Friday, October 11, 2013

The Future Begins Today

Pegula Ice Arena: The mansion on the hill

Tonight, at 8:00 p.m., Penn State's NCAA men's hockey team will face off against Army at Pegula Ice Arena, their opening game in the glittering $90 million facility due on campus for roughly 100 years. It will kick off the second season of the modern varsity era for the Nittany Lions, after a first memorable for a level of competitiveness well beyond what even the most optimistic observers expected.

The NCAA women's season already got off to a rousing start last weekend, with a tie and a win at Vermont fueled largely by the exploits of an outstanding freshman class. While the men battle Army, Josh Brandwene's squad will be in Hamden, CT to take on Quinnipiac, with a rematch to follow tomorrow afternoon.

On this historic day, it's impossible to avoid a peek back to where things stood back in the fall of 2010, the beginning for both this blog and the transition of Penn State's storied ACHA Division 1 teams to NCAA status.



Back then, Pegula Ice Arena and varsity status were but blips on the horizon - noticeably out there and worthy of excitement, but with little tangible effect on the 2010-11 hockey season. The Icers struggled and finally emerged with a late charge to qualify for an unprecedented 20th consecutive ACHA National Tournament, although a first-round loss to Rhode Island made it a short trip. On the women's side, the Lady Icers saw a promising season fall short of nationals when the pollsters punished the team - unfairly, in my opinion - for the fact that both of its goalies went to Erzurum, Turkey in the middle of the season to represent the ACHA and USA Hockey at the 2011 World University Games.

Once that first season wound down, it didn't take long for the developments to barrel in with enough pace to run together into a blur of progress. The arena was officially named and renderings were made public in January 2011. The Big Ten finally ended the speculation and adopted men's hockey for this season that March. A month after that, Guy Gadowsky was hired and brought assistants Keith Fisher and Matt Lindsay with him. Former Icers player and assistant coach Bill Downey took on the men's hockey operations role in July after serving in the same position at Harvard. The women's coaching situation was addressed as well that summer with former Icers captain Josh Brandwene, who had gone on to great success leading ACHA and prep school programs. Brandwene moved quickly to bring in former Boston University star Gina Kearns as an assistant coach, while Casey McCullion came on board one year later.

Tommy Olczyk scores as a freshman in 2011-12 against Rhode Island

Recruits brought in specifically for NCAA hockey started to make their way to Penn State as well. Tommy Olczyk and Division I transfers Nate Jensen, Taylor Holstrom, Bryce Johnson and Justin Kirchhevel all arrived in the fall of 2011, while women's players Taylor Gross and Jess Desorcie followed at the semester break.

Through it all, the 2011-12 season presented an awkward backdrop: eventual NCAA coaches Gadowsky and Brandwene steering the Icers and Lady Icers through their final ACHA Division 1 seasons, which doubled as an extended varsity hockey tryout for many. The women won the ECWHL regular season title but again fell short of nationals - and again, in an act of questionable collective judgment - when they were rated by their brutally tough NCAA-laden schedule and not by wins over eventual national champion Northeastern and Massachusetts, a team that wound up with what should have been PSU's tournament bid.

The Icers, predictably, dominated ACHA competition for much of the year - an 11-0 trouncing at two-time national champ Illinois standing out in that department - with Olczyk, Holstrom and Kirchhevel leading the way. However, PSU seemed to weaken a bit down the stretch, as a November loss at Delaware was later joined by a shootout shocker against Central Oklahoma, and a pair of miraculous comebacks were required to beat Oklahoma. The latter of the two came during the ACHA National Tournament quarterfinals in Strongsville, OH, but it wound up being for naught as Oakland closed the Icers era in stunning fashion the next day in the semifinals.

That one hurt, more than any other loss during TYT's existence. I desperately wanted one last ACHA national championship on the way out the door.

On a more positive note, Penn State was able to participate in an outdoor game in Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park against NCAA Division III Neumann on January 4, 2012. While the contest went to the Knights, it was certainly an unprecedented experience that won't soon be forgotten. Construction on Pegula Ice Arena began about six weeks after that, and the site near the corner of Curtin Rd. and University Dr. became the focus for a great deal of attention all the way through today.

Potent scorers like Shannon Yoxheimer have the Nittany Lion women poised for big things

In hindsight, 2012-13 was a much more "normal" season than many anticipated on the women's side. While still playing out of the Greenberg Ice Pavilion, the Lady Icers Nittany Lions were full-fledged members of NCAA Division I and College Hockey America, a conference that includes perennial power Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, RIT, Lindenwood and Syracuse. Following a shocking 5-3 win at Vermont for a first NCAA win in the program's first NCAA game, PSU fell back to earth a bit, finishing 7-26-2 and sixth in CHA, but growth was readily apparent to close observers of the group and so far, it seems as if the trajectory has continued into the new year.

The Penn State men took a somewhat different approach, delaying their conference entry and playing last season as an NCAA Division I independent, although ten games against NCAA Division III and ACHA Division 1 teams were also part of the schedule. The Nittany Lions quickly gained some notoriety for unexpectedly winning games as heavy underdogs. The first strike in that category was made on October 20, 2012 with a 3-2 win in RIT's homecoming game in front of 10,556 orange-clad fans, with big wins against Air Force (5-1 at the Ice Pavilion), Ohio State (5-4 at the Three Rivers Classic in Pittsburgh) and Michigan State (3-2 in East Lansing, MI) following. Those were all prelude to a season-closing 3-2 overtime win at Wisconsin that ended with Holstrom's gritty score to complete a rally from a 2-0 hole. The Badgers, after a 2-7-5 start to the year, were in the middle of going 20-6-2 the rest of the way while capturing the WCHA playoff title and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, so taking them down was no insignificant feat.

Those big wins were awkwardly balanced by a few clunkers: losses against Division III teams Buffalo State and Neumann, as well as to ACHA Division 1's Arizona State. Still, the legacy of the 2012-13 men's season is an overwhelmingly positive one, as it showed that Nittany Lion hockey would not be roadkill for established programs while also setting the table for successes to come.

