UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's ice hockey team completed its ninth season as a varsity program back in March and earlier this week announced its 2020-21 team awards.
The Nittany Lions struggled to find consistency during the pandemic-altered season but were one of the hottest teams in the nation having won 9-of-13 games during the months of December and January before a 34-day COVID pause derailed their momentum. Penn State looked to catch lightning in a bottle during the postseason, but ultimately fell a Cole Caufield overtime breakaway short of a third Big Ten Championship game appearance.
In total five team voted awards were handed out including the fourth annual Team Culture Award as well as Team MVP, Top Defenseman, Freshman of the Year and the Players' Player. Additionally, the team recognized its top scorer and top student-athlete as well as the Iron Lion, which recognizes the top performer in the weight room.
Senior captain, and current San Diego Gulls forward, Alex Limoges (Winchester, Va.) earned top scorer honors for the second time in his career and was voted Penn State's Most Valuable Player as well as the 2020-21 Players' Player by his peers. The Players' Player award honors someone who best exemplifies work ethic and commitment to Penn State hockey's on ice objectives.
Limoges, was a finalist for the 2021 Senior CLASS Award, and led Penn State in each offensive category in 2020-21 with 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points. With the fewest number of games played in the Big Ten, the senior's point-per-game numbers ranked tied for seventh in the conference while his 10 goals overall were tied for ninth and his 0.45 goals per game ranked sixth.
Limoges, a two-time All-Big Ten selection, will graduate this spring and finish his Penn State career as the Nittany Lion all-time leader in points per game as he averaged 0.98 over his 128 games played. He also ranks third on the all-time points list with 125, while his 51 goals are tied for the third most all-time at Penn State, and his 74 assists rank fourth all-time. The senior is also the Big Ten all-time leader in points during the tournament, a record he set this season, with seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points in just 10 tournament games.
Freshman Christian Sarlo (Lynnbrook, N.Y.) earned 2020-21 Freshman of the Year honors after leading all Penn State freshman and finishing sixth on the team with 11 points in 21 games. The rookie scored five goals while adding six assists and finished the season on a career-best, three-game point-streak (2-2-4).
Senior Clayton Phillips (Edina, Minn.) was voted the Top Defenseman for the 2020-21 season. Phillips led all Nittany Lion defensemen with a career-best three goals while adding four assists for seven points in 20 games this season. His seven points were the second-most among the team's defensemen.
Senior Adam Pilewicz (Sewickley, Pa.) earned the fourth annual Team Culture Award as the student-athlete who best influences a positive culture of quality and values off the ice. While he failed to register a point in 12 games this season, Pilewicz was honored earlier this week at the Nittany's for his contributions during THON 2021 were he raised the highest individual total.
Phillips and Pilewicz both recently announced their intentions to return to Penn State next season, taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA.
Junior Aarne Talvitie (Espoo, Finland) was named the 2020-21 Iron Lion as the top performer in the weight room. The recipient is one of the strongest pound-for-pound athletes on the team and possesses a strong work ethic while being consistent in doing the little things right on a daily basis. Talvitie, a labor and human resources major, is also the Top Student-Athlete on the team.
The alternate captain skated in 21 games this past season finishing fifth on the team with 13 points on seven goals and six assists and earlier this spring signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils.
2020-21 Penn State Team Awards
Team MVP: Alex Limoges
Top Defenseman: Clayton Phillips
Freshman of the Year: Christian Sarlo
Players' Player: Alex Limoges
Culture Award: Adam Pilewicz
Top Scorer: Alex Limoges
Top Student-Athlete: Aarne Talvitie
Iron Lion: Aarne Talvitie
