Penn State Sweeps Ohio in Exhibition Series

Story posted February 3, 2013 in CommRadio, Sports by Tom Zulewski

The Penn State Nittany Lions (10-13) defeated the Ohio Bobcats (22-6-3 ACHA) 5-3 Saturday night at Greenberg Ice Pavilion completing the exhibition series sweep.

Ohio got the scoring open two minutes into the game on a Derek Rahme partial breakaway goal. A little over 30 seconds later Casey Bailey tied the game up at one apiece Bailey received a cross ice pass from Max Gardiner and deposited the puck pass Bobcat goalie Fedor Dushkin shortside, a shot Dushkin would like to have back.

Despite the win, Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky throughout the post game press conference did not satisfied after 60 minutes of play.

“You can look at as a negative the way we started the game,” Gadowsky said. “Not only we’re we down 1-0 again the shots were 10-3 at one point. We have a power play to go ahead and instead we give up a breakaway and we’re down.”

Penn State gave up goals in the first two minutes of every period tonight. That is a troubling sign for a team that will play a nationally ranked Wisconsin in three weeks.   

George Saad would put Penn State ahead 2-1 at the 14:46 mark of the first. The Bobcats would tie the game at two early in the second period as Penn State forward Tommy Olczyk took a holding penalty that led to a Tyler Pilmore power play goal.

Ohio would take the 3-2 lead 38 seconds into the third period on a Brett Agnew breakaway goal. After that goal Penn State defenseman Pete Sweetland said the attitude on the bench was just to keep working hard.

“The message was to just keep going,” Sweetland said. “We were down last night 1-0, down tonight 1-0. So once we were down we got together and just worked our asses off.”  

Nearing the halfway mark of the third period the aforementioned Pete Sweetland tied the game at three with a shot from the point that somehow made it through a maize of players in front.

Penn State then responded with three straight goals including Curtis Loik’s game-winner at 15:06 of the third. Casey Bailey had two goals on the night and Peter Sweetland had three points with one goal and two assists.

Goaltender Matthew Skoff turned aside 34 shots. Coach Gadowsky was pleased with his effort.

“I think he had an awesome day because he had a lot of tough saves at nervous times,” said Gadowsky. “Look it’s easy to play when your not suppose to win and your getting a lot of shots and in the game. It’s tough to play when you’re supposed to win and you’re down and there is not much time left. I think he deserves a lot of credit.”

The Nittany Lions out shot the Bobcats by a 53-37 margin and went 0-for-4 on the power play. Ohio finished 1-for-4 on the man advantage, while Ohio netminder Fedor Dushkin, who allowed four goals, made 48 saves.

Penn State returns to action next weekend with a home weekend series vs. the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers.

Tom Zulewski is senior majoring in journalism. To contact him, e-mail trz5013@psu.edu.