Milestones, both small and large, continued through the offseason, culminating with Penn State hockey's move into Pegula Ice Arena in early September and the facility's public opening a couple weeks later. In June, current freshmen Eamon McAdam (Islanders) and Mike Williamson (Canucks) became the first players selected in the NHL Entry Draft while affiliated with PSU. They join transfers Max Gardiner (Blues) and Patrick Koudys (Capitals) as draftees on the Nittany Lions this season. Penn State's long-awaited Big Ten membership for men's hockey became official in July.

Doing this has allowed me to learn a lot about both programs, as well as their coaches, student-athletes, and support staffs. I want to make one thing perfectly clear: Penn State will have two of the finest NCAA hockey programs in the nation, and it will happen sooner than people think. That's not artificial fan bravado, it's my sincere belief. Early in the life of TYT, I would get angry at disrespect towards PSU's NCAA programs, a largely defensive reaction. Now I just smile and shake my head, because I know I'm right.



In the ACHA, Penn State already has two of the best teams in the nation in the Ice Lions and the Women's Ice Hockey Club.

While the Ice Lions fell just short of the ACHA Division 2 National Tournament in 2010-11, thanks to a loss to Maryland-Baltimore County at regionals, PSU bounced back in force the following year under new coach Josh Hand. Led by captain Jim Recupero and star goalie Tom Badali, the Ice Lions took Mid-Atlantic College Hockey by storm, winning both the North Division regular season title and the league's overall tournament title. A 25-game winning streak helped forge a 30-3-0 overall record and an autobid to nationals before Grand Valley State squashed PSU's dreams in a winner-take-all contest for advancement to the semifinals.

A redemption-driven squad got back on the horse immediately, going 27-6-1 in 2012-13 and collecting another MACH North Division championship, as well as a return trip to ACHAs behind players like power forward Creek Lewis and Brandon Russo, an All-American defenseman who would transfer to Canisius' NCAA Division I team after the season. However, an opening loss to Illinois State would prove too much to overcome at the national tournament, and the Ice Lions once again went home after the group stage. Ryan Behnken, who previously coached the team in 2010-11, returned this season and has Penn State off to a 4-0-0 start.

Players like Franky Reluzco have been important to the Ice Lions' recent national title push

Formed in the vapor trail of the Lady Icers program that elevated to NCAA status, the Women's Ice Hockey Club started up last year and faced less than optimal conditions, including a light schedule weakened even further by game cancellations and featuring exactly one home contest... in Altoona. Nevertheless, the team persevered, somehow snuck into the ACHA National Tournament in Ashburn, VA, then proceeded to take down top-seeded Alaska and defending champ Wisconsin-Stout (twice) en route to the title game before falling to West Chester. With nearly all of the squad back this season, a new membership in College Hockey East guaranteeing a healthy slate and a 2-0-0 start after a pair of wins over Liberty, expectations are high for the WIHC to contend for Penn State hockey's first national crown since the 2002-03 Icers took down Ohio in the final.

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the Commonwealth Campus teams that also wear the blue and white with great distinction. The clubs at Penn States Altoona, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine and Harrisburg are, on balance, off to a fantastic start this season as well. In particular, always-tough Brandywine, high-flying Altoona and stoutly-balanced Behrend look primed to make serious plays for conference titles and ACHA Division 3 nationals appearances.



Doubters have already looked rather foolish, and while most have softened their tone in recent months - sometimes tripping over themselves while backpedaling - let's not forget that many out there predicted that PSU hockey would be a losing proposition for a decade or more, playing in front of an empty barn. Those people, simply put, did not count on our people, specifically the efforts of Penn State's players, coaches, staffers and supporters who have laid the foundation for greatness.

In short, to say the future of Penn State hockey is "bright" is a little like saying that Pegula Ice Arena is "nice." It's obvious, almost to the point of redundancy.

But it's a future that will proceed without this blog.

After 1090 days and 1166 posts, it's time for me to end Thank You Terry and what has been a wonderful chapter in my life.

In my mind, the timing of this departure makes sense on numerous levels. My first post was October 18th, 2010, almost exactly one month after the announcement of Terry Pegula's donation. I'm leaving on October 11, 2013, a date marked by the opening of the arena made possible by that donation. In one sense then, TYT can be seen as documenting Penn State's transition from ACHA superpower to full Division I program. I hope I've done an adequate job filling that role, and I have every confidence that others covering Nittany Lions hockey will do more than that as we move forward. As much as anything else, over the last three years I've learned that Penn State produces the finest collection of journalists and bloggers on the planet, one that has my eternal gratitude for pushing me to be better. In many ways my work, at least as it pertains to the NCAA Division I men's team, is no longer necessary. It's my hope that the NCAA women and other teams receive that level of attention at some point as well.

I strongly believe that there are only two ways for blogs to end. One involves posts of decreasing frequency that usually begin "sorry I don't post more." Eventually, the gap between posts hits infinity, and the blog dies awkwardly, usually with something like "Season Preview, Part 1 of 2" at the top. Because I want to avoid that all costs, I've selected the other option: a planned departure (there may be a third option, specifically "don't end at all," but that's generally available only to blogs with more than one person working on it).

Life is the archnemesis of volunteer bloggers, and it always wins at some point, just as surely as death beats life. Or as surely as the Icers beat Washington & Jefferson. I've had a fantastic set of life circumstances that have allowed me to pour more of myself into TYT than most could have. But as my tenure as a full-time grad student winds down and I prepare to (re-)enter the real world, I know that in the long run, a surviving TYT would be a shell of what it's been, and simply put, I've invested too much into doing this to be willing to accept that outcome.

To be brutally honest, I'm not sure that all the time in the world would be enough. This past year, it's been a tremendous struggle just to keep my head above water while singlehandedly addressing the heightened news volume that comes with varsity hockey and the expectations I have for myself to produce a steady flow of high-quality content that isn't merely a copy-paste of, or a link to, a "real" reporter's work. As things move forward and ramp up even further from where we sit today, I simply don't believe that it's possible to do what I consider a satisfactory job while sitting four hours away from Hockey Valley in Ohio.

