Scoring Depth Leads to Series Sweep Over Mercyhurst

Story posted October 16, 2022 in CommRadio, Sports by Joshua Bartosik

The day after taking down Mercyhurst 6-3 at Pegula Ice Arena, No. 20 Penn State traveled to Erie, Pennsylvania to complete its home-and-home series with the Lakers.

Four different Nittany Lions would find the back of the net as the blue and white earned the 4-1 victory and series sweep.

Penn State scored first in the fourth straight game to open the season, as senior forward Kevin Wall potted home a rebound with just under three minutes remaining in the first period.

Wall’s goal is his fourth in as many games, tying his career-long goal scoring streak of four and is one game away from tying his career-best point streak.

RPI transfer Ture Linden assisted on the opening strike, giving him a point in each of his first four games as a Nittany Lion.

Early in the second period, the blue and white struck again, this time in the form of captain defenseman Paul DeNaples after forward Tyler Gratton’s wraparound attempt failed.

DeNaples’ goal was the eighth of his career, tying the seventh most by a Penn State defenseman all-time. His tally also put him in sole possession of eighth on Penn State’s all-time points list for defenseman. 

Mercyhurst cut the lead in half early in the third period after a power play tally from Rylee St. Onge, his second goal in as many games.

Less than five minutes later, the Nittany Lions regained their two goal cushion thanks to a 2-on-0 rush by Christian Sarlo and Tyler Paquette that ended in Paquette putting the frozen biscuit in a yawning cage.

North Dakota transfer Ashton Calder sent the puck all the way down the ice into the empty net with just under a minute and a half to play to seal the 4-1 victory for the blue and white.

Junior goaltender Liam Souliere made his second consecutive start, stopping 19-of-20 shots after a rather subpar performance in Thursday’s contest.

Penn State once again lost the special teams battle, going 0-for-1 on the power play while the Lakers went 1-3, something head coach Guy Gadowsky has stressed early in the season.

Another series loss pits Mercyhurst at a dreadful 0-6-0 to start the season, although their record is not indicative of their play early on

The Lakers travel to Clarkson University to take on the Golden Knights next Friday and Saturday. As for Penn State, the Nittany Lions move to 4-0-0 on the season and welcome the St. Thomas Tommies next Thursday and Friday at Pegula.


Joshua Bartosik is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jsb6137@psu.edu.