorage, Alaska) passed to Holstrom in the slot, where he one-touched it to Yanis at the point. The defenseman unleashed a slap shot that Gardiner redirected past Griggs from the top of the crease.

Glen gave the Nittany Lions a 3-0 advantage with 8:40 left in the third period. Brooks sent the puck to Peter Sweetland (Newtown, Pa.) at the blue line, where he fed Glen at the top of the left circle. With a defenseman draped over him, Glen roofed a turnaround shot for the goal.

With 5:10 left in the game, Glen added his third of the game and team-leading 15th goal of the season. Glen won the offensive zone faceoff back to junior Michael McDonagh (Winchester, Mass.), whose shot from the right circle was stopped by Griggs. Glen located the rebound and it slid it to the back of the net to account for the 4-0 final.

M: Penn State 3 at Michigan State 2

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // MSUSpartans.com recap

BTN highlights // BTN Matt Skoff interview // BTN Guy Gadowsky interview
StateCollege.com recap // Centre Daily Times recap
State News recap // Lansing State Journal recap

Process and execution.

There's a school of thought - one I subscribe to - that says that goals are the byproduct of a well-performing hockey team. Generate shots and chances of a good enough quality, and the goals, which are really a result of luck and percentages to some degree, will come. No, more chances in a 60-minute hockey game doesn't always mean more goals and the win, but the better-executing team putting forward more effort will win most games, and a good chunk of them over the course of the season.

In other words, if you're playing well, and plan to continue doing so, don't sweat a 2-0 deficit 6:21 into a game.

That's exactly what Penn State (12-15-0 all games, 10-13-0 NCAA, 8-11-0 NCAA DI) faced Saturday night at Michigan State (7-16-3, 5-12-1 CCHA) after early bombs from R.J. Boyd and Matt Grassi made it past the glove of a shaky looking Matt Skoff. Panic? Why?

Skoff's a good goalie, and he proved it once again by settling down from there and finishing with 31 saves on 33 shots. And Penn State, the better team throughout most of the game, kept plugging, making the 2-0 lead look quite wobbly, even as the Spartans continued it into the third period.

Mark Yanis, back in his home state, took the first bite out of that lead just 32 seconds into the second period on a PSU power play, when he located the rebound of a Max Gardiner attempt in the slot and fired it past an out-of-position Jake Hildebrand. And unlike Friday, when MSU's game-winning goal was scored during a late major to Connor Varley, PSU's penalty kill passed its endurance test on Saturday, neutralizing 3:58 of Spartan advantage time in the latter stages of the period after calls of high sticking to Yanis and a questionable diving infraction tagged to Curtis Loik.

The seemingly inevitable breakthrough came in the third period. First, 3:13 in, Taylor Holstrom's centering feed out of the corner took a fortunate bounce off of a Michigan State skate to Casey Bailey in the slot, and the big Alaskan sniped to tie the game. Holstrom scored the winner with 4:01 left, as Bailey returned the favor by feeding the Mercyhurst transfer in the slot, where he beat Hildebrand on the backhand.

Penn State, which outshot the Spartans 50-33, is now 3-3-0 against major-conference teams - including 2-1-0 versus future Big Ten opponents - in a season where many (guilty) would have been happy with simply playing a competitive game against those types of teams. With just the season-closing series at Wisconsin remaining in both of those categories, it's now safe to call this inaugural NCAA season an unqualified success at the top end.

Next weekend, the Nittany Lions travel from the future to the past, with the likely last games ever against ACHA archrival Ohio. Friday's game will be played at Hershey's Giant Center at 7:00 p.m., while Saturday's rematch will be at the Ice Pavilion at 7:30 p.m.

Here's something resembling a live blog... I say "something resembling" because I was unable to watch the game broadcast to the widest television audience in PSU hockey history on Big Ten Network because I don't get the channel. So it's basically a collection of tweets and comments from people who did see it, with my occasional contributions where I had something to offer.

M: Penn State 0 vs. USNTDP U18 3

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // Centre Daily Times recap

The Nittany Lions fell to 10-13-0 in all games (while remaining 8-11-0 in NCAA games and 6-10-0 against NCAA Division I) and had to settle for a weekend split following a 3-0 exhibition loss to the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 team Saturday night. Here's the GoPSUSports.com recap, followed by the TYT live blog from the tilt.

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The Penn State men's hockey team split its weekend series against the U.S. National Under-18 Team with a 3-0 setback at Greenberg Ice Pavilion Saturday evening.

