B1G Weekend: Excitement building in Hockey Valley as Lions welcome Irish for conference opener
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – If you look at everything except the scoreboard, you would think that Penn State would have dominated their two most recent nonconference opponents in their series openers. In reality, the Nittany Lions gritted out a 3-2 win over AIC and a 2-1 win over Alaska Anchorage in the series openers with both teams. The next night, in both cases, Penn State gave up six goals and lost.
That’s one of the mysteries that Lions coach Guy Gadowsky is looking to solve as Notre Dame (4-3-0) comes to visit Hockey Valley for a Saturday-Sunday series and the conference openers for both teams.
“Hockey’s unique, with goaltenders and bouncing bucks like that. That’s a great equalizer,” Gadowsky said this week of the vast differences between games versus both AIC and Alaska Anchorage. “It doesn’t always mean that the game on the scoreboard goes the way the quality of the play dictates. But I don’t have an answer. That it’s interesting. We wondered the same thing. I don’t know … If it continues then we’ll have to figure it out.”
While the Lions are blessed with experienced goaltending in Liam Souliere, Gadowsky has worked Noah Grannan into the mix and the sophomore has gone 1-1-0 in his appearances with a .941 saves percentage. Although Penn State (5-2-0) is aware that when facing Notre Dame — coming off a home sweep of Mercyhurst — dealing with Irish goalie Ryan Bischel is always part of the issue.
“We don’t look at individual goaltenders and change the way we play. We play the way we play and we don’t change depending on goaltenders. There are certain things that you do tactically against different teams’ systems, but we haven’t yet really changed towards a goaltender,” Gadowsky said, tipping his cap to Bischel, who was named the Big Ten goalie of the year last season. “He’s excellent. You’ve got to give him all the credit in the world. He has accolades to prove it. I don’t think it’s a matter of doing something different against him. It’s a matter of doing what we do really well and really consistently and if you don’t, you’re not going to have a chance.”
ADVERTISEMENT
When offense-first Penn State meets defensive-minded Notre Dame, it is generally a clash of styles. But Gadowsky said the bottom line will be intensity no matter who the opponent may be.
“When Penn State gets together, I don’t care what it is, whether it’s hockey or tiddlywinks, it’s an aggressive, intense game,” said the coach. “That’s the way it is in the Big Ten, which makes it great, obviously. And it’s great for excitement. It’s great for development. It’s great for preparation. But it’s also a grind.”
Buckeyes back home to face Sparty
After a four-game road swing, Ohio State will play its first conference home games of the season when the Buckeyes (3-1-3) host Michigan State (5-3-0) on Friday and Saturday. Ohio State got a shootout win and a shutout at Omaha last weekend which earned first star of the week honors for goalie Logan Terness. These two teams split a season ago, with each team winning twice on home ice.
Friday’s game marks the beginning of Michigan State hockey’s month-long “Spartan Hockey Strong” campaign that will put a spotlight on cancer awareness and honor those who have been affected by the disease. The players and coaches will wear “Spartans Full Strength” pins and helmet stickers throughout the month of November.
“This is an incredibly important initiative for our extended hockey family. Like any family, we have been deeply impacted by cancer,” said Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale, in a statement released by the school. “This is our way to honor the people who we care about deeply. We want to engage with our community to honor those who have been impacted — not just those individuals battling cancer, but their families, loved ones, and caretakers.”
‘Who’s for real?’ weekend on tap in Madison
Is Wisconsin’s 7-1-0 start under new head coach Mike Hastings a fluke? Is Michigan really an all-offense juggernaut again, after scoring 19 goals last weekend versus Lindenwood? Those are two of the questions for which we expect to find answers when the Badgers host the Wolverines (5-2-1) for a Friday-Saturday series at the Kohl Center. After literally years of searching the Badgers seem to have found a goalie in Kyle McClellan, the transfer from Mercyhurst who backstopped last weekend’s sweep at Minnesota and has the Badgers in the top three nationally in goals allowed.
ADVERTISEMENT
For Michigan, the sophomores who came back for another season in maize and blue are quickly showing that they can still have fun even without scoring sensation Adam Fantilli. Case in point: Rutger McGroarty, who was named the national co-player of the month with 15 points in his first eight games.
There have been plenty of seats available at Wisconsin home games in recent years. If trends continue, it looks like time for the Badger faithful to get excited again.—
Excitement in Hockey Valley as Penn State Lions Face Notre Dame Irish