In short, I know I'm making the right choice, although it is one that breaks my heart. My biggest regret today is that I know a lot of people have really appreciated what I've done here, and I feel like I'm letting those people down by stopping. To those who have offered their words of encouragement, either in person or digitally, thank you. You're a huge part of why I was able to plow through some rough patches, and I hope that you're able to forgive me for not carrying the flag any further.



So, now what?

Well, I'm probably going to keep a pretty low profile for a bit, at least through the 2013-14 season. The struggles of the past year have, if it wasn't as obvious on the blog as I think it was, made me quite jaded about a lot of things, and I don't like feeling that way. My hope is that by dialing back my obsessive nature a bit, getting over my competitive streak and my Pavlovian "oh $#&% I have to write a post" reflex whenever news comes up and just enjoying what promises to be a special season the way "normal" people will, I can re-program myself.

Eventually, I'd like to write a book about the history of Penn State hockey in all of its glorious forms, from the beginning to the opening of Pegula Ice Arena. I mean, why not? I've done much of the research, it's a topic I really enjoy and with an editor, my writing may even become passable. The primary issue at this point is that for it to be the best possible product, the athletic department's support would be required and I know I don't have that right now. Time heals all wounds, as they say, so once I feel up to it I'm going to stay under the radar, work at it behind the scenes as time allows, and hope that the climate is different in the future. Maybe someday, I'll sign a copy for you at a game. That's the plan, anyway. Unless paper books have been completely obliterated by the time it comes together.

Should my self-imposed hiatus from "beyond just a fan" stuff be successful, I'd even consider blogging again. If a Penn State or college hockey blog approaches me down the road with an offer to cover the hockey programs in spite of my baggage, I'd at least give it serious thought. I may be delusional, but I believe that a less taxing responsibility, as in sharing the beat with someone else or limiting my scope, while not having to concern myself with back-end problems, would allow a fresh start and be something a bit more sustainable than the present reality of an unpaid full-time job.

Women's Ice Hockey Club captain Carly Szyszko has her eyes on a title in her senior year

If you haven't noticed, I began working with the Women's Ice Hockey Club midway through their inaugural 2012-13 season, and I plan to continue doing that because I'm having a blast. The irony of the situation isn't lost on me - for years, I couldn't wait to ditch the ACHA for the NCAA, but after that happened, I wound up going full circle and helping out an ACHA team. The WIHC gives me the same joy that I got from Hockey Management Association as a Penn State undergrad, a sentiment that later helped produce TYT. Unlike that first go, my involvement with the WIHC doesn't have to end when I graduate, so I'm going to keep chasing that feeling as long as it's there, as long as I'm capable and as long as they want me around.

I hope to see you at one of their games this season. I promise that you'll enjoy it if you like Penn State hockey, because that team is what Penn State and the sport of hockey is all about. Here's their schedule (the next home game is against Michigan State on the 19th, at 8:00 p.m. in the PIA Community Rink).

I'll still be a frequent guest at Penn State hockey games - both men's and women's, NCAA and ACHA - as my schedule allows, and if you recognize me (I'll probably be wearing a number 3 Icers jersey or a number 24 Lady Icers/Women's Ice Hockey Club jersey with my name on it the most of the time), feel free to start a conversation or simply say hi. I may actually have time to talk now.

And hey, if you really like who I am and what I'm all about, or at the very least think you do, I have a personal Twitter account and would love to connect with as many of you as possible. If this is the end, no hard feelings, I get that your interest in Penn State hockey doesn't mean that you have to care whether I'm having sushi for dinner. Fair warning: As should be obvious from what I just said, tweets on that account will be those of a regular guy who happens to be a Penn State hockey fan, because that's what I'm going to be now. It's not going to be @TYTBlog, just with my real name on it.

In closing, I would like to say thank you:
  • to John Dufford, Art Davis, Larry Lightbody, Pop Golden, Herb Baetz, Hugo Bezdek and all who chased the dream of varsity hockey at Penn State but happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  • to visionaries like Roy Scott, Larry Hendry, Joe Battista, Vance McCullough and countless other players, coaches and support staffers who also played a part in founding and then building the seven-time national champion Icers, the best program in the history of both the ACHA specifically and non-varsity hockey generally.

  • to Ellen Bradley, Kathy Beckford and Vinnie Scalamogna, who said "hey, we need a women's team around here too" back in 1996 and jumped all the hurdles to make it happen, and to all who followed them as Lady Icers.

  • to Mary Kate Tonetti, Katie Vaughan, Carly Szyszko, Allie Rothman and Patrick Fung, who went through the same struggle 16 years later and then gave me the opportunity to be a part of something special.

  • to Altoona-turned-Ice Lions manager Bridgette DaSilva, who convinced me to come out for a game between two Commonwealth Campus teams back in January and opened my eyes to a previously undiscovered realm of Penn State hockey, and to Tom and Amy Lantz, whose hospitality made my trips to Toontown a lot of fun.

  • to Hockey Management Association, which served as my introduction to Penn State hockey after I arrived on campus as a freshman unaware that there was a team at PSU, and to the Greenberg Ice Pavilion, which I'll always remember fondly.

  • to all of the players, coaches and parents involved with all of Penn State's hockey teams that I've met and covered in the course of TYT, each of whom, without exception, has earned my unwavering support even independent of our common university. If I've done nothing else here, I hope my efforts have been worthy of the pride you've given me in Penn State every single day.

Thank you to each and every one of you for taking this journey with me.

And of course, thank you Terry.

Best regards,

Kyle Rossi

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Air Force Resumes Intercollegiate Competition

Kenny Brooks and Air Force defenseman Trevor Waldoch will resume their battle next weekend

While they was never as large of a concern to most Penn Staters as the status of Army's visit to break in Pegula Ice Arena's varsity rink on Friday, the Nittany Lions' games next weekend now appear to be safe as well.

