Penn State hockey falls to No. 5 Minnesota in series opener
Penn State Nittany Lions hockey suffered its fourth consecutive defeat, falling 3-1 to No. 5 Minnesota on Friday night.
The Gophers pulled ahead early via Rhett Pitlick, before Ryan Kirwan put Penn State back on level terms before the end of the first period.
Jack Perbix capitalized on a mistake to score the eventual game winner for the Gophers late in the second, then sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
The defining moment
Penn State fought hard to kill a pair of Minnesota penalties in the second period, containing the Gophers well on the first attempt and scrambling a bit on the second — completing the task nonetheless.
One errant pass undid all the Nittany Lions’ hard work.
Ben Copeland whipped a pass from the corner right to Minnesota forward Colin Schmidt, who was stationed on the blue line.
He skated it toward the Nittany Lion goal, then dished it off to Jack Perbix, who tapped it into an open net for Minnesota’s second goal.
“We had full control and had to either make a play or a safe play and we chose neither,” Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky said.
Gadowsky felt the timing of the mistake was crucial, noting that it deflated the Nittany Lions.
“Our penalty kill was was pretty good,” he said. “You can gain some momentum off that. That took the life out of it. Momentum is a real thing and we have to control it much better.”
One big thing
For the Nittany Lions, this was yet another painful lesson in what it takes to win this type of game.
It’s not that Penn State played badly. Chances were probably spread just about even between the two teams.
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There have been plenty of games that followed a similar script for the Nittany Lions this season. Time after time, PSU lacks the cutting edge, something Gadowsky attributed — as he often does — to emotional immaturity.
The Nittany Lions took three penalties to Minnesota’s one Friday night. They missed the net on several occasions with shots from the slot. The game was decided on a totally avoidable defensive zone turnover.
It wouldn’t be incorrect to say that Penn State hasn’t gotten the rub of the green this season, that the majority of these coin flips haven’t gone its way.
But when it happens repeatedly as it has this year, there has to be an acknowledgement that something’s missing.
In Penn State’s case, it’s a little bit of everything.
Gadowsky was troubled not by the result, he said, but by the avenue Penn State took to defeat. The Nittany Lions simply beat themselves way too often.
“We’re a little inexperienced and fragile, and that happened again today,” Gadowsky said. “We find ways to shoot ourselves in the foot.
“We have to grow up.”
Penn State and Minnesota goal-scorers
UM: Rhett Pitlick (4) from Sam Rossini (1) and Ryan Johnson (15) at 6:42 of the first period
PSU: Ryan Kirwan (10) from Carson Dyck (8) and Kevin Wall (12) at 19:01 of the first period
UM: Jack Perbix (4) from Colin Schmidt (1) at 15:22 of the second period
UM: Jack Perbix (5) from Blake McLaughlin (17) and Sammy Walker (11) at 19:54 of the third period (ENG)
Next up for Penn State
Penn State hosts the Gophers looking to rebound Saturday at 6:00 p.m.
