Nov. 4, 2013
By Michael Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - On a night where Penn State needed to get back in the win column, Matthew Skoff and Casey Bailey both stepped up to lead the Nittany Lions past the Robert Morris Colonials, 5-4, at 84 Lumber Arena.
Bailey led an offensive attack that saw five different Nittany Lions score - their most unique goal scorers in a single game since Nov. 10, 2012 - while Skoff recorded a career high 48 saves in the victory.
Bailey, who ranked second on the team with 14 goals last season, tallied his first goal of the season on Friday night and helped the team get back onto the winning side of things for the first time since a season-opening win over Army on Oct. 11.
"We haven't won since that first game and we had a close game against RIT," Bailey said. "So it feels great to get back in that win column."
Skoff, a native of McKee Rocks, Pa., just a short drive away from Robert Morris, had the home crowd rooting for him as he stopped shot after shot from the Colonials. The sophomore goaltender had played at 84 Lumber Arena before and has now won there at all three levels.
"[Skoff] is a battler and I think the team fells confident with him back there," head coach Guy Gadowsky said. "Even when things are getting a little hairy, he's such a calm, mentally tough kid that we feel good knowing he is in goal. I'm happy that he able to get this win for our team."
After allowing an early first period power-play goal to the Colonials, Skoff sealed up the goal for the next 30 minutes of ice time, allowing his team to get back into the game.
A sluggish first period from the Nittany Lions was soon forgotten after they outscored RMU, 3-1, in the second period to take a 3-2 lead into the final stanza.
The puck movement was efficiently and Penn State was creating quality scoring chances. It was the most effective the Nittany Lions had looked since on offense since their season opener against Army.
Bailey made scoring and assisting on goals look easy last season and has been playing good hockey for the Nittany Lions this season, but he was unable to find the back of the net through the first 17 periods of the season.
That changed Friday night when he beat RMU goaltender Terry Shafer just five minutes into the third period.
Bailey took a feed from Nate Jensen and ripped a shot on Shafer. The Colonials' goaltender stood tall and turned the shot away. Taylor Holstrom's rebound attempts was turned that away, as well, but the puck found its way back to Bailey.
"He was pressing a lot," said Gadowsky. "He had 12 shots on net last game and nothing to show for it. Today their goaltender made two amazing saves on him, but he just kept on battling. I like to see that. He has a lot of perseverance and it paid off."
After seeing Holstrom turned away by Shafer, as well, Bailey gathered in the third PSU chance on the attack and placed a shot high corner, glove side to register his first goal of the season.
"It's a weight off the shoulders for sure," Bailey said after the game. "I was getting a lot of chances at the net and I knew it would come eventually, but to finally put that one in felt great, especially in the situation it was in."
Bailey and his line mates, David Goodwin and Dylan Richard, had excellent chemistry throughout the game. They moved the puck quickly through the zone and controlled corners and the front of the net against the Colonials. The continuity of the three was a huge part of the team's success.
"Goodwin and Richard are both excellent players," Bailey said. "It's a lot of fun to play with them. They have a lot of skill and they tend to find you when you're open, so for a shooter like me, that's all you can ask for."
It was something the Nittany Lions needed at that moment, as well.
Bailey's goal was a critical one for several reasons. First, it gave the Nittany Lions a 4-3 lead over the Colonials. Second, it was the team's second of three power-play goals. Penn State has never scored more than one power-play goal in a game, so to get three in one outing was a huge success for Gadowsky and his team.
"We still have a lot of work to do, we really do," Gadowsky said. "We're not thrilled with some of the things that we can control. We still have a lot of work to do, but It's nice to get a win."
Penn State returns home on Friday, Nov. 8 to host Sacred Heart. The puck drops at 7 p.m. inside Pegula Ice Arena.