Click here to subscribe today or Login.
After putting on an offensive show the night before, the third-seeded and No. 11th-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions’ offense couldn’t get going and fell 6-3 to Denver University — the No. 1 team in the nation — in the Midwest Regional Final on Sunday.
Penn State wraps up its record-setting season at 25-12-2 overall, while the Pioneers (31-7-4) move on to the Frozen Four in Chicago to take on Notre Dame on April 6.
“I know it’s tough now, but I (know) our student-athletes and our seniors will look back on this season with a lot of fondness,” said Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky via the team’s Twitter account after the game.
Denver opened the scoring as Jarid Lukosevicius received a pass from behind the net and cut across the crease from right to left finishing with a back-hand effort past the blocker of PSU freshman goaltender Peyton Jones at 3:17 of the first period.
The Pioneers extended the lead to 2-0 on Adam Plant’s wrister through traffic at 7:19 of the first period.
Penn State cut into the deficit on Nikita Pavlychev’s ninth shorthanded goal of the season and second in the last two nights at 15:00 of the first period.
The Lions struck for the equalizer early in the middle frame as freshman Denis Smirnov’s shot deflected off a Denver player and past Pioneer netminder Tanner Jaillet for the 2-2 tie at 2:02 of the period.
The Pioneers responded by scoring three unanswered goals and took a 5-2 advantage heading into the third period.
Penn State scored its final goal of the night on a James Gobetz shot at 12:40 of the third period.
The Nittany Lions were outshot, 28-27, and were unable to capitalize on four man-advantage opportunities including a five-minute major while Denver went 1-for-4 on the power play.
Jones falls to 23-10-2 on the year after collecting 22 saves in the loss.
“The program, and everybody with it, won’t forget this year. It’s been magical. We’ll remember this team forever,” Gadowsky said via the team’s Twitter account.
NOTES
• Penn State falls to 1-8-0 when trailing after two periods and 0-8-0 when allowing five or more goals on the season.
• Penn State held Denver to five shots in the first period while scoring just the second shorthanded goal of the season against the Pioneers.
• Smirnov set a new single-season Penn State freshman goals record with his 19th tally in the second period breaking Andrew Sturtz’ previous record of 18 set just last season.
• Gobetz becomes the 21st Nittany Lion to register a goal on the season and the eighth freshman.
• Kris Myllari and Pavlychev were named to the NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament team.