UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- The name on the back of his jersey may seem familiar to Penn State fans. But the younger brother of Chase Berger is looking to create his own legacy.
Christian Berger is the third member of his family to play for head coach Guy Gadowsky. His oldest brother, Jack, played for Gadowsky at Princeton followed by Chase who graduated from Penn State in 2019 after a prestigious career that saw him don the "C" on his jersey during his senior campaign.
"When I came here my brother said to just be yourself," Berger said of his brother's advice to him. "You don't have to be a second version of me."
That'll be the goal for the 20-year-old defenseman from St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to coming to Penn State, Berger spent last season with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. He registered 22 points in 44 games. The year before, he played for the Madison Capitals.
Much like his fellow teammates, Berger was faced with a lot of uncertainty back in March as the coronavirus began to make an impact in the United States. He wasn't sure if the remainder of the season would be canceled or not, but unfortunately for Berger, his time in the USHL was over.
Over the summer, Berger had a chance to train with his brother Chase, who spent last season with Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. Due to the pandemic he was able to spend more time than normal with his brothers and being able to continuously learn from them throughout the summer was an invaluable experience for the incoming freshman.
When talking about what drew him to Penn State, Berger said his brother played a role, but was not the deciding factor. A lot more went into the decision to spend the next four years at Penn State.
"When I visited and met all the coaches, it's hard to say no to this place," Berger said.
Now at Penn State, Berger is making the adjustment to college life. All the freshmen live on the same floor, so they've had the opportunity to build strong relationships amid the pandemic. Schoolwork and golf have been two things to keep Berger busy off the ice in the lead up to the season.
Berger, and the rest of his teammates, have also been able to skate and work out in small groups since returning to campus in late August. In that time, he has been able to learn and adapt to the style the Nittany Lions like to play.
"You can get a feel for how we play here," Berger said. "It's really fast, really offensive, really aggressive and it's fun."
While the college hockey season is delayed, Berger and his teammates are continuing to prepare. Getting back on the ice for games at Pegula this fall is the goal, but none of that is possible if the proper precautions aren't taken.
"It's important that everyone stays safe," Berger said. "But if we can do that, we really want to have a season."
Berger will look to fit right into Penn State's defensive core. He describes himself as a two-way, puck moving defenseman. While he prioritizes defense, Berger does try to get offensive at times and keep the play going.
There is no doubt that Berger and the freshmen class have large shoes to fill. It won't be easy to fill the void left from the departure of last year's class, but Berger knows the newcomers certainly present tons of potential.
"We have a lot of different players," Berger said. "I think when everyone is on the same boat, it can be pretty special."
For Berger as an individual, he knows he can step in and make an impact right away. He isn't worried about following in his brother's footsteps, but rather creating his own legacy as a Nittany Lion.
How does he plan on doing that? By taking the little steps and doing his job. Berger knows he won't become a leader overnight, but being a reliable teammate can help get him there,
"If you want to be a really good leader, you have to be a really good follower," Berger said. "I understand my role as a freshman. I want to be a guy the older guys can rely on to do his job."
Whenever the Nittany Lions take the ice to start their season, Berger will be there, set on writing his own story at Penn State.