PSU is scheduled to head to Colorado Springs, CO on October 18th and 19th to play the Air Force Academy, a return trip for last season's split at the Ice Pavilion. As with Army, the ongoing federal government shutdown had raised doubts as to whether the series would go off, particularly after an exhibition between Air Force and the University of New Brunswick scheduled for Monday was cancelled. However, the Falcons' athletic department announced on Wednesday that future contests will proceed as planned.
The Academy is awaiting written final Department of Defense guidance, however, we have been advised that all Air Force Academy intercollegiate athletics may resume immediately. We owe it to our cadet athletes and opponents to honor our commitments in this regard. Athletics is one of the pillars of character and leadership development at the Air Force Academy. No appropriated funds will be used to fund these programs.
Fantastic news obviously - for Penn State, of course, but more importantly for the cadets who deserve better than to be affected by the political tug-of-war presently taking place in Washington, DC.

Men's Jersey Countdown: #1 P.J. Musico


Junior - Goaltender - 6'1" - 198 pounds - Orange, CA

P.J. Musico, most observers assume, has a tough road ahead of him with highly-esteemed and younger goalies Eamon McAdam and Matt Skoff both in the program. But even a cursory look at Musico's history makes it clear that he shouldn't be written off. As an Icers freshman in 2011-12, he stepped on to a team including returning starter Matt Madrazo and respected recruit Tim Carr - and proceeded to lead PSU in every major goaltending category, including minutes, wins, save percentage and goals against average. Last season, with Skoff in the fold, Musico took control of the crease early on and delivered several signature performances. On October 12th against AIC, his 32 saves helped a 4-3 overtime win that was Penn State's first victory of the NCAA era, and he followed up two weeks later with the Nittany Lions' first NCAA shutout, at Army on October 26th. Most impressively, Musico's 40-save, first-star effort in a 3-2 win over RIT in front of more than 10,000 orange-clad Tigers supporters on October 20th announced PSU as a threat in varsity year one.

Career Statistics (2011-12 with ACHA Icers):
Season GP GS Min. Record GA Saves GAA Sv% SO
2011-12
17
15
954:22
14-1-1
24
319
1.51
0.930
2
2012-13
10
10
559:19
4-6-0
30
268
3.22
0.899
1
ACHA Career
17
15
954:22
14-1-1
24
319
1.51
0.930
2
NCAA Career
10
10
559:19
4-6-0
30
268
3.22
0.899
1

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Nittany Lions to Appear Twice on NBCSN

Penn State and Michigan State will battle on NBC Sports Network January 18, 2014

NBC Sports Network, the channel best known as home base for NHL coverage in the U.S., will pick up college hockey games for a second season in 2013-2014 - helping Penn State add a pair of nationally-televised games in the process.

The first, somewhat surprisingly: the Nittany Lions' trip to Michigan State on Saturday, January 18th, 2014, the back half of a series that will see Friday's game televised by Big Ten Network. The second is a bit more expected, the March 1st, 2014 matchup at Minnesota that accidentally leaked last month when the Big Ten announced the bulk of its TV schedule, including (at the time) ten national appearances for Guy Gadowsky's squad.

Puck drop for the January 18th telecast has been set at 6:30 p.m. ET, while March 1st is still listed as "TBA."

In all, NBCSN will televise five games involving Big Ten teams, with a December 13th contest between Colorado College and Wisconsin leading things off.

Here's PSU's full TV schedule as known right now, in light of today's news:

Date
Time (ET)OpponentTelevision
Fri. Oct. 11
8:00 p.m.
Army
 Big Ten Network
Fri. Oct. 18
9:05 p.m.
at Air Force
 
Sat. Oct. 19
9:05 p.m.
at Air Force
 
Fri. Oct. 25
7:00 p.m.
RIT
 
Sat. Oct. 26
5:00 p.m.
vs. Vermont
(at Philadelphia, PA)
Comcast Network (PA)
Comcast SportsNet (NE) 
Fri. Nov. 1
7:05 p.m.
at Robert Morris 
 
Fri. Nov. 8
7:00 p.m.
Sacred Heart
 
Thu. Nov. 14
7:00 p.m.
UMass-Lowell
 
Fri. Nov. 15
7:00 p.m.
UMass-Lowell
 
Sat. Nov. 30
7:00 p.m.
Union
 
Sun. Dec. 1
7:00 p.m.
Union
 
Fri. Dec. 6
8:00 p.m.
at Wisconsin*
 
Sat. Dec. 7
9:00 p.m.
at Wisconsin*
 
Fri. Dec. 27
7:35 p.m.
vs. Robert Morris
(at Pittsburgh, PA)
 
Sat. Dec. 28
4:35 or
7:35 p.m.
vs. BC/BG
(at Pittsburgh, PA)
 
Sun. Jan. 12
7:00 p.m.
Minnesota*
 
Mon. Jan. 13
TBD
Minnesota*
Big Ten Network 
Fri. Jan. 17
6:30 p.m.
at Michigan State*
Big Ten Network 
Sat. Jan. 18
6:30 p.m.
at Michigan State*
 NBC Sports Network
Sat. Jan. 25
7:00 p.m.
Boston College
 
Fri. Jan. 31
7:05 p.m.
at Ohio State*
 
Sat. Feb. 1
2:00 p.m.
at Ohio State*
ESPNews 
Fri. Feb. 7
7:00 p.m.
Michigan*
 
Sat. Feb. 8
5:00 p.m.
Michigan*
ESPNU 
Fri. Feb. 14
6:30 p.m.
Michigan State*
Big Ten Network 
Sat. Feb. 15
3:30 p.m.
Michigan State*
ESPNews 
Fri. Feb. 21
6:30 p.m.
at Michigan*
Big Ten Network 
Sat. Feb. 22
7:00 p.m.
at Michigan*
 FSN Detroit +
Fri. Feb. 28
9:00 p.m.
at Minnesota*
Big Ten Network 
Sat. Mar. 1
TBD
at Minnesota*
NBC Sports Network 
Fri. Mar. 7
7:00 p.m.
Wisconsin*
 
