Penn State men’s hockey looking for ‘formula for success’ against Notre Dame this weekend

It’s simple math — score more goals and win the game.

There’s just nothing simple about hockey in the Big Ten Conference, though, and at this time of year the math always matters.

That’s both the game-by-game, we-have-more-goals-than-you kind as well as the scoreboard-watching, higher-level formula that impacts berths in the NCAA Tournament.

With eight games remaining in the regular season, both No. 8 Penn State and unranked Notre Dame know the math. Their work on it will play out before some 6,200 fans twice this weekend, Friday and Saturday nights at Pegula Ice Arena.

It will not be easy.

“I absolutely have never been in a league that’s as competitive night in and night out as the Big Ten. That’s fact, absolutely 100%,” Gadowsky said. “That forces you to approach things a little differently.”

For Penn State, differently means bringing a defensive mentality to offense. Gadowsky wants his team to get into the offensive zone, stay there a bit and impose its will as necessary.

Some traffic in front of the opposing goalie helps, too.

“That’s a formula for success against all goalies, not only for us, but a lot of teams try to get that on Peyton Jones or anybody else,” Gadowsky said. “The teams that do it well consistently are the ones that give themselves the best chance of success.”

Penn State has 17 victories with eight games remaining in the regular season. Last season it produced 19 regular season victories — eventually getting to 22 through the playoffs and just missing the NCAA Tournament after losing to Notre Dame in the conference championship game.

A few victories in the eight conference games that remain would be vital for the Nittany Lions.

Notre Dame might be even more desperate for some victories. It’s fourth in the conference standings, just holding the final spot for a hosting a series when the conference playoffs begin the first weekend in March.

Coach Jeff Jackson said his team has been decent but not great on the road this season (proven by its 3-5-3 road record), and that the Fighting Irish hope to compile as many points as possible in the conference standings with eight games remaining.

What they’ll need to differently might start with their power play, where they’ve converted on 16 of 77 chances (20.8%) in 26 games. That’s actually the nation’s 20th-best number, but not good enough for Jackson.

“That’s the biggest detriment to our team and we have to find a way to get over that,” Jackson said. “We have to keep working with it and try to get guys to understand we have to do a better job blocking pucks and picking up people around the net.”

No. 8 Penn State (17-8-1, 9-6-1 Big Ten) vs. Notre Dame (11-11-4, 6-7-3)

Game: 6 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday

Radio/TV: Game coverage on 103.1 FM and GoPSUsports.com, with Friday’s game televised by BTN.

Notable: Notre Dame leads the series, 9-5-2 overall and 3-2-1 at Pegula Ice Arena. … Notre Dame split its home series with Wisconsin last weekend. … Saturday’s game has been dubbed “Happy Valley White Rush” — a hockey whiteout with sweaters modeled on Penn State football uniforms. The game-worn sweaters will be sold online (GoPSUsports.com) after the game to benefit Hockey Coaches Care and Thon.