Penn State Is Buzzing for the Nittany Lions' Hockey Home-Opener

“[Last year] was a great learning experience for everybody that's returning, and also everybody in the program,” Gadowsky said on Monday. “It's something you don't forget. You can read about being positive and what it takes, and then once you go through it, it sticks with you. There is more of a confidence that we don't have to go through that this year. [We’re]  going to have ups and downs every single season. But now, the guys have a lot of confidence to come out earlier than going 0-9 and then figuring it out.”

Forwards Matt DiMarsico and Nic Chin-DeGraves expect more intensity from the crowd with the heightened expectations. Starting netminder Kevin Reidler, who transferred from Omaha in April, said he’s heard the Pegula atmosphere is a “crazy environment to be in” and that he’s been looking forward to it ever since he committed.

“There’s nothing really comparable [to Pegula Ice Arena’s atmosphere],” Chin-DeGraves said. “With the spotlight on us this year, I think it’s going to be even crazier. I told [the freshmen, who are all Canadians], ‘It’s nothing like you have back home and you just have to be ready for it.’”

“I see [the anticipation] a bit on social media, and then people come up to you and say how excited they are. But, I think at the end of last year it was similar,” Chin-DeGraves said.

Penn State earns convincing season-opening sweep

Penn State validated that anticipation with two convincing wins against the Sun Devils. Penn State managed third-period comebacks in both games, and McKenna scored his first Penn State goal in Game 2, which also was the game-winner on the power play. 

McKenna totaled three points in his first weekend with Penn State, including an assist talked about nationally. He faked a shot and fed forward Aiden Fink for a wide-open net on the first Penn State goal of the season. That was just one of many crisp plays by the most sought-after recruit in college hockey history.

“You can't teach that. It's just fun to watch it. I think I've heard comments on [McKenna’s power-play assist to Charlie Cerrato] more than any other, because if you played the game, you realize how insane that is,” Gadkowsky said. “He really does manipulate time and space differently than anybody I've ever seen. That's a great example of when he has no time and space, how he creates something out of nothing. And then there's times where he has a ton of time and space, and he will just make a one-touch pass through a tiny little opening.”

With eight newcomers immediately earning pivotal playing time, Penn State wasn’t sure how quickly those players would mesh or how they would deal with the national attention. Nearly 60 scouts attended the games in Tempe.  

However, it didn’t seem to matter. DiMarsico said the team is meshing well, specifically in the locker room. Gadowsky added that the team is handling the spotlight well.

“[How they’d start the season] was something that we actually wondered about. We haven't really dealt with that type of attention before,” Gadowsky said. “I will tell you, possibly the best leader in that regard, was Gavin himself. He's used to that type of attention and buzz, pretty much for a number of years now, and he handled it so calmly. It was a good example for the rest of us. And I thought it was less of a factor after seeing him, how he deals with it, and how the team came along after it.”

Defenseman Jackson Smith, the Nittany Lions only first-round pick in program history, did not play at Arizona State due to an illness. Gadowsky expressed hope the freshman will play against Clarkson.

Puck drop for Game 1 of the series is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET Thursday. , while Game 2 starts at 7 p.m. ET Friday.