Sat. Mar. 8
7:00 p.m.
Wisconsin*
 
Fri. Mar. 14
7:00 p.m.
Ohio State*
 
Sat. Mar. 15
3:00 p.m.
Ohio State*
 
Thu. Mar. 20
3:00 or
8:00 p.m.
Big Ten Quarterfinals
(St. Paul, MN)
 Big Ten Network
Fri. Mar. 21
3:00 or
8:00 p.m.
Big Ten Semifinals
(St. Paul, MN)
 Big Ten Network
Sat. Mar. 22
8:00 p.m.
Big Ten Championship
(St. Paul, MN)
 Big Ten Network

Men's Jersey Countdown: #2 Connor Varley


Sophomore - Defenseman - 5'11" - 195 pounds - Lansdale, PA

Underappreciated Connor Varley, in many ways, was the glue that held Penn State's often-shorthanded defensive corps together last season. He was the only Nittany Lion blueliner to appear in all 27 NCAA games - and one of just four players on the team as a whole - with his 12 points in those games leading the unit. Varley's offensive capabilities were already known prior to his beginning at PSU thanks to his exploits with the USHL's Des Moines Buccaneers and the BCHL's Alberni Valley Bulldogs, but he surprised with his defensive strength, particularly as 2012-13 proceeded. His 27 shot blocks were a team high, and despite his unimposing size, Varley developed into someone who won far more puck battles than he lost by the end of the year. The righty was a big-game player as well, with five of his 12 points coming against Air Force (one goal and one assist on November 10th), Ohio State, Vermont and Michigan State (one assist each).

Career Statistics:
Season GP G A Pts. PIM PP SH GW GT
2012-13
27
4
8
12
43
0
1
1
0
NCAA Career
27
4
8
12
43
0
1
1
0

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Army to March In Friday (Updated)

Kenny Brooks and Army's Thane Heller will once again cross sticks on Friday

After a wild eight days, we're right back where we started from: Army will open the varsity rink at Pegula Ice Arena against the Nittany Lion men on Friday in spite of the ongoing federal government shutdown.

College Hockey News, citing two sources, reported on Tuesday that the stuck-in-limbo game had finally received the green light from West Point. Army followed up CHN's initial report on Wednesday with official confirmation.

This mess of what, fortunately, appears to be a non-story first entered the spotlight a week ago when, citing a Department of Defense directive resulting from the shutdown that began October 1st, the Naval Academy announced the cancellation of sporting events.

From there, chaos followed. Army immediately wiped out a couple of soccer contests, then seemed to reverse course last Thursday by announcing that athletic contests would go on as planned. One day later, College Hockey News' Mike McMahon reported that the declaration of victory was premature, as clearance was only given for games last week, with anything after that receiving review later. Penn State, McMahon later reported, began working on Plan B opponents in case Army couldn't show, with Canisius considered a prime target due to the program's shared connection with Terry Pegula.

Regardless, all's well that ends well, as they say, and this one looks to be on its way.

Next weekend, Penn State is scheduled to travel to Colorado Springs, CO to take on the Air Force Academy. Those games continue to be on the schedule, although whether they'll remain there is still a bit murky. There was a bit of good news on that front as well on Wednesday, as the Falcons confirmed that they will travel to Alaska to participate in a tournament this weekend, thanks to Alaska-Anchorage helping with travel costs.

Penn State-Saint Joseph's Photo Gallery

All photos by and courtesy of Steve Hass. Click on any one for an enlarged gallery view.

Freshman forward Michael McGuire

Junior forward Franky Reluzco

Sophomore forward Taylor Vincent

Senior forward Austin Wagoner

Freshman forward Danny Moscone

Club Sandwich: October 8th

Taylor Vincent had a three-point evening in a blowout of Saint Joseph's on Friday

ACHA D2 Ice Lions


Following up their pair of blowout wins over ACHA Division 1 Indiana (PA) to open the season, the Ice Lions did something even worse to Saint Joseph's to open their Mid-Atlantic College Hockey schedule with a win at Pegula Ice Arena Friday night.

Ryan Urban got things started just 40 seconds from the opening faceoff, and the goals came even faster after that - by the 1:45 mark of the first period, it was 3-0 PSU thanks to Taylor Vincent and Abe Edson. Edson would complete a hat trick with goals in each of the final two periods while adding an assist to Peter Daley's 6-0 goal midway through the second, while Urban added a second goal and an assist on Spencer Svoboda's third-period power play snipe. Svoboda, in addition to that marker, added a couple of helpers during the stat-padding affair.


Chris Dinsmore's slapper from the dot boosted the Ice Lions to a 4-3 overtime win over MACH rival Temple the next day in Penn State's toughest test of the season to date. With the victory, PSU climbed to 4-0-0 overall and 2-0-0 in the MACH North Division.

Tim Acker gave the Ice Lions a 1-0 lead midway though the first period, but he was answered just 32 seconds later on a breakaway by the Owls' Steven Luongo. Temple went ahead in the second when Joseph Pisko slammed home Stephen Kennedy's rebound, but a holding call to TU moments later helped Urban re-knot the contest off of Acker's setup. Late in the second period, during a 4-on-4 stretch, Acker collected his third point and second goal to put Penn State back ahead into the third period. Once more though, the trailing team had a reply thanks to the Owls' Phil Vassilev with 6:23 remaining in regulation.

Grad student Ryan Fullerton, who previously played at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI, turned in a sound effort between the pipes.

Next up, the Ice Lions will head to the ACHA Showcase in Kalamazoo, MI this weekend to take on power programs SIU-Edwardsville, Michigan State (the defending national champs) and Grand Valley State.

Tyler Lantz (19) and Larry Barretta (17) helped Berks to a weekend sweep

Around the Commonwealth

Note: Apologies for the fact that I've neglected the team at Penn State Harrisburg in these updates - despite my best efforts, I simply can't locate anything out there about them. If you have any information, or at least know where I can find it, let me know in the comments and I'll add them in.

ACHA D1 Berks (4-2-1, 1-0-0 ECHA)

October 4th: W 10-3 vs. Cortland State
October 5th: W 5-1 at Lehigh

The Blue Lions bounced back from a tough two losses in three (one coming in overtime) weekend to blow past both Cortland State and Lehigh. In the win over the Red Dragons, a tight 2-2 game early in the second period was blown open by consecutive goals from Chris Cashin, Tyler Lantz and Tommy Demusis - then followed by five more from Berks in the third period after Cortland had trimmed the score to 5-3 late in the second. Larry Barretta, who already has nine goals and 15 points this season, scored twice to help seal the follow-up in Bethlehem the next day.

