McAdam up to task for PSU’s first shootout win

It took a little less than four years for the Penn State men’s hockey team got to experience something small but important Saturday night.

The Nittany Lions earned the first shootout win in program history, beating Michigan State after the teams skated to a 2-2 tie.

Ricky DeRosa scored the only goal of the shootout, while Eamon McAdam stopped all three shots he faced from the Spartans at the other end of the ice.

“It’s always fun to go into a shootout,” the junior goaltender said Monday at the team’s weekly session with the media. “It’s like a one-on-one battle and it’s just you and the other guy. There’s nothing else. You block everything else out and just focus on that one shot and that one play.”

The win kept the No. 15 Nittany Lions (18-8-4, 8-5-1-1 Big Ten) in the conference hunt and got them five out of a possible six points on the road in the standings.

It sets up another important series for the team — the last home games of the season — hosting Ohio State at 6:30 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday.

With six games left in the conference schedule, the Lions are seven points behind Minnesota and six behind Michigan. It is a long way back to the other three teams in the standings — the Buckeyes, Spartans and Wisconsin.

With the Big Ten race, and possibly an NCAA Tournament berth, at stake, it added to the importance of Saturday’s game.

McAdam savored the moment, especially after losing a shootout to Michigan State last year, when counterpart Jake Hildebrand stopped all three Penn State tries. Despite the added pressure of the moment, McAdam thinks the shootout is easier than trying to make a save in a game because he can block out extraneous factors, and not have to deal with being screened.

It also helped relax the junior to have DeRosa score on Penn State’s second attempt before he had to face the Spartans’ Cody Milan.

“It was nice to know if I stopped it that was going to be it and we were going to seal the deal,” McAdam said. “The guy ended up not even getting a shot on net. I think it was nice (to) kind of have that in the back of my mind that was going to seal the deal if I stopped him there.”

Assistant coach Matt Lindsay, filling in for head coach Guy Gadowsky, who was out of town for his son’s youth hockey tournament, said the team practices shootouts a lot, and picking the skaters can be a combination of who does well in practice and who may have a hot stick that day. DeRosa may not score a lot — just five goals and three assists this season — but he is usually among the best on the team in shootout practice.

Who’s in goal?

Lindsay said there was “a possibility” the team may switch the alternating order of goalie starts this weekend, although the coaches have not yet discussed the plan. McAdam would be scheduled to start Saturday, but with that being Senior Night, senior Matthew Skoff may get the nod.

Shorthanded

For the fourth straight game, the Nittany Lions did not have 12 healthy forwards last weekend. Lindsay did not have any injury updates Monday.

“Pretty early in the week now,” Lindsay said. “Nothing definitive yet.”

He said they are prepared to go without a healthy dozen forwards again. They were a little tired by the end of Saturday’s overtime game, but still muddled through.

“Certainly they’re getting more reps, especially the forwards,” Lindsay said. “I’m sure their legs were a little bit heavy. But once you get into the game, you don’t think about it a whole lot. Were they (tired)? Yes. Did it affect them? I don’t think so.”

Defending Thon champs

After Saturday’s game against the Buckeyes, the hockey team will join many other Nittany Lion squads across the street at the Bryce Jordan Center for the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon. Teams participate in a pep rally for the dancers in the 46-hour dance marathon, each providing a choreographed number.

Last year, the hockey team won the award as top team, decked out in bright green and pink T-shirts and short-shorts, with a few in tights and wigs thrown in. They are eager to defend their crown — and tight-lipped about what to expect.

“It’s pretty under wraps right now,” senior captain David Glen said. “We’ve been practicing hard and hopefully we’ve got some stuff to work out but hopefully it comes together in time.”

Glen also said the team makes a point to stop by at another time to lend their support to the cause.

“Looking forward to it,” Glen said. “Such a great experience.”

Roar Zone on the road

Even with the long drive, a few dozen dedicated students hopped on a bus at 8 a.m. Saturday morning and made it to East Lansing for the game Saturday night, then rode all the way back — with a flat tire along the way — to get home about 23 hours after they left.

They were a small minority in Munn Ice Arena, but were quite vocal and appreciated.

“To essentially have a home crowd-atmosphere environment was huge for the guys,” Lindsay said. “I think that played a huge role in our guys coming out, having a great third period.”

This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 9:27 PM with the headline "McAdam up to task for PSU’s first shootout win."