2025-26 PSU Men's Ice Hockey Thread
- Thread starter Tom McAndrew
- Start date
Meanwhile, MSU beat #1 BU tonight on the road 4-2, while PSU had to go to OT to beat LIU at home.
So far, these Canadian Junior players, including McKenna, haven’t done a whole lot. In fact, Van Olm, who led the WHL in goals last season, doesn’t even have a point this whole season. One line has accounted for almost two thirds of all of the goals. I don’t expect that to continue, but this team has a long way to go to approach the level at which last season’s team played from February onward.
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I’m a bit concerned about this team’s defense when conference play starts. Not sure yet if the goaltending has been consistent enough yet to make up for some of the issues at the blue line.
The top line guys also need to start finding their way offensively as well.
The top line guys also need to start finding their way offensively as well.
PSU plays like the 80s Oilers; it seems like they have to outscore teams to win, which they usually can. However, you have to be able to win some games 3-2 or 2-1 and this team seems to be incapable of doing that.
The Russian goalie covered up for poor defensive play last season, and the new goalies are going to have to do that this season. Hopefully, the big defenseman who’s out at least until Xmas does return.
I expect this team to play better as a team as the season progresses. Right now, most of this team just consists of a lot of talented individuals who haven’t played together. It’s no coincidence that the line that’s accounted for almost two thirds of the goals this season played together last season.
Sample size is still small, and we don’t know how good the opponents are yet as well.
What has jumped out to me are the bad turnovers and the faceoff percentages. The last few games we’ve seen turnovers by Cerrato and McKenna near the blue line in the high offensive zone. While that’s bad, it wasn’t defensemen making those mistakes. That’s probably a byproduct of our offense-first philosophy. Let’s not discount the loss of Christenson here either, and I hope we get him back in the new year.
The faceoff losses are cascading into fewer offensive opportunities. If you’ll recall, Dzhaniyev and Keaton Peters were studs at the dot last season. This season, we are not winning faceoffs at the same clip. Cerrato has fallen from 58 to 53, Dowiak and Laubach are down as well. Chin-Degraves is doing better, but the loss of Peters is being felt.
The good news is clearly the offense. So far they are averaging about seven shots more than last year, and the best news is they are getting stronger as the game goes on, scoring 11 goals in the third period. (Conversely, the slow starts … yeah.)
Let’s also not forget that while the Oilers were a scoring machine, they also had a HoF goalie in Grant Fuhr. I’ll be curious to see if Fleming starts tonight since that’s what Guy did last week. I think close watcher of the team realize that we will need an solid goalie to get to the NCAAs, and then that goalie will need to reach the next level to get to Vegas and win twice there.
It’s still early and they are still tinkering with lines and lineups. We should enjoy the next three games, because conference play starts Oct. 30 in C-bus.
They are holding back not to show too much so the conference teams cannot prepare.
Guy again splits the goalie duties as Fleming gets the start.
JJ Wiebusch opens to scoring by winning a scrum in front of the net!!! 1-0 for a rare early lead.
End first. Two breakaways for LIU in that period but each shot wide. Play has been very chippy thus far.
GOOoOoAAAALLlLl!! Cerrato from Wiebusch and DiMarsico. 22 seconds into the second.
Five minute major game misconduct boarding on LIU, will be two minutes 4on4 due to Smith retaliation. Three minutes AYCE after that. Couple good chances, but no goals.
4on4 for a couple minutes. Fleming has turned away two breakaways this period. Another review now for a major penalty. Game has slowed to a crawl with three reviews in the past few minutes and a long one earlier this period. Still 2-0. No major or any penalty on DiMarsico.
Wiebusch in the box for hooking. Penalty killed and puck practically came onto Wiebusch’s stick as he exited. Unfortunately he could not bury the breakaway but drew a penalty.
JJ Wiebusch opens to scoring by winning a scrum in front of the net!!! 1-0 for a rare early lead.
End first. Two breakaways for LIU in that period but each shot wide. Play has been very chippy thus far.
GOOoOoAAAALLlLl!! Cerrato from Wiebusch and DiMarsico. 22 seconds into the second.
Five minute major game misconduct boarding on LIU, will be two minutes 4on4 due to Smith retaliation. Three minutes AYCE after that. Couple good chances, but no goals.
4on4 for a couple minutes. Fleming has turned away two breakaways this period. Another review now for a major penalty. Game has slowed to a crawl with three reviews in the past few minutes and a long one earlier this period. Still 2-0. No major or any penalty on DiMarsico.
Wiebusch in the box for hooking. Penalty killed and puck practically came onto Wiebusch’s stick as he exited. Unfortunately he could not bury the breakaway but drew a penalty.
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