Penn State Hockey Final Score: No. 15 Nittany Lions Complete Sweep Of Wisconsin

	1st	2nd	3rd	Final
Penn State	2	0	2	4
Wisconsin	0	1	0	1

Shots on Goal	1st	2nd	3rd	Final
Penn State	8	17	16	41
Wisconsin	13	15	12	40

The No. 15 Penn State (15-4-3) hockey team continues to roll in conference play. Through six games in league competition the team owns a strong 5-1 record. Facing a talented but young Badger squad, PSU was able to defend its home ice.

The game started with a very even feel but the Lions were able to jump out to a two goal lead in the first period. The Badgers fought back, getting a goal in the second period and contending until the final moments of the third period.

Eric Scheid scored two goals and had an assist while Eamon McAdam played an outstanding game in goal for the Lions. McAdam was dinged up last weekend during the series with Minnesota and it was uncertain whether the junior goalie would make the start. Without the exceptional play in goal by McAdam, this game could have easily been handed to the Badgers.

First Period

The game started with a fast pace, with each team skating fluidly from end to end. In the early going the hitting was heavy but clean. The students are back on campus and showed up on time for the 6 p.m. start, creating a chaotic, home-ice advantage that was missing the week before when the team hosted Minnesota.

Six minutes into the game the play was slightly slanted in favor of Wisconsin, as it had the first few high quality shots on goal.

After a whistle with 13:48 left in the period David Thompson got into a shoving match with the talented freshman Luke Kunin behind the net of Eamon McAdam. A minute later Penn State went on the power play when Curtis Loik was tripped by Jake Bunz.

Thirty seconds into the power play, Wisconsin had a short handed breakaway but McAdam was able to make the save. On the very next trip down the ice, Loik made the Badgers pay for tripping him, netting his 7th goal of the season off the rebound of an Eric Schied shot that was not handled by Jurusik. Dylan Richard and Scheid assisted on the goal.

Soon after the goal Matt Mendelson nearly got his first score of the season off a smooth pass from Curtis Loik but was unable to put the puck in the empty net. Just a couple of minutes later Andrew Sturtz took the lead out to 2-0 with a great wrist shot over the blocker of Jurusik. David Glen and David Goodwin assisted on the goal.

With just under four minutes to play in the period Luke Kunin hit the post on a shot that got behind McAdam. The Badgers continued to pressure the Lions and it led to a power play opportunity when Vince Pedrie was forced to hold a Wisconsin player in front of McAdam.

The Lions were able to kill the penalty as the period ended.

Second Period

The teams came out for the second period with some chippy play. Prior to a face-off, Chase Berger got into a pushing match with Grant Besse and the players were tossed from taking the draw. On the next trip down the ice Kenny Brooks got into a fight with Luke Kunin after the whistle and was sent to the penalty box. PSU coach Guy Gadowsky was upset that a player from each team was not sent to the sin bin but his protests fell on deaf ears. The Badgers skated with a 5 on 4 advantage with Brooks in the box. The Lions were able to kill the penalty.

Penn State went on the power play five minutes into the period. Halfway through the man advantage it was the Badgers that scored when Luke Kunin scored on a great shot that beat McAdam on the blocker side. Later in the penalty kill Wisconsin nearly scored another short handed goal but McAdam turned it away.

Wisconsin used the momentum it gained on the penalty kill and carried it through the next several minutes. Play was fast and wide open, going from end to end, with a slight advantage to the visiting team.

Dylan Richard took a penalty with four minutes left in the period and the Badgers went on the power play. The Lions were able to kill the penalty but soon after it expired Grant Besse nearly tied the game. Once again, the solid Eamon McAdam stopped the shot and held the rebound.

With time running out in the period, McAdam made a huge save to hold Wisconsin from scoring once again. The ESPN commentators were in the middle of a verbal homage to the Penn State goalie situation when it happened. Off the face-off Kunin got a shot on goal but was denied by the stick of the outstretched McAdam.

Third Period

For the first five minutes of the period, momentum was in favor of PSU but it was clear that Wisconsin was not done fighting.

Penn State went on the power play six minutes into the period when David Glen was thrown to the ice while attempting to score. Early in the penalty, Wisconsin's Kunin had a short handed chance to score but McAdam made the save. After the play, Cameron Hughes skated in front of McAdam and threw snow in the goalie's face, known as a snowplow. Hughes was sent to the box for the play and the Lions skated 5-on-3.

It didn't take long for Penn State to make the cheap play cost the Badgers. Eric Scheid finished a rebound in front of Jurusik to extend the lead to 3-1. Vince Pedrie and Erik Autio got an assist on the play.

Following the goal Penn State turned up the defensive effort, making it difficult for the Badgers to get quality looks at the net. Wisconsin got frustrated at times and there were a few instances where the referees had to separate players after the whistle.

With six minutes left in the game and PSU leading by a pair of goals, tempers flared once again and a player from each team went to the penalty box. The teams skated 4-on-4. With 12 seconds left in the matching penalties Vince Pedrie was sent to the penalty box for Penn State. The matching penalties expired and Wisconsin skated with a man advantage.

Eric Scheid scored a short handed goal to ice the win for Penn State on an assist from goalie Eamon McAdam. McAdam cleared the puck and it bounced out to Scheid and the senior forward put the puck in the net.

Stars of the Game

First Star- Eric Scheid, Penn State. Two goals and one assist.

Second Star- Eamon McAdam, Penn State. 39 saves.

Third Star- Luke Kunin, Wisconsin. 1 Goal.