No. 18 Penn State men’s hockey (4-4, 0-3 Big Ten) fell to Wisconsin (3-8, 2-5 Big Ten) in a 5-4 overtime loss as it debuted new throwback jerseys.

Four different Penn State players found the back of the net, with Danny Dzhaniyev scoring the fourth goal to force overtime with just 50 seconds remaining in regulation. Arsenii Sergeev made 27 saves in the loss.

How It Happened

Wisconsin struck first on a deflection off the stick of Ryland Mosley at 3:31 of the opening period. Quinn Finley fired a shot toward the net from the half wall, and Mosley deflected it past Sergeev’s blocker.

After more extended zone time from the Badgers, Penn State was called for the game’s first penalty, with Dylan Lugris getting sent to the box for hooking at 7:59. Wisconsin possessed the puck for nearly the entire power play but tested Sergeev just one time, and the Nittany Lions killed off the penalty.

The first scoring chance for Penn State came courtesy of Aiden Fink, who picked up a loose puck and got in all alone in front of Tommy Scarfone. Fink opted for an elevated wrist shot, which Scarfone fought off to keep the Badgers in front.

Penn State had another good look off the stick of Matt DiMarsico, who dangled around a Wisconsin defender and got in alone on Scarfone. Once again, the Badgers goalie made a strong save to hold the Nittany Lions scoreless.

The Nittany Lions were rewarded for their constant pressure with a power play, as Anthony Kehrer was sent to the box for tripping at 18:03. After nearly scoring earlier in the period, Fink got his goal on a wrist shot from the right circle that went over the glove of Scarfone to tie the game at one. Simon Mack and Reese Laubach had the assists on the power play goal.

Just one minute after Fink’s goal, the forward drew a penalty to send Penn State back to the power play. Christian Fitzgerald was sent off for holding Fink at center ice and wrestling him to the ground.

Penn State couldn’t score before the end of the period, but it had 1:22 of carryover time on the power play at the beginning of the second period.

The puck dropped to start the second period, where Penn State had a few solid chances on the remainder of its power play. Scarfone made the necessary saves to help the Badgers kill off the Fitzgerald penalty.

After the unsuccessful power play, Penn State controlled play for much of the first half of the period, generating more solid scoring chances.

Wisconsin nearly scored off of a two-on-one with just over eight minutes remaining in the period, but Sergeev made a highlight-reel lunging glove save on Finley to keep the game tied. Just 30 seconds later, the Penn State netminder made a second outstanding save on a deflected puck from the slot.

The Badgers continued to control play in the Penn State zone, and they finally capitalized on a quick one-timer off the stick of Sawyer Scholl that beat a lunging Sergeev. Tyson Dyck and Kehrer had the assists on the go-ahead goal at 13:18 of the period.

Penn State needed to kill its second penalty of the evening after Jarod Crespo was sent to the box for slashing just one minute after the Wisconsin goal. Once again, the Nittany Lions turned in a strong kill and the teams returned to full strength.

Just 20 seconds after Penn State killed off its penalty, Wisconsin struck again. Cody Laskosky fired a wrist shot under the blocker of a screened Sergeev to extend the Badgers’ lead to two at 16:43.

Needing two goals to tie, Penn State headed to the power play after Jack Phelan was sent to the box for holding. This time, it was the Badgers who delivered a strong penalty kill and Phelan skated out of the box.

Thirty seconds remained in the middle period of play after the penalty expired, and the final horn of the period sounded with Wisconsin still ahead by two goals.

The Nittany Lions opened the final period of play with a bang, as Charlie Cerrato beat Scarfone to cut Wisconsin’s lead to one. JJ Wiebusch delivered a nice cross-ice pass to Cerrato, who was parked in front of the net and inadvertently knocked the puck in with his skate.

Wisconsin was awarded its third power play of the game at 2:49, with Fink getting sent to the box for tripping. The Badgers nearly scored after a one-timer from Mosley in the slot rang off the left post, but Penn State survived to kill the remainder of the penalty.

After the strong kill, Penn State struck again. Ben Schoen scooped up a loose puck in the slot and fired a wrist shot inside of the right post to tie the game at 6:25 of the third period.

Guy Gadowsky issued a coach’s challenge for possible head contact, but the referees determined no penalty would be assessed to the Badgers, and play continued at full strength.

After Penn State nearly had a breakaway, Wisconsin immediately went back down the ice and retook the lead at 11:20. Ryan Botterill fired a sharp-angle shot past Sergeev, with Simon Tassy and Scholl nothing the assists.

Needing a goal to tie, the Nittany Lions were awarded their fourth power play of the contest after Finley was sent to the box for tripping. Laubach had the only scoring chance of the power play on a shot from the slot that was fought off by Scarfone, and the Badgers killed the penalty to maintain their lead.

Gadowsky opted to pull Sergeev for an extra skater with just over two minutes remaining in the game. With just under one minute left in the period, Mosley was sent to the box for holding and Penn Stated headed back to the power play.

Just nine seconds into the penalty, the Nittany Lions pulled through to tie the game. Danny Dzhaniyev deflected a shot from the point off the stick of Mack through the five-hole of Scarfone. Neither team was able to score before the end of regulation, sending the game to overtime.

The teams traded scoring chances in the opening two minutes of overtime, with Penn State having the best opportunity on a two-on-one. With just over a minute left in overtime, Daniel Laatsch fought past Fink and fired a shot past Sergeev to win the game for the Badgers.

Takeaways

• Fink turned in yet another good performance, as the sophomore scored his third goal of the season in the first period and Penn State’s first power-play goal since the second game of the St. Lawrence series in late October.
• After two periods of being unable to capitalize on scoring chances, the Nittany Lions came alive in the third period of regulation. Goals from Cerrato, Schoen, and Dzhaniyev powered Penn State’s comeback bid as the team dominated nearly the entire period.
• Despite allowing five goals, Sergeev once again looked good in between the pipes. The Penn State netminder robbed a handful of Wisconsin scoring chances to keep the Nittany Lions within striking distance.

What’s Next

The Nittany Lions will face off against the Badgers in game two of their weekend series at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 16. For those who cannot make it to Pegula, the game will be streamed on BTN+.