Jan. 21, 2016
By Maria Canales, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writers
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" After a home sweep of Wisconsin last weekend, the Penn State men's hockey team (15-4-3, 5-1-0 Big Ten) is looking forward to its first conference road trip of the season, facing Ohio State (6-12-2, 1-3-2 Big Ten) in Columbus. This weekend's games are vital for the Nittany Lions as they inch closer towards the stretch run of the season.
While head coach Guy Gadowsky constantly raves about how good of a home ice advantage the Roar Zone gives his team, the Nittany Lions will be without their most vocal and loyal fans this weekend. Instead, the Nittany Lions will need to manufacture their own energy.
"I think it's something I believe that the guys are sort of looking forward to the challenge," said Gadowsky on playing in Columbus this weekend. "We love playing in Pegula, we love the Roar Zone, they're huge for us, they're huge for enjoyment, they're huge for motivation, I think they've been a big part of the strong home ice advantage we have and the strong home record."
The Nittany Lions are 11-3-1 at home this season, and went 13-2-3 at home during the 2014-15 campaign. In contrast, the Nittany Lions are 2-0-2 on the road this season, and look to improve on that record this weekend.
"I think any time you play in the Big Ten it's going to be hard, whether it's home or on the road and I think if you want to be a good team you have to learn how to win on the road," said Gadowsky.
Senior forward Curtis Loik knows that any away game is an opportunity for the team to focus in on what the team refers to as a "business trip." Away games allow for players to focus in on their task at hand, rather than all the distractions game day at home can provide.
Rather than be entranced by the Roar Zone's chants, or the blaring of "Timber" through the speakers, being behind enemy lines provides an atmosphere of work instead of play.
Loik mentioned that although home games are a different atmosphere, each player enters every game with the same level of seriousness, whether on the road or not.
"You have to come to each game with the same mentality," said Loik. "It's a challenge on the road but we're going to get there early, get ready and be prepared for Ohio State."
As the season digs deeper into conference play, matchups become more important for rankings and the possibility of a post-season, especially seeding in the Big Ten Tournament.
Last March, the Buckeyes ended the Nittany Lions' season by defeating Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, 3-1.
Penn State has faced Ohio State 10 times in its short history as a varsity program, and has come out on top three times. Gadowsky is confident that after this weekend the Nittany Lions will be closer to evening the record.
The Nittany Lions look forward to putting all their hard work to use this weekend, and come home with two vital wins.
"Every game is a business trip for us," said Loik. "Each one of these games coming to the end of the season, it's so important for the rankings and for our personal success, so it's going to be a big weekend for us."
Penn State takes on Ohio State on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. in Columbus.