After a scoreless first period, Sean Malone gave the U.S. a one-goal lead with 1:45 left in the second stanza. Michael McCarron tallied at 16:31 of the third before Evan Allen added an empty-net marker in the game's final minute. Team USA netminder Thatcher Demko turned aside 25 shots.

Nittany Lion goaltender PJ Musico (Orange, Calif.) made 41 saves, while Penn State finished 0-for-5 on the power play. The U.S. went 0-for-6 with the man advantage and outshot the Nittany Lions by a 44-25 margin.

In the opening period, Penn State found itself down a man early and often as the team committed four penalties during the game's first six minutes. The Nittany Lions were outshot 19-4 in the opening frame, with Musico turning aside each U.S. attempt.

With 1:45 left in the second period, Team USA skated to a 1-0 lead. Allen moved the puck to Labanc in the right circle, where he passed to Malone at the far post for the one-timer.

McCarron gave the U.S. a 2-0 advantage with 3:29 left in the third. Shane Eiserman passed to McCarron in the slot, where his high shot beat Musico. Tyler Kelleher collected an assist on the play.

The U.S. added an empty-netter with 58 seconds remaining when Allen collected the loose puck along the half-wall and wristed a shot into the open net.

The Nittany Lions will return to action Tuesday, Jan. 15 when they welcome Neumann to the Greenberg Ice Pavilion. Opening faceoff is set at 7:30 p.m.

1/11 Postgame: Guy Gadowsky, Mark Yanis, Matthew Skoff, Don Granato

Comments from head coach Guy Gadowsky, freshman forward Mark Yanis (on the left in the second video), freshman goaltender Matthew Skoff (on the right in the second video) and U.S. National Team Development Program U18 coach Don Granato following the Nittany Lions' 5-2 win over Team USA Friday night.

M: Penn State 5 vs. USNTDP U18 2

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // GoPSUSports.com photos
StateCollege.com recap // Centre Daily Times recap // PSU ComMedia recap

The Nittany Lion men (10-12-0 in all games, 8-11-0 in NCAA games, 6-10-0 against NCAA Division I) rallied from a 2-0 deficit early in the second period to defeat the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 team 5-2 Friday night at the Ice Pavilion.

However, it was a couple of future Big Ten opponents that had the highly-physical game's first (and second) word. Midway through the first period, and capping a slow start from the Nittany Lions, future Minnesota Golden Gopher Hudson Fasching drove hard on PSU goalie Matt Skoff. Skoff was up to that challenge, but the rebound popped back in front of a gaping cage, where Connor Clifton tapped in for a 1-0 NTDP lead. Just 37 seconds into the second period, J.T. Compher, who will play at Michigan next year, beat Skoff with a wicked snipe from the right-wing circle on the power play.

Michigan-bound NTDP forward Tyler Motte is defended by PSU's Joe Lordo. Photo: Steve Hass

The last word, though, is the one that counts, and following Compher's goal, the words all belonged to the Nittany Lions.

George Saad got things started with a gritty answer to Compher 1:51 later, and PSU's normally anemic power play put the blue and white in front for good. First, at the tail end of a full two-minute 5-on-3, Kenny Brooks put home a rebound following a nice David Glen-to-Curtis Loik passing play resulted in the initial shot. Joe Lordo's blast through traffic from above the right-wing circle on a third-period power play.

Tommy Olczyk added insurance with 6:48 left after an outstanding play by Michael McDonagh to win a puck battle in the corner before getting it in front to the captain, and Brooks added a late empty-netter from the opposite side of center.

Skoff, for his part, turned in an outstanding game, ending with 47 saves on 49 shots. He was helped by a defense that only had five players dressed, including Mark Yanis, who played well in his first action since fracturing his ankle on November 3rd.

The two teams will face off again Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. in the Ice Pavilion.

State and the Unions

What
NCAA Men: vs. U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18
NCAA Women: at Union

Where
NCAA Men: Greenberg Ice Pavilion, University Park, PA
NCAA Women: Messa Rink, Schenectady, NY

When
NCAA Men: Friday, January 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, January 12 at 7:30 p.m.
NCAA Women: Friday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 12 at 4:00 p.m

Coverage
NCAA Men: TYT live blogs (free), Friday PSU video ($), Friday PSU audio ($), Friday PSU live stats (free), Saturday PSU video ($), Saturday PSU audio ($), Saturday PSU live stats (free)
NCAA Women: Union video ($), Union live stats (free)

J.T. Compher will return to Penn State next season, but as a Michigan Wolverine.

