Jan. 5, 2013
Box Score
VIDEO: Coach Gadowsky Postgame Comments
STORRS, Conn. - Freshman forward Casey Bailey (Anchorage, Alaska) gave Penn State a 1-0 lead 13 seconds into the game, but Connecticut responded with four unanswered goals, including an empty-netter, in a 4-1 Husky victory at Freitas Ice Forum Saturday night.
Bailey's marker, which was his ninth of the season, was the fastest by a Nittany Lion (8-11-0) to open a game. Sophomore Max Gardiner (Deephaven, Minn.) and junior Taylor Holstrom (Yorba Linda, Calif.) garnered assists on the tally, and sophomore goaltender PJ Musico (Orange, Calif.) turned aside 22 shots.
Penn State outshot UConn (7-8-2) by a 43-26 margin and went 0-for-5 on the power play. The Huskies finished 1-for-2 with the man advantage, while netminder Garrett Bartus made 42 saves.
An Anchorage, Alaska, native, Bailey tallied just 13 seconds after the opening faceoff. Gardiner moved the puck to Holstrom in the right circle, where he took a few strides toward the net before passing to Bailey. The forward, who was skating through the slot, extended his point-scoring streak to three games as he one-timed the puck past Bartus' right pad.
The Huskies responded 1:09 later when Shawn Pauly tallied off assists from Jacob Poe and Evan Carriere. While on the power play, Sean Ambrosie gave Connecticut a 2-1 advantage when he scored on a rebound with 3:22 remaining in the frame. Jordan Sims and Brant Harris tallied assists on the play.
With 16:01 left in the second period, Cody Sharib extended the UConn lead to 3-1. Poe worked the puck to Ambrosie, who sent it across the crease to Sharib for the marker.
Trevor Gerling added an empty-net tally with 13 seconds remaining in the game to account for the 4-1 final.
The Nittany Lions will return home next weekend for a two-game series against the U.S. National Under-18 Team Jan. 11-12. Opening faceoff for both games at Greenberg Ice Pavilion is set at 7:30 p.m.