After a jarring 41-day break, the Nittany Lions are back and better than ever.
Going from the pace and intensity of Big Ten play to an extended pause could have disrupted Penn State’s rhythm.
Instead, it became an opportunity to assess the team’s identity and make targeted improvements.
In their return to conference competition, Penn State swept Minnesota for the first time in nearly seven seasons and looked sharper, more connected, and more deliberate in the areas they spent the break rebuilding.
The extended break gave Penn State time to step back and evaluate its game, particularly in the offensive zone, where the staff wanted to see more volume and more consistent scoring chances generated.
“We’ve definitely improved in terms of the number of chances that we’ve been generating,” Head Coach Guy Gadowsky said Monday. “I do like how we’ve executed in the offensive zone, and the chances have certainly gone up.”
Players felt the difference too.
“We spent a lot of time on skills,” freshman forward Luke Misa said Friday. “A big thing that we were focused on was offensive zone production, getting shots on net and just creating offense in that zone.”
That focus first showed up the weekend before Big Ten play resumed, when senior defenseman Jarod Crespo scored a hat trick against RIT, a rare offensive outburst from the blue line that reflected the shift in mindset.
The teams' progress continued to reflect over the weekend when freshman forward Lev Katzin scored the first goal of his college career against the Gophers.
“Just a great play from my linemates, they gave me an empty net and I was lucky to have the puck land right on my stick this time,” Katzin said. “It's nice when you have teammates that are there for you, it's been a tough 20 games [offensively for me], but I stuck with it and am lucky to push forward.”
“It was time,” Gadowsky said. “He was due, and you could see how happy the team was for him.”
Penn State’s defense also played a major role in the sweep, not just limiting chances but actively creating them.
“We really asked the D (defense) to step up and be a lot more involved in the offense,” Gadowsky said. “That’s something that we identified that we need to step up if we’re going to reach our potential.”
That balance, individual growth within a team first mindset, is something Penn State has leaned into this season. But it is also something Gadowsky says the group still has to learn how to temper.
“My criticism, if anything, is they’re being a little too unselfish,” he said Monday. “I think we’re being too cute. We have to start getting back to goal scorers' mentality.”
That need for assertiveness extends beyond scoring chances. Gadowsky said Penn State has to continue improving their puck management and shift discipline, especially against aggressive opponents.
“If you don’t manage the puck well, it’s very difficult to manage your shifts,” he said. “If you’re playing a really hungry, aggressive team and you don’t manage your shifts, you’re going to get beat.”
Injuries add another layer of challenge as conference play ramps up. Gadowsky confirmed Monday that sophomore forward Braeden Ford will miss significant time with a lower body injury, while several others remain day-to-day.
“We’re going through a bit of an injury bug, and it is what it is,” he said. “There’s no use complaining about it. We just have to deal with it.”
That reality has forced Penn State to rely more heavily on its depth and internal leadership.
“They are able to pull each other together during games to stay positive in highs and lows and that’s not easy,” Gadowsky said.
What Penn State built over the break is now being tested in real time.
The Nittany Lions have found more pace, more purpose, and more consistency in their game. Now comes the harder part, sustaining it as the Big Ten schedule tightens, and every point becomes heavier.
“It’s a good start,” Gadowsky said Friday. “Long way to go, but it’s a good start.”