UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- For Adam Pilewicz, it has always been about making the most of every opportunity.
Prior to this season, the Sewickley, Pennsylvania, native had only played in 19 games. As a senior, Pilewicz has registered seven games thus far, and it appears that number will continue to grow. Head coach Guy Gadowsky was quick to point out the impact Pilewicz has on and off the ice.
"Adam's been a great leader," Gadowsky said. "He does the right things all the time and always puts himself in a better position."
Even though he doesn't play often, Pilewicz still tries his best to be there for his teammates. He knows from experience what it can be like to struggle or not play, so Pilewicz always offers his wisdom to younger players who could use the support.
"I try and reach out to guys that are struggling or are out of the lineup," Pilewicz said. "I make sure they don't let it affect their game too much."
Pilewicz was in the lineup for Friday night's matchup against Wisconsin, a game in which Penn State won. Gadowsky pointed out following the game Pilewicz has been in the lineup for the last four Nittany Lion wins; and was a scratch for their previous three losses.
While that may be nothing but a sheer coincidence, it goes to show that Pilewicz's impact is a large one. In the aforementioned Wisconsin game, Pilewicz made a play in Penn State's zone that Gadowsky and teammates were quick to notice.
"It was a great play by Pilewicz," Gadowsky said. "Adam knew he had to make a strong play rather than try to do something fancy in the defensive zone."
Each week, Gadowsky has to make some tough decisions on who will play, and who will be scratched. Most times over his four years, Pilewicz has been the latter. But when he does get out there, it's more than just for quantitative reasons.
The weeks Pilewicz isn't in the lineup are something that can be tough on him. A lot of times, he comes in and see's he's not in the lineup. But, as he has grown older, Pilewicz understands there are tough decisions being made and he has worked to control how he receives that news.
"You walk in and go about your business if you're in the lineup," Pilewicz said. "If you aren't, you're making sure you're still doing work, so if your number gets called, you're ready to go in."
While Pilewicz makes a strong impact when on the ice, he makes an even bigger one behind the scenes. He's always doing extra work in the weight room and knows the playbook inside and out. He is one of the smartest players Gadowsky has ever had, especially in the classroom.
"Adam's an engineering major and a great student," Gadowsky said.
Pilewicz is the ultimate team player. Over his four years, the impact he has made on teammates certainly has not gone unnoticed. He deserves a large share of the credit for Penn State's success over the last four years.
Connor McMenamin was fresh off a career night, scoring five points against Wisconsin. McMenamin was incredibly complementary of Pilewicz, even on a night where everyone's eyes were on McMenamin's effort. That goes to show the impact Pilewicz has had on his teammates.
"I can speak for the older guys that Adam's played with and he's been one of the best on the team at being your friend," McMenamin said. "To see him go out there tonight and make big plays when we needed them, you can't be less happy for him."
Regardless of Pilewicz's next step, Gadowsky is certain that he will make an impact wherever he ends up, whether that is on or off the ice.
"He's the type of person that not only hockey teams want," Gadowsky said. "But every successful company, team and organization wants."
After graduation, Pilewicz is looking to find a job in the engineering field. He had an internship in Ohio this summer and he's hoping that can lead him to further opportunities down the road. Pilewicz is going to take the lessons he learned at Penn State into his post-collegiate career.
"Teamwork is important," Pilewicz said. "Being helpful to each other and being ready to learn. It's going to be a lot of hard work, but I'm excited for my future."
Moving forward, Pilewicz is going to have a huge impact on Penn State the rest of the season, whether it be on or off the ice. While his gritty and hard-working mentality may not show up on the stat sheet, it'll certainly help the team over the long run.
What fans saw last Friday night from Pilewicz can be the expectation over the rest of the season.
"That's why he was in tonight and you got to give him a ton credit," Gadowsky said. "He's a guy that's an example and drives the team to play the right way."
