2023-2024 Penn State men's hockey report card: vs. Michigan State

No. 8 Michigan State rolled into Happy Valley over the weekend and took the sweep in the series against No. 20 Penn State, winning the first game 5-0 and the second game 7-3.

Here’s how the Nittany Lion squad looked on paper from the weekend:

Offense: D+

With the 12 goals Michigan State scored over the weekend, Penn State only netted three, all of which came in the second game.

Aiden Fink, who had a stellar non-conference game against Army West Point the weekend before, scored the first Nittany Lion goal of the series with just under five minutes played in the first period of the second game.

Additionally, Fink is now tied for first on the team in goals, sitting alongside junior Ryan Kirwan.

Jacques Bouquot and Xander Lamppa scored the other two goals, but there wasn’t enough other offensive support to combat the heavy barrage of the Spartan squad on net.

Defense: D

Simple: Penn State was outscored 12-3, including a short-handed goal in the first game.

Michigan State scored four times on odd-man rushes, something coach Guy Gadowsky stressed that the team needs to be more careful with in the future.

There were a few bad turnovers in Penn State’s offensive zone that led to fast breaks, opportunities and goals.

Goaltending: C+

Gadowsky said that the goaltending was something that “we are very disappointed with and have to change,” but also stressed postgame that the losses couldn’t be entirely blamed on the netminders.

After sophomore Noah Grannan was pulled in the first period against Army, senior Liam Souliere has stepped into the net and started two straight games since.

Grannan did not see any action this past weekend.

The Spartans were hungry and collectively put 74 shots on Souliere over the series.

Souliere remained strong when he had to, but the team was unable to help him keep the puck out of his own net.

This was the first time Souliere started a full series since American International College in October 2023, where he was pulled in the second game of the series in favor of Grannan.

Coaching/Special Teams: C-

Michigan State scored twice on the powerplay, once in the first game and once in the second.

However, the Nittany Lions relatively controlled the faceoff circle, winning 44 draws in comparison to Michigan State’s 36 in Game 1.

Gadowsky noted that the loss of junior Chase McLane, who had been taking a majority of faceoffs for Penn State, hurts the team, but he is relying on other individuals to step up in McLane’s absence.

Adrianna Gallucci is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email amg7989@psu.edu.