No. 4 Penn State lost its first eight Big Ten games last season before embarking on a Frozen Four run.
But coach Guy Gadowsky didn’t plan to change his approach this season. He hoped his team, which entered Thursday on a five-game winning streak, would follow suit.
Gadowsky’s squad did just that in its 3-2 win over No. 17 Ohio State on Thursday. The Nittany Lions earned their first Big Ten victory of the 2025-26 campaign, a mark they didn’t reach until Janurary last season.
Broten Sabo ripped a slap shot off Dane Dowiak’s leg and above Kevin Reidler’s blocker to open the scoring. Sabo’s tally, which gave Ohio State a 1-0 lead less than two minutes into play, ended Penn State’s three-game streak of scoring first.
Unlucky bounces continued to haunt the Nittany Lions. Charlie Cerrato’s wrist shot dinged off the far post and sprang a counterattack, which caused Matt DiMarsico to slash a Buckeyes forward.
Fifty-four seconds later, Ohio State doubled its lead on the power play. Riley Thompson found real estate in the crease and deflected Davis Burnside’s one-timer past Reidler for a 2-0 advantage.
As if two tough breaks weren’t enough, Gavin McKenna’s goal was disallowed due to goaltender interference. The referees ruled that Shea Van Olm’s contact inside the crease had prevented Kristoffer Eberly from playing his position.
Ohio State led 2-0 at the first intermission — an advantage termed “the most dangerous lead in hockey.” That statement proved true for Penn State through its first eight games, as it erased three multi-goal deficits en route to a 7-1 record.
An interesting sequence occurred in the second period when Thomas Weis’s breakaway chance was saved by Reidler’s left skate. The junior forward thought the puck crossed the goal line, and the referees agreed, reversing the call after an Ohio State challenge.
The caveat: Weis pushed Reidler’s pad into the net with his stick, which prompted a Penn State challenge for goaltender interference. The call was once again overturned to no goal.
“Overtrated!” chants rained down inside the Schottenstein Center as the Buckeyes earned their fourth penalty kill of the contest. They led 18-16 in shots, held a 2-0 lead and owned the momentum.
That is, until JJ Wiebusch silenced the crowd with his 10th goal of the season. Mac Gadowsky saucered a cross-ice pass to McKenna, who one-touched the puck to an awaiting Wiebusch. The nation’s leading scorer patiently dribbled around a sprawled-out Eberly before hitting the open net to make it a 2-1 game.
Penn State outshot the Buckeyes 16-6 in an improved second period. It came close to the equalizer several times but couldn’t break through.
Enter the “grit line.”
Nic Chin-DeGraves fought for position in front of Ohio State’s net before kicking a loose puck onto the stick of Dane Dowiak. Penn State’s captain backhanded the puck past Eberly to knot the contest at 2-2.
The blue and white had climbed back once again. But the job wasn’t finished.
Guy Gadowsky said Monday he wanted his team to find its edge, to find its identity — one of grit and hard work. His players responded.
After extended offensive zone pressure, Luke Misa found a loose puck, toe-dragged and rifled a wrist shot into the top-left corner to beat Eberly blocker-side and give Penn State a 3-2 lead. It marked the freshman forward’s first collegiate goal.
For the fourth time this season, the Nittany Lions had erased a two-goal deficit to retake the lead. And after clutch saves from Reidler on Ohio State’s 5-on-3 power play, Penn State extended its winning streak to six games and improved its record to 8-1-0.
Up Next:
Penn State returns at 6:30 p.m. Friday against Ohio State.
Injury Report:
Aiden Fink left in the third period after taking a big hit and didn’t return.
MORE HOCKEY COVERAGE
For the fourth-straight week, a Nittany Lion is the recipient of a Big Ten Weekly Award.
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