Oct. 10, 2013
By Michael Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The moment Hockey Valley has been waiting for is finally here.
In two days, the Penn State Nittany Lions open their season against a strong, yet familiar opponent in the Army Black Knights and the anticipation for both fans and players is at an all-time high.
Friday night's sold-out season opener marks the beginning to Penn State's second season as a Division I team and the first game in its new home, Pegula Ice Arena.
This will be the second straight year the two teams have faced off, with the first meeting going to Penn State, 5-0. The Nittany Lions, however, aren't overlooking this Army team based on last year's win.
"Last year was last year," said sophomore defensemen Mark Yanis. "We came out strong last year, as a whole, but this is a brand new season; a brand new team. We can't take anyone lightly this year. We have to come ready for every team we play."
Penn State will look to get off to a fast start against the Black Knights, which was something they did not do a lot last season.
Of the 74 goals Penn State scored last season, only 17 came in the first period. They know in order to be successful they will have to get going fast and put pressure on Army right away.
"It's actually really important ...We want to start fast and jump on them early," Yanis said. "We don't really have a scouting report on them, but that doesn't matter. We have to approach every opponent the same way. We can't take anyone lightly."
The Nittany Lions have been hitting the ice with extra intensity this week in preparation for their season opener and, although captains practices have been running for the last several weeks, head coach Guy Gadowsky and his staff just began working with the team on Oct. 5, a mere eight days before the official start of the season.
"The last four or five days we've had some tough practices," Yanis said.
The team has been focusing on their fundamentals and preparing for the opener.
In 2012, Penn State finished with a 13-14-0 overall record and they return several key players that all played pivotal roles in the first-year program's success.
Last season, the Nittany Lions were led by Casey Bailey's 27 points, with the sophomore forward registering a career-high three points against Army on Oct. 26. He tallied one goal and assisted on two others.
Also back for the Nittany Lions are forwards David Glen and Max Gardiner. Both showcased their talents last season finishing second and third in scoring, respectively.
"It's huge [to have those guys back]," Yanis said. "At the back-end I think we'll be strong and have a great year overall."
Defensively the Nittany Lions have developed toughness and strength during the offseason. They have the depth they have been looking for at the blue line and feel ready to take on a new Army offense.
Penn State will welcome back veteran defenders in Yanis and Luke Juha, who both missed time last season due to injury. They also added David Thompson and Mike Williamson to the roster and both should cause problems for opposing offenses this season.
"Last year, with Luke (Juha) and myself being out for extended time made it hard on our teammates," said Yanis. "For us [the defense] to be back at full strength is huge. The newcomers we brought in have a lot of skill. They'll help us out quite a bit."
Also back for the Nittany Lions is junior defender and alternate captain Nate Jensen. Jensen was the team's top defender in 2012, but also missed five games due to injury. He led the defense in shots taken and will be seeing a lot of minutes for the Nittany Lions.
Gadowsky hasn't named a starting goalie yet, but he feels all three could step in and play at a high level.
Sophomore Matthew Skoff led the Nittany Lions last season with nine wins but split time with junior PJ Musico. Added into the mix this season is freshman Eamon McAdam, who was a third round draft choice of the New York Islanders and has practiced well in his short time with the program.
Penn State knows it's up for a challenge against a tough Army team, but they feel ready to take on anyone at this point. Yanis and the team are excited to finally take the ice.
"We're looking forward to Friday and getting our season going," said Yanis.
The puck is set to drop at 8 p.m. in front of a sold-out Pegula Ice Arena. The game will also air live on the Big Ten Network.