Oct. 25, 2012
Friday vs. Army: | Listen | Games Notes
Saturday vs. Sacred Heart: Live Stats | Listen
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's hockey team will return to action with a pair of games this weekend, beginning with a trip to Army Friday, Oct. 26. The Nittany Lions (2-2-0) will then travel to Milford, Conn., Saturday, Oct. 27 for a matchup against Sacred Heart. Opening faceoff for both games is set at 7:05 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can listen to both contests on the Penn State Sports Network and through the All-Access channel at GoPSUsports.com. Live stats will also be available for both games, while fans can follow in-game updates through the team's Twitter account (@PennStateMHKY).
BLAST FROM THE PAST
Although Friday night will be the first matchup between Penn State and Army in the NCAA era, the teams twice played when the Nittany Lions fielded a varsity program in the 1940s. The Nittany Lions dropped both contests, falling to the Black Knights in both 1944 and 1947. Both games were played in West Point, N.Y.
Army is one of three Penn State opponents from the 1940s (Cornell, Colgate) that still sponsors varsity hockey.
PENN STATE VS. SERVICE ACADEMIES
The Nittany Lions will play both Army and Air Force during the 2012-13 season. Following Friday night's matchup against the Black Knights, Penn State will welcome 2012 NCAA tournament participant and defending Atlantic Hockey champion Air Force Nov. 9-10. Puck drop for both games against the Falcons is set at 7:30 p.m.
SCOUTING ARMY
Army will enter the contest with a 1-2-1 overall record a 1-0-1 conference mark. The Black Knights currently sit atop the Atlantic Hockey standings. Last weekend, Army went 1-0-1 against league foe Sacred Heart.
Andy Starczewski was named conference player of the week after recording four goals, including a hat trick, and an assist against the Pioneers. Willie Faust was tabbed league Rookie of the Week after a three-point weekend (1g, 2a).
Starczewski leads the team with seven points and four goals and is tied for the team lead with Joe Kozlak in assists (3). Rob Tadazak has compiled a 1-1-1 record with a 3.27 goals-against average and .909 save percentage.
FAMILIAR FOES
Several players on both Penn State and Army were teammates during their junior careers.
| PSU | ARMY | TEAM |
| Friedman | Bobb | Motor City (NAHL) |
| Friedman | McNulty | Motor City (NAHL) |
| Friedman | Richards | South Shore (EJHL) |
| Friedman | Schultz | South Shore (EJHL) |
| Milley | Alvarez | Pembroke (CCHL) |
| Musico | McNulty | Flin Flon (SJHL) |
| Yanis | Pomarico | Muskegon (USHL) |
LAST TIME OUT
Penn State defeated RIT, 3-2, Oct. 20 in front of a sellout crowd of 10,556 at Rochester's Blue Cross Arena. Freshman forward Curtis Loik (North Vancouver, B.C.) scored his first collegiate goal to give Penn State a 1-0 lead, while classmate Casey Bailey (Anchorage, Alaska) and sophomore Max Gardiner (Deephaven, Minn.), who recorded his first Nittany Lion goal, also tallied for the Nittany Lions. Sophomore PJ Musico (Orange, Calif.) registered a career-high 40 saves, including nine in the final 4:13 as Penn State killed a RIT power play.
A TRIP ALONG THE ATLANTIC
During the course of the 2012-13 season, Penn State will play eight Atlantic Hockey opponents, the most from any conference. The Nittany Lions are currently 2-1-0 against Atlantic Hockey foes.
Penn State's AHA schedule consists of AIC (Oct. 12-13), RIT (Oct. 20), Army (Oct. 26), Sacred Heart (Oct. 27), Air Force (Nov. 9-10), Holy Cross (Dec. 7-8), Robert Morris (Dec. 15, 28), UConn (Jan. 4-5).
NEUTRAL SITE SUCCESS
Five games during Penn State's inaugural NCAA Division I season will be played at neutral sites. Penn State is 2-0-0 at neutral sites in 2012-13, winning at two AHL venues. The Nittany Lions edged AIC, 3-2, in overtime at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and topped RIT, 3-2, in front of a sellout crowd of 10,556 at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y.
Penn State will also play at two NHL arenas - CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh (Dec. 28-29) and Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center (Jan. 19).
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Eleven student-athletes have recorded at least one point, while eight Nittany Lions have registered at least two points. Freshman David Glen (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta./2g, 1a) and sophomore forward Max Gardiner (Deephaven, Minn./1g, 2a) lead the team with three points each.
FRESHMAN IMPACT
Seven of Penn State's nine skating freshmen have recorded at least one point during the 2012-13 season. All seven players registered at least one point during the Nittany Lions' first two games.
David Glen (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta./2g, 1a) leads the rookie class with three points, while Casey Bailey (Anchorage, Alaska/2g), Curtis Loik (North Vancouver, B.C./1g, 1a), Jonathan Milley (Gatineau, Que./1g, 1a), Mark Yanis (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./1g, 1a), Kenny Brooks (Las Vegas, Nev./2a) and Joseph Lordo (St. Louis, Mo./2a) have recorded two points each.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following Friday night's game, Penn State will travel to Milford, Conn., for a matchup against Sacred Heart. The Pioneers are currently 0-3-1 on the season.