Why Penn State hockey’s win vs. Minnesota in Big Ten tournament should give fans hope
By the time Aiden Fink fired a shot over Luca Di Pasquo’s left shoulder and into the net with 12:04 left in the third period, Penn State men’s hockey’s win over Minnesota was well in hand. But that goal, the fifth for Penn State in a 6-2 win, proved a lot for this team. It showed the group was willing to keep its foot on the gas.
And that wasn’t always the case of late.
Very little had gone PSU’s way over the last couple of weeks, with three losses in four games including two to Wisconsin that put the team on the precipice of not making the NCAA tournament.
Wednesday night was the ultimate test of the team’s mettle. A loss and Penn State would’ve likely been on the outside looking in, with its most anticipated season in the program’s short history ending with a whimper. But a win, and the team could nearly sew up its chances of making the tournament.
And, for 60 minutes on the ice, the team did more than pass the test — it gave fans hope that the season could still be as special as was once anticipated.
“I think sometimes we were getting a little bit too lax,” junior forward Matt DiMarsico said after the win. “I think just having a really good team reset over the weekend, had a good team meeting, just kind of refocused everybody. And I think it showed, honestly, the entire game that when our backs are against the wall, we’re gonna play our best hockey.”
That begins and ends with phenom Gavin McKenna, who picked up his 50th point of the year with an assist on Fink’s goal. Because for as much talent as there is on the roster, there would not be this level of hype without the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. He is the sun the group orbits, and he will ultimately have the biggest say in how this all ends.
Which makes his play of late even more important. Because it’s not just about the highlights — it’s about what he’s doing when nobody is paying attention, too.
“He’s a difference maker,” head coach Guy Gadowsky said when asked about how McKenna raises the team’s ceiling. “He’s playing at a really high level. You saw the plays he made but, man, did he play for the team tonight. And I’m not so sure you guys see when he changes, when he back-checks, his stick, he does so much more than I think what you’re referring to.
“He is a difference maker. But that line, with (Reese) Laubach and Aiden Fink and Gavin McKenna did so much tonight without the puck to win for the team that I don’t think will get noticed by the fans. But you saw, this kid is world class.”
Setting that tone is vital for the Nittany Lions as the postseason continues. It’s inching closer to do-or-die time for Penn State. All of the pomp and circumstance has to turn into wins. It’s what came with being one of the national title contenders heading into the season while having the top prospect in the upcoming draft, but it’s going to be a large part of what defines this team.
That’s what expectations can do. This program has never dealt with them at quite this level, nor has Gadowsky as a head coach. Which is why, for as helpful as McKenna is on the ice, he may be just as helpful off it.
“I think we’ve learned a lot, myself and our staff, and I’ve said this before, but I think a lot of what we learned has actually come from watching Gavin,” Gadowsky said. “It really is. He’s the only who’s dealt with a lot of distractions and eyeballs and what’s written and said. And how he does it has been really educational and inspiring.
“And that’s the truth, for me personally and our staff. He knows what’s up. He cares about what this team does. ... He has a great way of just being confident in his values, what he stands for and what he can control. And I really do think that as a program we have learned a lot from being put in this situation for really the first time since making the Frozen Four and by watching him.”
His first and only college season has been tumultuous at times, but McKenna has stayed steady. And as the end draws near, he seems to be peaking on the ice, playing at a level necessary for those national championship hopes to become real. And so are the rest of the Nittany Lions.
They left it all on the ice Wednesday night, in what will likely be their final game of the season in Pegula Ice Arena.
And, if all goes well, the next time they play there, they could be raising a banner into the rafters.