ACHA D3 Altoona (3-1-0, 0-1-0 CHE)

October 5th: W 7-3 at George Mason
October 6th: W 6-2 at George Mason
October 7th: L at California (PA)

Following their riveting season-opening win over IUP at Galactic Ice, Toontown headed down to Virginia for a series with George Mason. In the opener, Jeff Nelson clicked for two goals and an assist, while Ben Kinch added a pair of helpers in addition to his own tally. Nick DeLaurentis had a pair of goals as well, with Adam Badorrek and Conlan Sodrosky scoring the others. Freshman goaltender John Travis got the win in his first career start. The rematch featured many of the usual suspects starring offensively: Kinch scored twice and Nelson and Sodrosky each got one, as did Steven Fedena and Luk Devorski.

Details concerning Altoona's Monday night loss at Cal weren't immediately available.

ACHA D3 Behrend (3-1-0, 1-0-0 CHE)

October 4th: W 7-5 at Washington & Jefferson (D1)
October 5th: W 8-0 at Washington & Jefferson (D1)

While few would confuse W&J with Oklahoma among D1 programs, Behrend was still very impressive in securing a pair of road wins against a team two divisions up. On Friday, PSUB took a game tied at three after 40 minutes and outgunned the Presidents in the third period to win 7-5. The next day, Sam Stroud's shutout was supported by a Justin Leonard hat trick as well as two goals from Jared Bagnato.

ACHA D3 Brandywine (4-0-0, 1-0-0 DVCHC)

October 4th: W 7-3 vs. Alvernia
October 5th: W 7-3 at Rowan

Perennial ACHA regional tournament participant Brandywine is off to another great start thanks, most recently, to a pair of 7-3 wins over the weekend. The first, against Alvernia, was the team's DVCHC opener and powered by four goals from senior and Archbishop Wood graduate Drew Haber as well as a goal and three assists from Billy Gregg.

Men's Jersey Countdown: #3 Patrick Koudys


Redshirt Junior - Defenseman - 6'3" - 210 pounds - Smithville, ON

Patrick Koudys has been somewhere no Nittany Lions player - not even former Minnesota Golden Gopher Max Gardiner - has been: the NCAA Tournament. He did so on a 20-13-5 RPI team in 2010-11, and although it was a quick trip (the Engineers were blanked by North Dakota in the regional semifinal round), Koudys' experiences as a key member of a good team should prove valuable to what is still a young PSU squad. The 2009-10 teammate of Luke Juha with the CCHL's Burlington Cougars parlayed his freshman success into being picked by the Washington Capitals in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, but he elected to transfer after seeing his playing time cut as a sophomore. Koudys spent his sit-out year with the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks and put up a goal and 14 assists in 64 games. More importantly, he was a vital part of the league's second-stingiest defense, as the Jacks only allowed 2.73 goals per game en route to a playoff bid after finishing dead last in the Eastern Conference during the season before Koudys' arrival.

Career Statistics (with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute):
Season GP G A Pts. PIM PP SH GW GT
2010-11
31
1
2
3
14
0
0
0
0
2011-12
27
1
1
2
22
1
0
0
0
NCAA Career
58
2
3
5
36
1
0
0
0

Monday, October 7, 2013

Hoenshell, Seward Receive CHA Honors

Hannah Hoenshell capped off a fantastic series with a CHA Player of the Week award

A historic weekend for the Nittany Lion women was capped off appropriately as, for the first time ever, Penn State received two of College Hockey America's weekly awards at the same time. Sophomore forward Hannah Hoenshell was named the CHA Player of the Week Monday afternoon, while freshman defender Kelly Seward took Rookie of the Week honors.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the news? Penn State had a legitimate claim to even more, as freshman Laura Bowman scored twice in Saturday's win over Vermont, while Celine Whitlinger stopped 37 of 39 shots in that contest. Additionally, unlike with the previous week's watered-down awards, all six conference teams were in action over this past weekend.

Hoenshell and Seward are both highly-deserving recipients, as Hoenshell played arguably the best game of her career on Saturday, dancing through the Catamount defense all afternoon long to set up both of Bowman's goals and score the winner herself on a spectacular play immediately after Vermont had scored to tie things at two. Seward was an epiphany on the blueline, as she gained plenty of attention for her pair of big goals in the two matches but was perhaps even more impressive defensively in locking down UVM's often-potent forwards.

Coincidentally, last year's opening split in Burlington also brought CHA honors - in that case a rookie of the week nod to Micayla Catanzariti, who scored twice and added an assist in the historic 5-3 win over Vermont on October 6th, 2012. Later on, both Whitlinger (December 10th, 2012) and Hoenshell (January 7th) joined her as rookies of the week. Shannon Yoxheimer was the most decorated Nittany Lion a year ago, as she was offensive player of the week on October 22nd, 2012, rookie of the month for November 2012 and was named to the league's all-rookie team at the conclusion of the campaign.

Here are the CHA blurbs on the two newest award winners:

Hannah Hoenshell
(Soph; Fwd; Plano, Texas)

Hoenshell propelled Penn State to an undefeated weekend at Vermont, supplying three points and a game-high plus-four rating in Saturday’s 4-2 win. Hoenshell was involved in three of Penn State’s four goals on Saturday, tallying a goal and two assists. Hoenshell assisted Laura Bowman’s first collegiate goal to give Penn State a brief 2-1 lead. Following Vermont’s tying goal at 2-2, Hoenshell took the ensuing faceoff the length of the ice, darted around a couple defenders and put PSU ahead 3-2 for her second career game-winning goal. Hoenshell again wove through the defense, through the slot and to the right wing, tossing a perfect pass to Bowman who added an insurance goal. Hoenshell played in Friday’s 3-3 overtime tie at Vermont as well, taking one shot.

Kelly Seward
(D; Williamsville, N.Y.)

