Penn State hockey’s Gavin McKenna won’t face suspension, set to play in next game
Penn State men’s hockey will not suspend Gavin McKenna after he was charged with simple assault and summary offenses of harassment and disorderly conduct, head coach Guy Gadowsky said Wednesday afternoon.
“Gavin will participate in all, continue to participate in, all athletic-related activities,” Gadowsky said.
Gadowsky declined further comment due to the situation being an “ongoing legal process.”
Gadowsky’s press conference, where he also spoke about the Nittany Lions’ upcoming matchup with Michigan, was the first time he or anyone from the university has spoken publicly about the incident that drew national headlines. A Penn State men’s hockey spokesperson told the CDT last week that “we are aware that charges have been filed; however, as this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not have any further comment.”
McKenna was originally charged with felony aggravated assault but that charge was dropped by Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna, who said a review of footage did not support the charge.
McKenna is accused of breaking a 21-year-old man’s jaw on Jan. 31 in downtown State College, hours after the 18-year-old Canadian scored a goal in an overtime loss to Michigan State in front of nearly 75,000 fans in Beaver Stadium.
Borough police said in an affidavit of probable cause that the man had surgery to repair fractures to both sides of his jaw and was missing a tooth. Cantorna said Friday that only one side of the man’s jaw was fractured and that he is not missing a tooth.
He then told reporters that his office did not see the documentation until after charges were filed.
A source with knowledge of McKenna’s perspective previously told the Centre Daily Times that the man began heckling McKenna and his mother after the game, and the situation escalated when the person began name-calling his mother.
In last week’s press conference, Cantorna largely declined to shed light on what led to the alleged fight, but said a verbal argument “never is justification for physical violence against another human being, let alone physical violence that results in a fractured jaw and surgery.”
Gadowsky declined to comment on what McKenna told him about the incident.
McKenna’s preliminary hearing was moved from Feb. 11 to March 11 — the first day of the Big Ten Tournament. Gadowsky said he was unaware of how the legal process would impact McKenna’s status moving forward.
The Nittany Lions play No. 2 Michigan Friday and Saturday on the road, their first games since charges were filed against McKenna.
Reporter Bret Pallotto contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 4:13 PM.
