No. 2 Penn State Hockey Tops Alaska-Anchorage 6-3

Scoring Summary

Shots On Goal

David Goodwin has always focused on creating scoring chances for his teammates.

While he would have liked to pick up a goal for his milestone moment, it was more fitting that it came from a beautiful pass to set up a magnificent goal. With a pair of assists in the No. 2 Nittany Lions’ 6-3 win over Alaska-Anchorage, Goodwin became the first Penn State player to record 100 career points in the blue and white.

Goodwin was quick to shift the focus from himself following the game.

“It’s a huge honor. I really appreciate all the teammates I’ve played with over the years. I’ve been fortunate to have great linemates all the way from freshman year to this year,” he said.

Goodwin’s first assist of the night came on a power play tally by Chase Berger. Goodwin connected on a pass with Trevor Hamilton, who hesitated long enough to get Seawolves’ goalie Olivier Mantha out of position. Hamilton then slid the puck to Berger, who was waiting with a wide-open net to shoot at.

Kris Myllari picked up his first career goal just 24 seconds later, floating a wrist shot from the point past Mantha’s blocker.

With a minute and a half left in the period, Goodwin found his way onto the score sheet once again. Goodwin found Vince Pedrie open at the left point. The sophomore defenseman inched closer to the goal before firing a slap shot on Mantha. Berger, stationed in front of the Seawolves’ netminder, tipped the puck through his legs for his second goal of the game.

“[I] really wanted to shoot and score for my 100th, but I thought it would be better for the team to dish it off,” Goodwin said.

The goal capped off what coach Guy Gadowsky felt was actually a subpar period by the team’s standards. The Lions ended up out-shooting the Seawolves 11-4 in the opening frame, but Gadowsky thought his squad started the game flat and felt lucky to escape the opening period with a lead of any sort, let alone a 3-0 lead.

“Although [the Seawolves] only had four shots, I thought they could have easily had three goals,” he said.

That score held up for the remainder of the first and most of the second period. A power play late in the middle frame gave the Lions the opportunity to extend their lead. A quick passing play ensured that happened.

Dylan Richard nudged the puck to freshman Denis Smirnov, who rifled a cross-ice pass to Pedrie. With a gaping cage in front of him, Pedrie fired a laser to the back of the net, giving the Lions a 4-0 lead.

Early in the third period, Peyton Jones’s bid for his second shutout of the season came to an end as Jarrett Brown fired a shot over the freshman netminder as he tried to regain his position.

Ricky DeRosa responded quickly for the Lions, taking a pass from Nate Sucese and going from the backhand to the forehand before tucking the puck past Mantha.

The Seawolves cut the lead to three with another power play tally midway through the final frame. Tad Kozun gathered in the rebound of a Nicolas Erb-Ekholm shot and jammed the puck past Jones.

Just over five minutes later, Myllari found himself on a two-on-one with Smirnov. The Russian forward saucered the puck to Myllari, who fired a shot between Mantha’s body and arm as it squeaked into the goal.

Myllari has spent the season on the Lions’ third defensive pairing, alongside either senior David Thompson or fellow freshman James Gobetz. Gadowsky has relied on that pairing to act as a shutdown duo.

“I definitely wouldn’t say a scoring touch is one of my things,” Myllari said. “But that was just a great pass. [Smirnov] did all the work. I just had to put my stick on the ice and put it home.”

In the dying seconds of the game, Tad Kozun notched his second goal of the game, firing a rebound past Jones’s glove with just 10.6 seconds remaining.

The two squads face off again Saturday night at 7 p.m.