Penn State men’s hockey enters tough stretch by taking on Michigan on the road
Every important trip starts somewhere and for the sixth-ranked Penn State men’s hockey team that’s Ann Arbor, Mich., this weekend.
A two-game series against seventh-ranked Michigan open a tough stretch, including a visit next week to No. 8 Ohio State in Columbus.
After thriving on home ice with a 12-4-1 record this season, the upcoming road challenges are real — and really important — for the Nittany Lions.
First things first: Michigan. The Wolverines have dominated the series (12-3) on their home ice. Penn State’s last victory at Yost Ice Arena was a 3-1 decision on Dec. 7, 2019. Thanks to the COVID-shortened season, the teams have only played twice at Michigan in the past three-plus years.
Many would argue that Michigan, based on NHL draft picks alone, has a the more talented roster, but Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky’s perspective always focuses on a team approach and his team has been steady this season — especially so when avoiding mental mistakes.
Michigan averages a league-high 6.13 penalties and 16:20 penalty minutes per game. For Penn State those averages are among the best in the conference — 3.23 and 7:50, respectfully.
The team was not that disciplined last weekend against Notre Dame, though.
“If you have penalties going to the net, trying to score, I have no problem with that,” Gadowsky said. Penn State needs to avoid such mistakes to be successful against Michigan.
Plus, Gadowsky invariably remains more focused on how his team plays than on the outcome. He knows they’re playing for more than just one weekend of success, and that every season has ups and downs.
“In this league, you can play extremely well and lose. You can’t just look at the scoreboard to determine and evaluate your performance,” Gadowsky said. “It does feel good to come away with a win — it always does.”
Penn State’s penalty kill unit ranks next to last in the conference (.786, allowing 15 goals on 70 attempts). In addition, its power play has been relatively unproductive as well, netting just 15 on 93 opportunities (.161).
No. 6 Penn State (18-7-1, 8-7-1 Big Ten) at No. 7 Michigan (14-9-1, 6-8-0)
Series: 7 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. Saturday
Radio/TV: GoPSUsports.com and B1G+ (both days), B1G Network (Saturday)
Notable: Michigan leads the series 23-15-1, including a 12-3 advantage on its home ice. … The teams split a series in early November at Penn State. … Penn State sits third in the PairWise Rankings that determine the field for the NCAA Tournament. Michigan is tied for seventh with Ohio State. … Penn State is 14-4-1 when scoring first this season.
