Penn State Hockey: Nittany Lions Skate Past Wisconsin 5-2

Penn State’s men’s hockey team took care of business Friday night as the Nittany Lions knocked off Wisconsin 5-2.

The victory gives Penn State its third straight win against Wisconsin and 14th win of the year.

The Nittany Lions started off the night strong. Tommy Olzcyk scored on a massive rebound just six minutes into the game to give Penn State a 1-0 lead in front of a packed Pegula Ice Arena crowd.

It was back and forth action for the rest of the first period as each team looked to score the game’s next goal. Wisconsin answered Penn State’s opening tally with one of its own just seven minutes later when PJ Musico couldn’t reach out in time to stop the point blank shot. It was only six minutes after Wisconsin’s first tally that the Badgers found another, blasting home a shot behind Musico to take a 2-1 lead with 3:01 to go in the opening frame.

Like so many of Penn State’s games in the Big Ten, early deficits soon turned into tie games and Friday night was no different. Eric Scheid slipped in a goal just over a minute into the second period to knot the game at 2-2.

The even action continued for most of the period and it was Dylan Richard who nearly gave Penn State s 3-2 lead on a shorthanded breakaway but Wisconsin goalie Joel Rumpel stood tall to keep the game even.

David Goodwin made no mistake about it nearly two minutes later to give Penn State a one goal advantage heading into the final frame. Penn State goalie PJ Musico made 20 saves through two periods during a game that was fairly even in the shot count despite Penn State’s penchant to outshoot opponents by a wide margin.

Wisconsin tried to answer early in the third period but a Casey Bailey laser from between the circles nearly ripped a hole in space time itself, giving Penn State a commanding 4-2 lead with 9:13 left in regulation. 

From there it was all Nittany Lions as Penn State defended the lead and cleared pucks from in front of net. Taylor Holstrom added an empty goal tally to give Penn State the final 5-2 margin and bring the Nittany Lions within two points of first place in the Big Ten.

Penn State and Wisconsin are back in action Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m..