How Penn State men’s hockey is handling its back-to-back bye weeks ahead of Big Ten tournament
Last year, Penn State hockey traveled to Columbus to take on the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament.
The Nittany Lions were fresh off a grueling three-game series win over Wisconsin and were going to be tested against a well-rested Ohio State team.
The result, however, was the Nittany Lions dominating a slow, rusty Buckeye team, and it was Penn State that carried on in the tournament.
This season, No. 1 Penn State is the team with the bye week. In fact, the Nittany Lions will have two straight weeks off prior to hosting a Big Ten semifinal game on March 14.
But the Nittany Lions are choosing to look at this 20-day break between games as a positive.
“I know that there are a few individuals that are very happy that we got the bye,” coach Guy Gadowsky said. “There are bumps and bruises this time of the year, and I think — specifically for a few of our guys — I think they are thrilled.
“I think there are a lot of benefits to it and I think as long as we stay focused — and I do believe we have great leadership with that — I am looking at it right now as a positive.”
Two years ago, when the Big Ten switched to the current format of the tournament, where the top seeded team is guaranteed home ice throughout the tournament and a first week bye, Notre Dame rode the No. 1 seed all the way to a conference tournament championship.
And Penn State is working in practice to make sure that this is the result it achieves, not the one of top-seeded Ohio State a year ago.
“I don’t think you can ever simulate a full-game-level experience, especially at Pegula,” forward Alex Limoges said. “So in practice it is just making sure every rep is high intensity. Coach has done a good job labeling different drills, whether this is for execution or more of a conditioning drill, so we know what area to focus on while getting better.
“It’s also doing the little things after practice, working a little harder in the weight room, stuff like that. After a week off my body is feeling pretty good right now, a lot better than it did last Monday.”
Penn State, like the rest of the college hockey, had a lengthy break earlier in the season over the holidays.
The Nittany Lions were off for 18 days, and returned to Pegula with an ugly 3-2 win over Niagara, which is currently rated as the 47th best team in the country, out of the 60 Division I college hockey programs.
In 2018 after the holiday break, Penn State split a road series against Minnesota. In 2017, Penn State also won its first game after the holiday break.
The difference here, however, is that every team had weeks off and experienced the same potential rest and rust. Next Saturday in Pegula, whoever Penn State plays won’t be in a similar situation.
And while Penn State won’t be able to replicate a game in practice, Gadowsky said it’s all about the mental approach that Penn State takes.
“We’ve taken the philosophy that when we take the ice we’re working,” Gadowsky said. “It’s not like we are just coming out to have a good time and fill the day.
“So they are either going to be out of the rink or, if they are here, they are going to be working. That’s the approach we are taking.”
But at the end of the day, Penn State isn’t worried about the potential rest of two straight bye weeks. Instead, it is hoping the reward of rest will propel the Nittany Lions to another Big Ten tournament championship.
“When you aren’t playing you have to make sure you are practicing hard and you are pushing your teammates,” defenseman Cole Hults said. “You have to use it to your advantage, you have to get healthy. Playoffs are tough.
“Your body is hurting and for us to have that two weeks, we can use that to our advantage for sure. And we will have everybody fresh and ready to go.”