The men, who are now 9-12-0 in all games, 8-11-0 against NCAA competition and 6-10-0 against NCAA Division I will try to reverse their fortunes with a pair of exhibitions against the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 team. Since November 10th, PSU is just 3-9-0 in all games and beyond the win over Ohio State in Pittsburgh - which was outstanding, of course - has only beaten the ACHA's Arizona State and NCAA DIII Fredonia.

For those who don't know the nature of this week's opponent, the National Team Development Program is a USA Hockey initiative based in Ann Arbor, MI. Since 1996, it has attempted to identify the best American players and get them into the same organization in an attempt to enhance their development for, according to their literature "participation on U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers." The NTDP, which includes both an Under-17 and an Under-18 team, plays games against college teams (generally, only the U18s play those games), against the USHL, as the NTDP is a member of the league, and in international tournaments. NTDP players have gone on to collegiate and NHL success, as famous Big Ten alumni like Ryan Kesler, Jordan Leopold, Ryan Suter and Phil Kessel are counted among their products. No fewer than 15 players from Team USA's recent gold medal team at the World Junior Championships did time with the NTDP.

Obviously, since the U18s are the team playing Penn State, I'll speak exclusively about them from this point, using "NTDP" or "Team USA" as shorthand.

There's sort of a misconception many have of these games, at least some of the people with whom I've spoken, who view these as pointless walkovers, which really couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, Penn State will be the less talented team on the ice this weekend. That's not a slam on the Nittany Lions. The NTDPers, as mentioned, are among the best American players out there in their age group and as such, they out-talent just about every college team they play, with edges in experience and physical maturity going to the collegians (a senior who aged out of junior hockey is generally six years older than an U18 player).

The games Team USA has played against NCAA opponents bear that out, with wins over Michigan, Merrimack and Alabama-Huntsville. They also boast impressive draws with Minnesota, Notre Dame and New Hampshire, presently three of the top four teams in the country. Most of the NTDP's action comes against USHL competition, and (combined with the U17 team in this case), they're 6-18-3 in those games.

As one might surmise, NTDP players are some of the most sought-after recruits in the country. Nineteen players opposing PSU this weekend are committed to colleges, including future Big Ten opponents J.T. Compher, Evan Allen and Tyler Motte (Michigan), as well as Hudson Fasching (Minnesota). While Penn State has yet to pull an NTDP recruit, getting players of their caliber on campus certainly can't hurt in that process. Motte, Compher, Allen and Fasching, along with leading scorer Tyler Kelleher (committed to New Hampshire) represent a few of a lethal group of forwards that will really test a thin PSU blueline that hopes to receive Mark Yanis back this weekend but has now lost Luke Juha to an undisclosed injury.

Shenae Lundberg is an elite stopper - and owes some of that to PSU's Casey McCullion.

For the women (7-12-1, 1-8-1 CHA), this weekend represents a chance to continue the momentum generated from last weekend's shellacking of an overmatched and shorthanded NCAA Division III Chatham team. The Nittany Lions will seek to chip off a second and a third major-conference win at Union (5-11-3, 0-7-3 ECAC).

Since joining the Division I ranks to join their male counterparts in 2003-2004, the Dutchwomen haven't been particularly successful, never posting more than five wins or better than a 0.176 win percentage in any season. In that sense, this year has been a breakout of sorts with that zenith for victories already matched and Connecticut, Maine, RPI and Syracuse, PSU's College Hockey America rival, among Union's victims.

The team's undisputed star is goaltender Shenae Lundberg. The sophomore boasts a 3.09 goals against average and a 0.902 save percentage - outstanding numbers on a losing team. She has a boatload of USA Hockey recognition to prove her talents, including her status as a member of the 2011 world champion U.S. U18 team. Lundberg is also a four-time USA Hockey Player Development Camp selection and a two-time selection to the Warren Strelow National Team Goaltending Camp. She's played in four of Union's five wins, and has been called on to make at least 30 saves each time without ever allowing more than three goals.

In short, Lundberg is good.

Oh, by the way, the New Hampshire native is an alumna of Deerfield Academy, where she played for - you guessed it - PSU assistant Casey McCullion, who was an assistant there in 2007-2008.

With Nicole Paniccia expected back between the pipes after playing only 20 minutes in the sweep of Chatham, combined with Lundberg and Union's anemic offense that scores just 1.42 times per game, it probably isn't out of line to expect a pair of low-scoring games. When the Dutchwomen do receive offense, it tends to come from a large number of sources. Sophomore Christine Valente leads the team with five goals, but the team's 27 this season have come from 12 different players.

It would serve the Nittany Lions well to put everything out there in the pursuit of two wins - next weekend is the last one off for the team this season before jumping back into the fray with a trip to Syracuse on January 25th and 26th.