Early deficit leads to Penn State hockey loss to Clarkson in season opener

It was hardly the ideal way to start a season for the Penn State hockey team.

Clarkson’s Marly Quince scored just 14 seconds into the game Friday night at Cheel Arena as the Golden Knights upended the No. 10 Nittany Lions 2-1.

Brandon Biro netted the only score for Penn State, which lost for the first time on opening night since 2012, the first season for the program at Division I.

Peyton Jones made 19 saves in the loss, as Penn State resumed its typical style of play of peppering the opposing goalie. The Lions outshot the Knights 39-21.

The one Jones and Penn State would love to have back was the game’s first shot. A turnover led to an odd-man rush for Clarkson, with Juho Jokiharju setting up Quince near the right faceoff dot for the early score.

The lead was doubled at 13:24 of the second period with a Kelly Summers wrist shot from the blue line through traffic.

A penalty led to Biro’s power-play score 76 seconds later, tipping in Kris Myllari’s wrist shot. They were 1 for 4 with a man advantage Friday.

Penn State kept up the pressure, with Jones pulled for an extra attacker for nearly the final two minutes of the game, but could not draw even.

Another sore spot for the Nittany Lions was a 40-27 deficit in faceoffs to the Knights after being one of the nation’s best teams on the draw last season.

Penn State stays in New York’s “North Country” for a 7 p.m. Saturday visit to St. Lawrence.

This story was originally published October 7, 2017 at 12:47 AM with the headline "Early deficit leads to Penn State hockey loss to Clarkson in season opener."