Penn State men’s hockey ended a historic season by climbing from the bottom of the Big Ten standings to the Frozen Four. The Nittany Lions capped off a 22-win year and finished in the top five of the national polls.

However, for head coach Guy Gadowsky, one of the greatest changes of the season wasn’t found on the scoreboard. It was in the values and lessons the team learned along the way.

The team’s commitment to positivity and accountability throughout the year became its cornerstone for success, even at its lowest points. The team’s willingness to commit stood out to Gadowsky.

“A lot of people talk about it, but to actually do it, whether it’s in everyday life or in a locker room, takes serious commitment,” he said.

By January, with the team sitting at the bottom of the Big Ten standings, the hockey world considered the Nittany Lions out. However, inside the locker room, the story was different.

“No one gave us a shot,” Gadowsky said. “So the fact that we ended up going to the Frozen Four from that made people curious about how it was done. It was not done through changing systems or concepts, or we weren’t able to bring in any new players. It was done by them.”

Instead of folding under pressure, Penn State shifted gears toward leadership, accountability, and a belief that the season could be saved. Veteran leadership played a major role, especially from Carson Dyck.

“I don’t think we get out of the basement without Carson Dyck, let alone go to the Frozen Four,” Gadowsky said.

With the dramatic overtime win in Allentown, Penn State punched the ticket to St. Louis to compete in the Frozen Four for the first time. However, Gadowsky said the team knows next time it reaches the Frozen Four, the celebration will be different.

“One of the players said, in the future, we will celebrate less and look at it more as an opportunity,” he commented.

Despite the disappointing finish to the Frozen Four, the team looks ahead to the future. Four of the team’s top five scorers will return next season, yet Gadowsky isn’t focused on the points alone.

“That’s a nice problem to have, for sure,” Gadowsky said. “So that’s certainly one aspect of it, but it is not the whole story at all.”

The transfer portal is a major factor for the Nittany Lions, especially this offseason. Notably, Mac Gadowsky, the head coach’s son, announced he was transferring to Penn State. Though the move wasn’t planned, it felt like the right fit for the State College native.

“There was never a plan to coach him or a desire to, but he loves Penn State and he loves the Roar Zone,” Gadowsky said. “It’s just the way things worked out.”

Gadowsky also commented on the departure of Arsenii Sergeev and the arrival of his potential replacement. Kevin Reidler recently transferred in from Omaha, showing a striking resemblance to Sergeev.

“I hate to put this on him, but he sort of is like Arsenii 2.0. He’s very tall. He’s an NHL Draft choice,” he said. “I think the thing that put us over the top with him is what everybody said about him as a teammate.”

As Penn State men’s hockey looks ahead, the team will work to build upon the positivity they created, especially in the lowest moments. With the leadership group moving on, Gadowsky is confident the new group will be prepared to step up.

“I don’t want to say anything to influence the team, but I do think that I feel really good about our leaders,” he said. “I really think, for guys that value leadership and want to learn to be leaders, the fact that they got to learn from them, I think, is really, really valuable.”