Seward was fantastic on both sides of the ice this weekend as Penn State went 1-0-1. Seward tallied two goals, which ties for the team high through two games. Seward posted a plus-two rating and seven blocked shots for the weekend. Seward scored the first goal of the season, a power-play tally, in Friday night’s 3-3 overtime tie. Seward fired two shots and posted a plus-one rating in the tie, while blocking four shots. On Saturday, Seward again scored Penn State’s first goal of the day, this time on a long bomb from the point that tied the score at one mid-way through the first period. Seward posted a plus-one rating and blocked three shots for Penn State.

PSU Seeking Fill-In For PIA Opener (Updated)

With the continued government shutdown leaving it unclear whether Army will be able to travel to Penn State on Friday to play in the first NCAA game at Pegula Ice Arena, College Hockey News' Mike McMahon is reporting that the PSU brass is sick of sitting and waiting (1, 2).


Yeeeeeah...probably a good idea at this point. The major sticking point, however, is that every Atlantic Hockey team has filled its NCAA-allowed maximum of 34 games this season. That leaves two fronts for attack:
  1. Reschedule one of PSU's already-booked AHA games so as not to require another slot. Beyond Army, the Nittany Lions have home contests with Sacred Heart and RIT on tap for this year. Sacred Heart, however, is already set to play at UMass Lowell on Friday. RIT is available on Friday, but has home games on Thursday (Colgate) and Saturday (Michigan). Theoretically, if Penn State were willing to play the game on Sunday, the Pioneers would become available, as they're at home in Fairfield, CT against RPI on Saturday. One of those teams would have to play a rather painful three-game weekend, but it's certainly in the realm of possibility.
  2. Pay some other team to drop one of their non-conference games to open up a scheduling slot for the opener. PSU hockey insider Mark Horgas claims that Connecticut, which swept the Nittany Lions last year in Storrs, CT, is a likely play in this category due to "key contacts" in the Huskies athletic department and UConn's present movement to grow their program. Connecticut doesn't open up until the 18th, and has road games with Minnesota State (October 18th and 19th), Boston University (November 17th) and Providence (February 11th) that could be likely candidates for "adjustment." It should be noted, of course, that UConn is just one of many options - AIC (last year's opening opponent), Canisius (Terry Pegula's other pet team), Holy Cross and Niagara are also available on Friday.
As always, stay tuned. Hopefully that's a light at the end of the tunnel we're seeing - either way, this news certainly beats monitoring Congress and Department of Defense bureaucrats.

UPDATE 10/8 7:45 A.M.: According to Buffalo Business First, Canisius has lined up as a possible replacement, thanks largely to their shared ties with Terry Pegula. Pegula, of course, is financing the presently under-construction HARBORcenter ice rink project in Buffalo, and the Golden Griffins will relocate there upon its completion next year.
“There has been some preliminary discussions,” confirmed Jason Venisky, Canisius associate director of athletics communications. “We will have to make a final decision by Wednesday.”
One interesting aspect to the story is that Canisius has applied to the NCAA for a special waiver that would allow them to add a game to their schedule without dropping one - a move that would put them over the NCAA game limit of 34. Could the NCAA wind up doing Penn State a bit of a favor to help the school pull off its varsity ice arena opener? That in and of itself would be quite a story.

The Golden Griffins, who went 19-19-5 a year ago and qualified for the 2013 NCAA Tournament by winning the Atlantic Hockey tournament title, are available on Friday but have to head back to the Buffalo area on Saturday for a game at Niagara.

Three Stars: September 30-October 6

Even PSU's Cooperall phase deserves to be remembered

3. Men's Hockey Media Day - Sights and Sounds
(GoPSUSports.com)

Much like with the women last week, I figured I could link 38 stories using the quotes given at last week's media day, or I could just give you the raw material.

PS. Is it just me, or is "sights and sounds" a really, really stupid label for something about a media day? Sights: People sitting behind a table and a microphone. Sounds: People talking. It's not a carnival.

2. Good Life: Q&A with Guy Gadowsky
(Centre Daily Times)

I've had sort of a mancrush on Guy Gadowsky ever since he revealed his music tastes to Pennsylvania Puck a while back, but I don't think I truly "got" him until recently. This interview, while good, doesn't break a ton of new ground - although this caught my attention:
We’re still very young and, obviously, competing against the programs in the Big Ten that we are, we’re not looking at expectations in terms of wins and losses. We certainly have very high expectations to continue to build on that foundation and areas that we can control.
Raise your hand if, the first time you heard him say something about laying and/or building on a foundation, you expected him to still be saying it heading into his third season at PSU. I didn't. But now, I don't really expect him to ever stop, which is something I can certainly appreciate. You could probably rephrase it as "take care of the little things and the big things (the wins and losses) take care of themselves," a line often attributed to one former Penn State coach.

1. How Penn State hockey got here
(Big Ten Network)

Finally. Someone who gets it with respect to PSU hockey history. His name is Jeremy Woo, and you can thank him by giving him a click and read.

For what it's worth, I did my part by a) linking it and b) arranging for this tribute.

Best of the Rest

Freshman goalie Eamon McAdam, during his first appearance in a full PSU uniform

A closer look at the players between the pipes for Penn State ice hockey in 2013-14
(Stack the Pads)

PennLive goalie expert Derek Meluzio gives his take on the men's crease situation, sure to be a major topic of discussion as the season gets underway.

Fans Flock To Pegula Ice Arena For Midnight Practice
(StateCollege.com)

A nice wrap up on the men's midnight practice Friday night/Saturday morning from Ben Jones, including a photo gallery.

Captain Practice A Unique Wrinkle As Season Approaches
(StateCollege.com)

Jones earned the rare double with a nice feature on how the team deals with the fact that the NCAA doesn't allow full practices until one week before most teams begin the regular season.

In move that alters landscape of college hockey, Pegula proud to unveil new era at Penn State
(Associated Press)

This one made it in more because it's an AP story that received heavy distribution than due to anything particularly fabulous about it, but I did like this quote near the end from Joe Battista:
“Someday, wouldn’t it be great to turn on the television and see Penn State play Alabama in ice hockey?”
Not if Nick Saban is allowed anywhere near that program.

