Penn State men’s hockey returns to Pegula Ice Arena after 50 days, defeats RIT

It was officially Senior Night, with a postgame ceremony, but it was more homecoming and healing than anything else for the Penn State men’s hockey team Sunday night at Pegula Ice Arena.

After 50 days away from home — thanks in part to the typical semester break as well as international competition for six team members and the coach — the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions returned home and earned a hard-fought 7-3 decision against RIT before 6,269 fans.

The decision helped Penn State salvage a split in the home-and-home series after RIT secured a 1-0 upset Saturday night in Rochester, New York. The games were the final non-conference series of the season for Penn State.

Forward Aiden Fink, who had been out since late October with a broken thumb, scored the first goal for Penn State on Sunday — an even-strength effort at 9:02 of the first period.

RIT’s Ben Roger responded with his team’s first goal a little over four minutes later.

While RIT kept things close through the first period and a half, outshooting Penn State for a bit and grabbing an advantage in faceoffs while consistently cluttering passing lanes and playing pestering defense and getting its own good offensive chances, a fracas at the end of the period seemed to help the home team adjust its effort. It certainly calmed both teams a bit, which allowed Penn State to find more free space on the ice.

After a frustrating and physical game Saturday (made possible by RIT goalie Jakub Krbecek’s 44 saves and his first career shutout) both teams worked to impose their will Sunday night. Some players on both teams crossed the line as the first period ended, though, and officials doled out game misconducts for Penn State’s Carter Schade as well as RIT’s Mason Croucher.

Penn State scored two goals in the second period — a power-packed one timer on a power play by defenseman Jackson Smith and a nifty shot to the back of the net by Charlie Cerrato after typically effective passing from linemates JJ Wiebsuch and Matt DiMarsico.

Smith scored the team’s game-winning goal on a power play against Minnesota on Nov. 22, Penn State’s last game before its long break.

A third period hat trick from senior Jared Crespo helped make a difficult game look lopsided. One of the three was an empty net goal. Cade Christenson, who was playing his first game at home this season after an injury, also got an empty net tally.

Penn State, which led the nation in penalties for much of the first half of the season, was whistled for eight times for 24 minutes of penalties Sunday. RIT bested that, though, as Christian Catalono’s hooking penalty with just over four minutes remaining in the game pushed the Tigers to 10 penalties for 36 minutes, and he got a game misconduct as well.

During the holiday and semester break, Cerrato, Fink, DiMarsico, Wisbusch and Mac Gadowsky were members of the U.S. Collegiate Selects team that finished second at the historic Spengler Cup, conducted in Davos, Switzerland. Coach Guy Gadowsky led that team.

Forward Gavin McKenna did not play for Penn State during the weekend because he remains active with Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in Minnesota. Canada played in the semifinals later Sunday night.

RIT, which struggles on offense, has earned only one of its 10 victories this season when allowing more than two goals. In addition, the visiting Tigers fell to 0-7 when trailing after two periods.

Goalie Chris McFayden, formerly of the club team and one of the seniors honored in the postgame ceremony, played the final four minutes in net for Penn State.

Penn State plays 10 of its next 16 games at home, beginning with a two-game series against Minnesota this Friday and Saturday.