Penn State hockey looks to build momentum against Notre Dame after last week’s split

He’s played in just seven of the team’s 16 games, often sitting as a healthy scratch, but Adam Pilewicz has a pretty good sense of the pulse and temperament of the Penn State hockey team.

And, as the Nittany Lions enter the final five series of the regular season, Pilewicz’s determined, focused approach to his own situation might provide an example of some necessary resiliency for his teammates.

Watching more than playing bothers the senior forward from Sewickely, but he knows playing time can be difficult on the talented roster when only 19 skaters can dress for each game. He skated in three games last season after appearing in 14 as a sophomore.

“We’re all adults now so we don’t need to be coddled,” Pilewicz said. “You walk into the rink; you go about your business if you’re in the lineup. If you’re not, you make sure you’re doing the stuff so you’re ready to go if your number is called.”

He’s pragmatic and smart, an industrial engineering major whose hockey career will end when he pulls off his blue-and-white sweater for the last time sometime this spring.

Penn State, which split a series with Wisconsin last week and plays host to Notre Dame starting Thursday, might need a bit more pragmatism in its approach. Coaches and players alike were disappointed with the team’s listless start against the Badgers last weekend. As a result, Penn State split a series it had the potential to sweep.

Coach Guy Gadowsky said the team prepares to be ready to go when the puck drops every game. Still, finding that consistent mentality remains elusive in a competitive conference and an unpredictable game — he often points to the combined vagaries of vulcanized rubber pucks, talented opposing goalies and on-ice officials.

“I’m not shirking responsibility but I think a lot of that is the leadership in the locker room,” Gadowsky said. “It’s not that we just had bad results. We weren’t ready.”

Penn State has gone 8-3 in its last 11 games, earning sweeps against Michigan State and Arizona State as highlights in that run. That has not erased the team’s super slow start, though.

No team can avoid fits and starts. Notre Dame visits Pegula Ice Arena after being swept by No. 7 Michigan at home. In the series before that, the Irish traveled to fourth-ranked Minnesota and recorded a pair of victories.

Penn State (8-8-0, 6-8-0 Big Ten) vs. Notre Dame (7-8-1, 5-6-1)

Series: 6 p.m. Thursday, 6 p.m. Friday

Radio/TV: 103.1 FM and GoPSUsports.com

Notable: Notre Dame leads the all-time series, 10-5-3, and has a 2-0-1 record in the last three meetings. … Notre Dame (18 points) and Penn State (17) sit fourth and fifth, respectively, in the conference standings. … Notre Dame has not lost on the road (4-0) this season. … Penn State’s Connor McMenamin recorded a career-best and tied a program record with a five-point game (one goal, four assists) in the team’s victory over Wisconsin last Friday.