Penn State hockey started out the new year on a positive note, winning a 5-3 barn-burner at Army on New Year’s Day.
After a New Year’s weekend double-header against Maine was canceled due to Covid issues within the Black Bear program, Penn State scrambled to find an opponent but found an open date with the Black Knights in West Point, NY for Jan. 1.
The Nittany Lions took advantage of the extra opportunity, dominating from the start. from the start. Just six minutes into the game, Penn State already had a 2-0 lead as Adam Pilewicz and Tyler Gratton both scored for the Nittany Lions.
Three more goals in the second period from Dylan Lugris, Tyler Paquette and Kevin Wall, respectively, effectively iced the game as halfway into the period, Penn State had a commanding 5-1 lead.
Though Army scored two goals toward the end of the second period, Penn State goalie Oskar Autio stood on his head in the third period, stopping all 10 Black Knight shots for his ninth win of the season.
Eight different Nittany Lions players got on the scoring sheet in the win, with Paquette leading the team with two points (1 G, 1 A) overall.
Unfortunately, a scrap-up late in the game put Penn State a defenseman down going into its next game against Notre Dame as the Big Ten suspended Kenny Johnson one game for clipping.
He and Army forward Colin Bilek got into it after the final horn sounded in the third period. The incident produced three game misconduct penalties in all: Johnson, Bilek and Black Knight defenseman Thomas Farrell.
Those three also all received five-minute majors as a result of the post-game scuffle.
Penn State begins a two-game home weekend series against aforementioned No. 13 Notre Dame on Friday at 7 p.m. EST, available to watch on BTN Plus.
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