PSU All-Sports Museum's Hockey Exhibit to Open Oct. 11
(GoPSUSports.com)

In last week's Three Stars, I shared a photo gallery of the new hockey exhibit at the All-Sports Museum. I thought it was open then, but apparently, it opens Friday.

Big Ten Network Makes Investment in College Hockey
(New York Times)

This one ought to get people talking:
If college hockey takes off on television, Minnesota Coach Don Lucia said he hoped two more Big Ten institutions might add the sport.

The Big Ten associate commissioner Jennifer Heppel, who oversees hockey, said she would not rule out adding associate members for hockey alone, as the conference did for Johns Hopkins in lacrosse, though not soon.

“It’s hard to predict the college landscape right now, especially Division I,” she said.
Nebraska-Omaha or UNO or Omaha or whatever they're calling themselves these days has always been tossed out as a possible Big Ten affiliate member, due to being part of the University of Nebraska system that also includes Big Ten member Nebraska-Lincoln. I suppose the same logic puts Minnesota-Duluth out there as well.

Freshman David Thompson is expected to play a big role on the Penn State blueline

Blueline depth bodes well for Penn State
(The Daily Collegian)

The Collegian is over halfway through a comprehensive and well-conceived ten-article season preview for the NCAA men. The first entry is linked above, and here are the others out so far:

B1G and Pegula will help lure recruits
Offense looks to improve with depth and experience
Potential NHL talent factor in to this season and future
Student Section looks to terrorize opposition
Penn State's nine most formidable foes
Penn State eyes underdog role with tough schedule

With the season already underway for many teams and about to be there for the rest, similar efforts are all the rage. Here are a few more...

Penn State Men’s Hockey Season Preview
(PSU ComMedia)

It really is pretty refreshing to see people finally treating the Nittany Lions like an actual hockey team and not just a... oh wow, Pegula Ice Arena is amazing, you guys. The Collegian's on board with that, as is ComRadio's Ross Insana, who checked in with his version of a men's preview.

Insana also wrote a column regarding PSU's size and physicality. We sure do have some big hombres on the squad, especially up front.

2013-2014 Big Ten Preview: Individual Awards
(Western College Hockey Blog)

WCHB - which still hasn't been re-named, despite its now-national scope - took a fairly predictable approach with respect to their guesses at Big Ten awards by largely ignoring PSU other than tossing the two recent NHL draft picks on the all-rookie team.

Penn State Season Preview
(USCHO)

Flipping over to the women, USCHO hit the Nittany Lions in their team-by-team previews and highlighted the fact that Penn State didn't really get run out of the rink by anyone in NCAA year one.
“The fact that we were there in those games, with so many close contests last year, to me was a very pay-it-forward type thing,” [Josh] Brandwene said. “We’re looking to get better defensively, we’re looking to get better offensively. We want to improve every day and build upon the opportunity we had last year to be competitive and then take it to the next level.”
Penn State Women’s Hockey: Season Preview
(Victory Bell Rings)

VBR's Mary Clarke (who did a phenomenal job tweeting the women's games over the weekend, make sure you're following her), had this to say:
Last year, Penn State surprised some people with their resilience and overall team tenacity. This year, look for the team to improve overall, with a few new additions to the forward core, a new face on the blue line, and a strong goaltending team in net. Keeping the opponent’s shots on goal to a minimum and increasing their own shots towards the net, in my opinion, will be a key to their success this season.
Also, she called me lovely, which made me feel pretty good about myself.

Blue Liner Notes: ACHA Teams Get Underway
(Black Shoe Diaries)

IcersGuy began his weekly rundown of UPark's four teams for the season with a look back at the opening series for the Women's Ice Hockey Club and the Ice Lions.

Robert Morris extends Colontino through 2016-17
(USCHO)

In an abbreviated "opponent news" section, RMU women's coach Paul Colontino received a two-year contract extension. Colontino is just beginning his third season and, in 2012, led the Colonials to the CHA playoff title.

Lofty goals for Robert Morris hockey this season
(Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Over on the men's side, Derek Schooley's gang will come into the season motivated by their NCAA Tournament at-large bid near-miss last season. RMU was left out of the show despite wins over Quinnipiac (the eventual tournament runners-up who spent most of the season ranked number one) and in the Three Rivers Classic title game over perennial power Miami.

Welcome, Josh Healey!
(Deadly Nuts)

Deadly Nuts recently completed a series profiling Ohio State's freshman, and it's pretty fantastic. Possibly because other people care about annoying things like "copyright infringement" (sounds like a made up thing to me), both this post and the entire blog are illustrated with MS Paint cartoons. And I've said it before, but the writing is sort of what I was/wanted to be before I lost my edge sometime in 2011 and started writing dry recaps of other people's work once a week.

I picked Healey to link because he's from that PSU recruiting hotbed of Edmonton, AB and because he played with Dylan Richard for Canada West at last year's World Junior A Challenge.

Robert Pelletier vs Conor Garland Sep 22, 2013
(YouTube)

Once in a while, something reminds me that I never deleted my "Conor Garland" Google alert. Finally, this time around, I succumbed to my morbid curiosity. So I went to look up something about him that I could use here and found... a fight video. Didn't expect that. If you're hoping to see the diminutive Garland take a Boogaard vs. Fedoruk-level beatdown (admittedly, I was) you'll be disappointed, but he eats a high enough number of quality blows for me to keep it in.

Anyway, in a partial 2012-2013 season for the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats (26 games), Garland had six goals and 17 points for a club that went 42-23-3 but was bounced in the first round of the playoffs. So far this year, Moncton is 4-6-0 with Garland's 11 points placing him third on the team in scoring. He's eligible for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, but at 5'7", 170 pounds opinions on where he'll go are mixed, even with his ridiculous skill level.

Sophomore Jordin Pardoski and her teammates were wound up after beating Vermont

@JordinPardoski
(Twitter)

Jordin Pardoski, reporting from the bus on the way back from the tie-win weekend in Vermont:
This maaaaaay or maaaay not be the first bus ride where NO ONE is sleeping #WoundUp