Penn State Hockey Falls To Minnesota 7-1

The game started with the type of pace that Minnesota prefers. The teams skated fast but under control, with very few scoring opportunities. The Gophers were able to hold Penn State to 8 shots in the first period, half it average, for the second game in a row. While stifling the PSU offense Minnesota was able to jump out to a 3-0 lead early in the second period. The Lions were unable to recover from the deficit.

Every time Penn State tried to mount a comeback effort the Gophers were able to hold steady. With three minutes left in the game, Vince Pedrie was able to score to avoid the shut out for Penn State. The last time the Lions were shut out at home remains November 20, 2013,.

Up next for PSU is a series in Hockey Valley with the Wisconsin Badgers. Both games of the series will be televised. Friday night the BTN will carry the 6:30 p.m. start and on Saturday the teams will face off at 6 p.m on ESPNU.

First Period

The game started with very sharp play. Minnesota made a clear effort to slow Penn State down, contesting each pass and making it difficult to control the puck. Seven minutes into the game PSU had 5 shots on goal and Minnesota had three but none were near making it to the back of the net.

With 12:14 remaining in the period the Gophers struck first when Leon Bristedt got one past PSU goalie Matt Skoff for the 1-0 lead. Following the goal the atmosphere inside Pegula Ice Arena got very quiet. Minnesota dominated the next few minutes of play until the Lions were able to settle down.

Penn State went on the power play with eight minutes left in the period when Minnesota was caught with too many men on the ice. Unfortunately for the home team, Hudson Fasching scored a quick short-handed goal to give the Gophers a 2-0 lead. During the game on Friday Fasching had short-handed breakaways on two consecutive possessions, this time it cost the Nittany Lions. The power play expired without further scoring.

With 4:36 left Minnesota went on the power play after Vince Pedrie took a roughing penalty. Matt Skoff made a huge glove save midway through the penalty and the Lions were able to avoid giving up a power play goal. The penalty kill energized PSU for the final few minutes of the period but it did not result in a goal for the home team.

Second Period

Play was choppy to start the period. There were six face-offs in the first 1:13 of play, as the teams continuously iced the puck.

Two minutes into the period Minnesota took a 3-0 lead when Tyler Sheehy shot a rocket past the glove of Matt Skoff. On the play the puck bounced off the boards behind the net of Skoff and came right to the stick of Sheehy, who snapped off a one-timer before Skoff could react.

Soon after the goal Alec Marsh showed some frustration, taking a roughing call four minutes into the period. The Lions were able to kill the penalty. A few seconds after the power play expired Andrew Sturtz found himself in front of the Gopher net with a chance to score but was unable to find the net with the shot.

The players got into a skirmish with 13:37 remaining in the period. No penalties were assessed but there were several players involved. The interaction seemed to benefit PSU as the team skated furiously for the minutes following the pushing match. The crowd got into the game at this point as well.

David Glen was roughed up in the corner after a play and the fans inside Pegula wanted a penalty. Instead the Lions were given a penalty on the next possession as Andrew Sturtz went head-first into the net. There was a stoppage in play as the refs checked to see if a goal was scored on the play for Minnesota as well. The ruling was that there was no goal, and the Gophers went on the power play up 3-0 midway through the game.

Penn State killed off the penalty and had a couple short-handed chances of its own. The penalty kill once again energized the crowd. Soon after the penalty expired David Glen was taken down in the corner again and this time a Gopher player held him to the ice for several seconds. The crowd erupted with disapproval but no penalty was called.

With 5:11 left in the period Alec Marsh was given a quick whistle on a check in the corner similar to the hits that took down is team captain Glen just minutes earlier. Marsh went to the penalty box and the Lions once again went on the penalty kill. The crowd again got extremely loud, voicing its collective disappointment.

Eric Scheid had two consecutive short handed breakaway chances and while he was unable to score, the effort killed over a minute of penalty time. The Gophers were unable to add to the lead with the man advantage.

The penalty kill as well as the controversial non-calls got the attention of the fans inside the Peg. With 2:30 left in the period Andrew Sturtz had a chance to score and it forced Minnesota to take a penalty in order to stop him. The Lions were unable to capitalize on the man advantage but momentum was flipped to its side to end the period.

END 2ND: Minnesota 3, #PennState 0. #NittanyLions unable to find the scoreboard, shots are 22-19 for Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/33t8eE1BXg

— Penn State Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) January 9, 2016

Third Period

A minute into the period Penn State turned the puck over in its defensive zone. The turnover led to an immediate goal by Vinny Lettieri. The goal stretched the lead to 4-0. Soon after the Gophers hit the post, nearly taking a five goal lead.

Penn State settled down and with 14:11 left in the game went on the power play. During the power play, PSU coach Guy Gadowsky pulled goalie Matt Skoff a couple of times, trying to give his team a two-man advantage. The Gophers had two shots on the open goal before the third one cost the team any chance at making a comeback. Justin Kloos put in the empty netter to extend the lead to 5-0 with 10:33 left in the game.

With six minutes left in the game PSU gave up a short-handed goal to Hudson Fasching. It was the third short handed goal for Minnesota in the game. Penn State had allowed only two short handed goals all season through the first 19 games.

Vince Pedrie finally got Penn State on the board with four minutes left in the game. The goal was assisted by Dylan Richard and David Goodwin.

Minnesota would immediately answer when Ryan Norman beat Skoff to regain the six-goal lead 7-1.

Stars of the Game

First Star- Eric Schierhorn, goalie, Minnesota. 29 saves.

Second Star- Justin Kloos, forward, Minnesota. One goal, three assists.

Third Star- Vince Pedrie, defense, Penn State. Goal.