"This is absolutely the best D-core that we have ever had" - Penn State's blueline finds itself in the spotlight

Coming off an overtime loss to Michigan in the Allentown Regional Final, question marks surrounding the forward core of Penn State shrouded the team with uncertainty heading into preseason media.

However, the defensive core was not masked with uncertainty but rather a newfound confidence, one the coaching staff hasn’t seen anything like.

“If I can quote coach [Keith] Fisher, this is absolutely the best D-core that we have ever had,” head coach Guy Gadowsky said.

A D-core that returns six Nittany Lions from a season prior, including a trio of sophomore defensemen who made a major impact as freshmen.

“We had freshmen that came into this program last year that had ups and downs,” Gadowsky said. “And by the end of the year, all of them were playing huge roles and really contributing to a team that was very close to going to the Frozen Four.”

Two of those defensemen, Carter Schade and Jarod Crespo, had slow starts to their freshman campaigns but blossomed when they were put on a pairing together near the halfway point of the season.

Schade and Crespo saw extensive minutes of ice time during the second half of conference play, including during the Allentown Regional Final against some of the top collegiate hockey players.

After getting a full season of play behind them, Crespo said he, Schade and Dylan Gratton, feel comfortable to “play whatever game is best for us and stick to our identities.”

“I think they really benefited from the experience that they had,” Gadowsky said. “At the end of the year, they played their best hockey and I think that’s a big reason why our team was so good at the end of the year.”

Alongside the sophomores are three seniors, including newly appointed captain Christian Berger, who led the team with 70 blocked shots last season.

Berger joins Simon Mack and Jimmy Dowd Jr. as veteran leaders on the back end, a back end that both Berger and Dowd Jr. echoed similar thoughts as to those of coach Fisher.

“I think we’ve got great, great [defensemen] back there and I think everyone is very competitive back there as well,” Berger said. “So I have high hopes.”

“I mean, I don’t know what their D-cores have been like in the past,” Dowd Jr. said. “But I do believe that this is the strongest D-core that we’ve had in my four years of being here.”

Joining the mix of sophomore and senior talent are two newcomers, freshman Casey Aman and graduate student Tanner Palocsik.

Aman, reigning from Johnstown, Pa., notched 10 goals and 35 points in 54 games for the Powell River Kings of the BCHL last season, leading all Kings defensemen and ranked 11th amongst all BCHL defensemen.

Despite never skating as a Nittany Lion yet, the 6-foot defenseman has received high praise amongst teammates.

“That kid is going to do some really special things here during his four years,” Dowd Jr. said. “His development from when I saw him in the summer until now has been more than I thought, and he’s just going to keep getting better and better every day.”

A Dartmouth transfer, Palocsik is another blueliner who adds a scoring touch, leading the Big Green in points last season and averaging over 20 points a season during his four years.

“If you look at what [Tanner’s] done at Dartmouth it’s amazing,” Gadowsky said. “He’s an excellent person that’s fit in really well right away, so we’re excited about our d-core.”

The offensive mentality and firepower that Aman and Palocsik bring to the blue line has trickled down into the rest of the defense’s mentality, according to Berger.

“All of us are good defensively, but everyone wants to push offensively,” Berger said. “I definitely think we could produce offensively from the back end.”

The prospect of added offensive production alongside an already stout shutdown defensive system is tantalizing, but the blue and white know not to get ahead of themselves when the job is far from over.

“I think we just need to get better every day,” Berger said. “I think we’ve been playing well, but we’ve got to develop ourselves every day and be ready for the long season.”

Joshua Bartosik is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jsb6137@psu.edu.