Is the hype over Penn State men’s hockey premature? If the first two games are any indication, probably not.

After their sweep against No. 15 Arizona State, the Nittany Lions are looking to continue running with the momentum they gained at the end of last season. Along with that momentum came newfound confidence. The team finally clicked and meshed together in the second half of the 2024-25 campaign. Head coach Guy Gadowsky is thrilled that the team is carrying what they learned into the new season.

“There is more of a confidence that we don’t have to go through that this year,” he said. “I think the guys have a lot of confidence to come out earlier than going 0-9 and then figuring it out.”

Key players like Gavin McKenna, Matt DiMarsico, and Charlie Cerrato set the early tone for the rest of the series and maybe even the rest of the season. McKenna recorded his first goal in game two, which happened to be the game-winning goal to secure the sweep. DiMarsico recorded his first career hat trick in game one. Cerrato scored twice and had four assists, earning himself the Big Ten’s First Star of the Week.

To put it simply, the offense is buzzing.

There was no doubt that McKenna was going to light up the ice offensively, and he is already leaving his mark on Penn State hockey. Gadowsky has already dubbed him the “clutch” guy and described his shot to secure the win as “fitting” for McKenna.

The freshman phenom dealt with a lot of hate from the Mullet Maniacs of Arizona State. Anytime McKenna touched the puck, boos came from the crowd.

How did he silence them? He scored and held up the ‘forks-down’ gesture.

FORKS DOWN!!#WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/T4SiHDHh0t

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) October 5, 2025

McKenna and the team had to come back twice and rely on chemistry against the Sun Devils, something that Gadowsky is immensely proud of.

“I give the guys a lot of credit because we were down twice. They had to come back to do it twice, and they did,” he said. “I thought they handled themselves extremely well”.

The chemistry between every player comes from one place: having fun. Gadowsky has emphasized that the team’s chemistry derives from the fun they have. He even credits both comebacks over the weekend to the team’s genuine playfulness.

Gadowsky knows that his team is still working out the kinks and getting used to playing with each other, but even then, he enjoys watching his team figure it out.

“We didn’t play our best game without the puck, but a couple of big-time players made some big-time plays with the puck, and it was really fun to watch,” he said.

While there is plenty of outside pressure that could influence the team, including around 57 NHL scouts at opening weekend, Gadowsky knows what his squad needs.

“The more fun you have, and the guys just enjoy each other and have a good time, rather than being serious and pressuring all the time,” he said. “I think everyone else in this group appreciates that.”