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PSU | Chase Berger (1) Brooks (1), Loik (2) |
1 | 13:59 |
PSU
David Glen (1) -- PPG
Goodwin (1), Kerr (1)
2
9:00
PSU
David Goodwin (1) -- PPG
Brooks (2), Marsh (1)
2
10:33
CAN
Ralph Cuddemi (1) -- PPG
Conacher (1), McLaughlin (1)
3
10:20
PSU
David Glen (2)
Goodwin (2)
3
19:59
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Oct. 10, 2015
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Penn State men's hockey team romped in its season opener, downing Canisius, 6-1, on Saturday night at HARBORCENTER in front of 1,711 fans. Curtis Loik (North Vancouver, British Columbia) set the pace with a three-point first period as the Nittany Lions opened a 3-0 lead en route to the victory.
"It was a bit of a scrambly game," head coach Guy Gadowsky said. "And [Loik] had two huge shifts in a row, and then had another one [later on], I think he had three points on the first three goals and got us going a little bit. I thought Kenny Brooks was excellent on that line as well and [with] Chase Berger scoring his first goal that line was clicking early. They certainly held us through the first period and gave us a little time for the other lines to get going, which they did."
Four Nittany Lions tallied multi-point games as David Goodwin (Des Peres, Mo.) had a goal and two assists, David Glen (Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta) had two goals and Kenny Brooks (Las Vegas, Nev.) dished a pair of assists. Goaltender Eamon McAdam (Perkasie, Pa.) was solid all night, allowing a lone power play goal midway through the third period. McAdam has 27 saves.
Penn State's (1-0-0) quick start began with two goals in the opening two minutes. Loik dispossessed a Canisius (0-1-0) defenseman in the corner and beat goalie Reilly Turner with a backhanded effort to his stick side just 93 seconds into the game.
Only 27 seconds later, another Canisius turnover to Loik led to a Ricky DeRosa (Aston, Pa.) goal as the Lions posted a 2-0 lead in first two minutes.
McAdam was forced to make a pair of quick saves to preserve the two-goal margin before the Nittany Lions struck again.
Loik sent a stretch pass to Brooks up the left dashers for a 2-on-1 opportunity. Brooks dished across the slot to Chase Berger (St. Louis, Mo.) who snapped a shot past Turner for a 3-0 lead with 6:01 remaining in the first. It was Berger's first collegiate goal as Penn State had a 15-11 edge in shots in the opening 20 minutes.
After killing off an opening penalty early in the second period, Canisius' fate was sealed when Ryan Schmelzer was earned a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a hit from behind on Dylan Richard (Sherwood Park, Alberta), while Penn State was on a power play.
On the ensuing 5-on-3, the Nittany Lions did something they couldn't do last year: convert on the two-man advantage. Glen sniped a shot from an impossible angle off Turner's shoulder for a 4-0 lead with 11 minutes left in the second period for a 4-0 margin. Penn State scored the first four goals of a game for the first time since March 6, 2015 against Michigan.
Goodwin sent a pass into the corner and Glen let loose from the goal line for his first of the year. Kevin Kerr (Bensalem, Pa.) picked up his first collegiate point with an assist on the power play goal.
On the continuing five-minute penalty, Goodwin cashed in on his first of the year, putting away a shot from the near slot, assisted by Brooks and Alec Marsh (Bridgewater, N.J.). Marsh collected his first collegiate point as well, while Brooks completed his first multi-point game since Feb. 8, 2013 against Alabama Huntsville.
The Lions dominated the second period with a 15-5 shot total.
In the third, play was even between the two teams and Canisius finally got on the board with a power play tally midway through the frame. Ralph Cuddemi put away a Shane Conacher feed on the backdoor to cut the lead, 5-1, with 9:40 to play.
The Nittany Lions fought to the end and a mistake by Turner in the closing seconds led to a turnover behind his net and Glen's second goal as Goodwin stripped Turner. The goal came with just a half-second remaining on the clock.
GAME NOTES
Penn State improved to 2-1-1 in season openers in the NCAA Division I era. The Nittany Lions played an AHA team for the third time in that span with a 2-1-0 record. Tonight was the first on the road.
Goodwin recorded his 11th multi-point game of his college career. His last came on a four-night showing vs. Michigan (March 7, 2015). Glen notched his 10th multi-point game of his college career and his first since the same Michigan game.
Loik was named the game's first star, followed by Goodwin and McAdam.
Six freshmen made their collegiate debuts, including Buffalo native, Andrew Sturtz, who had a several dozen fans in the "Sturtz Section."
Three Nittany Lions had three with a plus-three rating: Loik, Kerr and David Thompson (Glen Mills, Pa.)
NEXT TIME OUT
Penn State returns home to Pegula Ice Arena for another first-time opponent in Notre Dame. The Nittany Lions and Fighting Irish are set to clash on Friday (7 p.m.) and Saturday (3 p.m.)