Penn State Hockey Makes a Strong Return to Beaver Stadium

The hottest team in NCAA men’s hockey has returned from Wisconsin with a strong win streak and is now preparing to host one of the most unique events in the sport. Penn State, coming off a weekend sweep against the fifth-ranked Badgers, will play its first game at Beaver Stadium this Saturday, facing Michigan State on a winter weekend in State College.

No. 8 Penn State (18-6-0) took two games on the road from Wisconsin, extending its winning streak to seven games. On Friday, Gavin McKenna and Dane Dowiak each scored hat tricks in the Nittany Lions’ 7-2 victory. A night later, the Nittany Lions scored three unanswered goals in the third period and got a 40-save game from goalkeeper Kevin Reidler in a 3-1 victory.

The sweep marked Penn State’s first win over a top-5 team and its fourth of the season, tying a program record for conference sweeps. The Nittany Lions also have won seven straight Big Ten games, which is the longest streak in school history, moving them into a first-place tie with Michigan.

This performance is exactly what fans expected when coach Guy Gadowsky unveiled the team in October. It sets up an exciting matchup this weekend in State College as Penn State hosts No. 2 Michigan State for a pair of games. The second game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Beaver Stadium. This is part of a weekend hockey doubleheader at the Penn State football stadium, as the fourth-ranked Penn State women’s team will host Robert Morris on Friday. Both games are scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

Penn State’s men’s team was the preseason NCAA favorite after reaching its first Frozen Four and signing Gavin McKenna, the most high-profile new player in college hockey. McKenna has been a key playmaker, leading the Nittany Lions in assists, and is part of a unique freshman class that is coming of age.

McKenna, the Big Ten Third Star of the Week, has points in eight of his last nine games and has 29 points in 22 games. He ranks third in the Big Ten with 19 assists. Meanwhile, defenseman Jackson Smith scored goals in an eight-game stretch, and Luke Misa entered the weekend with an eight-point run since the break.

Against Wisconsin on Saturday, JJ Weibusch and Reese Laubach gave the Nittany Lions a third-period lead, which McKenna extended with an empty-net goal. Reidler played a sensational game, saving 40 of 41 shots to improve to 9-3 on the season. Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, now with the Green Bay Packers, loved every minute.

As it did last year, Penn State is putting together a January run building toward the postseason. Last year, though, the Nittany Lions needed the rally to make the postseason. This team is building a resume to extend its postseason lifespan.

Gadowsky left the Frozen Four last year expecting the appearance to be a launchpad instead of a moment in time. Penn State spent significant resources in putting together this team, which needed a moment to gel, especially in the Big Ten.

After sweeping Ohio State, the Nittany Lions lost three straight conference games, two to Michigan State. Since then, the Nittany Lions are 9-2 in Big Ten play. This weekend’s Michigan State series represents more than a marketing opportunity for the program. Penn State will stress test its roster with back-to-back series against the Spartans and Michigan, to which they lost three of four in November.

What happens next for Penn State? Stay on top of all the Nittany Lions news by subscribing to the Penn State on SI Daily Digest. The newsletter is your free daily window into Penn State sports.