Dowiak, McKenna Register Hat-Tricks as No. 8 Men's Hockey Defeats No. 5 Wisconsin, 7-2Dowiak, McKenna Register Hat-Tricks as No. 8 Men's Hockey Defeats No. 5 Wisconsin, 7-2
Aidan Sweeney

Dowiak, McKenna Register Hat-Tricks as No. 8 Men's Hockey Defeats No. 5 Wisconsin, 7-2

Nittany Lions score seven unanswered to run Big Ten winning-streak to six games

Author John Hanna
Box Score

MADISON, Wis. – Junior Dane Dowiak (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and freshman Gavin McKenna (Whitehorse, Yukon) combined for the first-ever multiple hat-trick game for Penn State as the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions used seven unanswered goals to defeat No. 5 Wisconsin, 7-2, in Big Ten Conference action the Kohl Center on Friday evening.

Penn State sees its winning streak move to six games as the Nittany Lions improve to 17-6-0 with the victory and 9-4-0 in Big Ten play while the Badgers fall to 15-6-2 overall and 8-5-0 in conference action with the loss.

The Nittany Lions have now won six-straight Big Ten games, along with their current six-game winning streak, the longest such regular-season streak in program history.

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HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The Badgers opened the scoring just past the midway point of the first period taking advantage of a major powerplay as Tyson Dyck deposited his own rebound at the near post for the 1-0 edge at the 11:46 mark.
  • Wisconsin added another during the major as Oliver Tulk wristed one home from the slot that was redirected off a Nittany Lion stick and past freshman goaltender Josh Fleming (Montreal, Quebec) for the 2-0 advantage at 14:48 of the first period.
  • Penn State cut the deficit in half with a powerplay tally early in the second period as junior Mac Gadowsky (State College, Pa.) feathered a pass to Dowiak in the low slot and he one-timed the puck past the glove of Badger net-minder Daniel Hauser for the 2-1 score at the 1:57 mark.
  • The Nittany Lions pulled the game even just past the midway point of the second period taking advantage of a 5-on-3 man-advantage as McKenna outwaited the defense as he slipped into the slot before picking his spot and wiring a wrister past the blocker of Hauser for the 2-2 score at the 10:48 mark.
  • The visitors took the lead just after another penalty expired as a shot from junior Reese Laubach (San Jose, Calif.) rang the far pipe before hitting Dowiak and fluttering into the yawning net for the 3-2 advantage at 12:49 of the second period.
  • Penn State wasted little time extending the lead after the puck dropped in the final frame as freshman Jackson Smith (Calgary, Alberta) wired a wrister through traffic from the blueline off a feed from junior Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alberta) for the 4-2 lead just 15 ticks in.
  • The Blue and White continued the pressure near the midway point of the third period as McKenna stole the puck out of midair in the neutral zone and skated down the slot before sniping a wrister past the blocker of Hauser for the 5-2 margin at the 8:55 mark.
  • The Nittany Lions scored their sixth-straight goal shorthanded as Dowiak slipped in a rebound for the hat-trick and 6-2 lead at 11:15 of the third period.
  • McKenna then got behind the defense off a feed from Gadowsky and he ripped one inside the near post to tip the hat and account for the 7-2 final at 17:13 of the third period.

GOALTENDING

Fleming stopped 39 shots to improve to 8-3-0 on the year while Hauser made 27 saves falling to 13-4-2 with the loss.

NOTES

  • Wisconsin held the 41-34 edge in shots on goal while going 2-for-6 on the powerplay. Wisconsin was 2-for-5 on the man-advantage.
  • The win is the sixth Big Ten win in-a-row for the Nittany Lions extended
  • The hat-trick for Dowiak marks the first of his career, as he secures his first multi-goal game of the year and the fifth of his career while securing his second multi-point effort of the season and the seventh of his career.
  • Dowiak’s third goal came shorthanded giving him four such goals on the season, a new Nittany Lion single-season record and he now has six for his career to sit in sole possession of second on the Penn State all-time shorthanded goals list just three behind current assistant coach Andrew Sturtz’s program record of nine.
  • Gadowsky registered three assists to tie his career-high and mark his first multi-point game as a Nittany Lion and the 17th of his career.
  • The hat-trick for McKenna is the first of his collegiate career as he secures his second-straight multi-goal game while collecting his ninth multi-point effort of the season.
  • McKenna also extends his point streak to four games, just one shy of his career-high, following his hat-trick while Laubach now has points in three-straight games, also just one shy of his career-long point streak.
  • Junior Matt DiMarsico (Wexford, Pa.) runs his point streak to a now career-best six games following his second period assist while seeing his career-best four-game goal streak snapped.
  • With three assists in the game Fink secures his sixth multi-point effort of the season and the 30th of his career. Fink now has 21 points this season in just 16 games.
  • Smith’s third period goal marks his seventh of the season as he now stands alone with the second-most in a single-season by a defenseman in Penn State history. He is now just one shy of the program record shared by four different Nittany Lions including assistant Coach Vince Pedrie who scored eight goals in each of his two seasons in Hockey Valley.
  • The Nittany Lions improve to 11-1-0 when leading after two periods of play this season.

NEXT UP

Both teams return to the Kohl Center tomorrow to conclude the weekend set with an 7:30 p.m. CT / 8:30 p.m. ET puck drop airing nationally on the B1G Network.

For more information on the 2025-26 season, visit the men's hockey page at GoPSUsports.com or call 1-800-NITTANY Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.