It was February 22, 2020. Bone-chilling winter winds whipped across University Drive on what was a typical, late February night in Happy Valley. On one side of the street, students danced in celebration, as THON's annual 46-hour extravaganza reached its climax in the Bryce Jordan Center, raising much-needed funds for the fight against Pediatric cancer. Meanwhile, a slapshot away, the Penn State hockey team held an annual event of its own - Senior Night.
But, this was no ordinary senior class. Its ten members had meant so much to the program over the last four years - a record number of victories, numerous program record holders, a Big Ten Tournament championship, and a pair of NCAA Tournament berths. And, with another postseason still to come, their eyes set toward the 2020 Frozen Four and a storybook finish. Dreams that sent chills down your spine, not unlike those uncompromisingly cold, winter winds.
In a matter of 31 seconds, and the three weeks that followed, the fate of the 2019-20 Penn State hockey season took a complete turn and what seemed as a normal regular-season finale became a game that will be long remembered in Hockey Valley.
It was an unexpected hero, Kevin Wall, who scored the goal that would effectively give the Nittany Lions the Big Ten regular season championship for the first time in program history. The goal came after a flubbed shot by Mason Snell slithered behind the net and Nikita Pavlychev went to work with his patented wraparound. What happened next will come in the words of the team's play-by-play broadcaster Brian Tripp.
"Pavlychev has it behind the Gopher goal, stuffs it on, lose out front, Wall a drive, he scores! Penn State leads! And there's pandemonium at the rink!"
There's little doubt this was the biggest goal of the season. But it took a lot to get to this moment for the Nittany Lions. Perhaps, it goes back before the final regular season game against Minnesota; and, before that entire series.
Going into the Minnesota series, Penn State had won only three of its previous 10 Big Ten games while Minnesota was arguably the hottest team in the country with a 9-2-1 post-Christmas break record. The Nittany Lions could feel their lead in the Big Ten standings slipping away. With all the adversity they faced, the team knew it still had everything in front of them.
"We all knew what we needed to do that weekend," Snell said. "That drought during that month was tough and we wanted to get out of it as much as possible."
In recent years, the Nittany Lions have fared very well against the Golden Gophers. Penn State swept Minnesota earlier in the season for the first-time ever at Mariucci Arena, outscoring them by nine goals over the two-game series.
Penn State's latest success in the all-time series (11-2 record since 2017 including six-straight victories at Pegula Ice Arena) did not mean the Nittany Lions could look past Minnesota. The Gophers still presented a strong challenge and would make for a competitive weekend.
"We knew Minnesota was a tough team," Wall said. "We wanted to stick with what we were doing all year and simplify our game."
Penn State came out in game one and earned an extra point in the conference standings with a dramatic 3-on-3 overtime victory. The win gave the Nittany Lions a ton of momentum heading into Saturday night. But it did not start preferably well for them.
Two first period goals by Minnesota put Penn State down 2-0 at the first intermission, however, the Nittany Lions weren't panicking.
"We had the team last year that could go out and score three goals in a period," Snell said. "I don't think we got too uptight about it."
Wall knew the game wasn't close to over.
"I don't think anyone ever had a doubt that we were out of that game because of how early it was," Wall said.
Pavlychev added that he knew that regardless of what the scoreboard said, he knew it was still Penn State's game. All they had to do was score and recapture the momentum.
The Nittany Lions did just that. Late in the second period, Evan Barratt jammed home a rebound and cut the deficit to 2-1. With that, it allowed for the Nittany Lions to head to the second intermission with a lot of confidence, but they knew a strong third period was needed.
When the period started Penn State had opportunity after opportunity, but couldn't capitalize on them. Minnesota goalie Jack LaFontaine was a brick wall in net that night.
"We were playing well in the third and we could feel it coming, but we couldn't get it passed their goaltender," Gadowsky said.
Halfway through the third period, Minnesota still held a one goal lead but that's when Penn State was just getting started. A fantastic pass from Tyler Gratton set up Pavlychev to make a beautiful play to finish at the net to tie things up.
"Gratton makes an unbelievable sauce pass over the defenseman," Pavlychev said. "From there my job was easy, all I had to do was release the puck as soon as possible. It was good puck placement, and it went in."
That was perhaps the loudest Pegula has ever been and the Nittany Lions were not done yet. Penn State had Minnesota on its heels and Gadowsky told Pavlychev and his line mates to stay on the ice.
"The shift after a goal is always a big one because you have the momentum," Wall said. "You're just trying to keep it simple."
The puck dropped, and Penn State went back to work. The Nittany Lions entered the Minnesota zone and began to attack the Golden Gopher net.
"We got the puck in deep and were cycling and getting chances," Wall said. "Everyone jokes to Snell about his shot, but it turned out pretty well."
The puck made its way up to Mason Snell and he had a less than ideal shot, but it ended up paying off.
"When the puck came up to me, they joke about how I flubbed the shot," Snell said. "But I guess it ended up working out."
Snell's shot flubbed behind the net, where Pavlychev won the race to the spot and made a play.
"When I got to the puck, I realized I had a little bit of time," Pavlychev said. "In my time [at Penn State], I've had quite a few of wraparound goals and I like that. When I wrapped around, I sent a pass out in front and right to the stick of Kevin Wall."
Wall saw Pavlychev behind the net and got set up in prime scoring position.
"Then, you see Nikita behind the net and I know where the puck is going," Wall said. "So, I just tried to get open and once it touched my stick, I wanted to get it off as quickly as possible."
Wall finished at the net and it was "pandemonium at the rink." Penn State jumped ahead 3-2 and did not look back. The Nittany Lions ended up winning the game by that same margin and it was a game that will go down in the history books.
"It was a great moment," Gadowsky said. "It was ultimately the goal that gave us the [regular-season] championship, which is something that hadn't happened here before."
Every time Gadowsky re-watches that goal, it does not fail to put a smile on his face. He claims to have watched it at least 80 or 90 times by now.
"It gives me chills every time," Gadowsky said. "It was a huge goal, and I loved the emotion by Wall afterwards."
Penn State didn't know at the time, but that was the goal that won them the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions wouldn't find out until the following weekend that they clinched the title.
Pavlychev recalls being out to dinner the following weekend with his teammates and cheering for other Big Ten teams. Those surrounding the team were confused to see Penn State cheering for its rivals. But it all made sense once the title was clinched.
Unfortunately, the win over Minnesota proved to be the final game of the 2019-20 season for the Nittany Lions as the remainder of the postseason, including the NCAA Tournament, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That is something that will serve as motivation for the for Penn State this season.
"We're going to take last year and it's going to light a fire in our stomachs," Snell said. We thought we could do more last year, and we have a heck of a team this year."
Prior to last season, no one could have expected the end of the season to be cancelled. It's a strong reminder for Wall to never assume anything. Even with the season cut short, it is a moment that will go down forever.
"At the time we didn't know that would cement us to get the regular season championship in the Big Ten, and ultimately the only Big Ten championship awarded last year," Gadowsky said. "That goal will go down in Penn State history."
Those in Pegula and across the street at the Bryce Jordan Center had no idea at the time that the goal they just witnessed, or heard about, would be one of the most iconic goals in recent Penn State history.
And absolutely no one would have thought it was the final game played by the Nittany Lions for nine months. For the players, and fans alike, it's a reminder to cherish every memory and not take anything for granted.
Looking back, this is a memory that so many will cherish for the rest of their lives.
