No. 6 Penn State men’s hockey (5-1-0, 0-0-0 Big Ten) defeated LIU (1-4-0) 3-0 at Pegula Ice Arena on Saturday evening.

J.J. Wiebusch tallied his seventh goal of the season as Josh Fleming notched his first career shutout for the Nittany Lions.

How It Happened

Fleming got the start in net, making it his second straight series finale start for the Nittany Lions.

Charlie Cerrato took the opening draw for Penn State, but an early turnover just 20 seconds in led to a J.R. Perdion breakaway for the Sharks, but his shot sailed left of Fleming.

Just over a minute into play, Gavin McKenna let go of a shot that was partially blocked by Garret Valk on its way towards the net, and went out of play.

LIU quickly gained possession after a Penn State faceoff win and dumped the puck in deep. Fleming almost mishandled the puck but quickly recovered to get back in position before the Nittany Lions took over.

Five minutes into the opening period, Jackson Smith set up Ben Schoen on the edge of the left circle, but Schoen whiffed on the shot attempt.

After the media timeout, Cerrato gained possession and dumped the puck in deep. He then sent a shot on net from the left circle, and after a scramble in front of Duris, Mac Gadowsky gave a whack at the puck. His efforts were turned away, but it was Wiebusch who put the puck past Duris for his seventh goal of the season, putting Penn State in front 1-0.

This line is seriously EN FUEGO!! #WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/LzDcPJoNFi

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) October 18, 2025

Dane Dowiak won the defensive zone faceoff, and after Nic Chin-Degraves looked to chip and chase, he was called for interference at 9:37. The Sharks set up its power play and immediately put two shots on goal, both swallowed by Fleming. LIU took the ensuing faceoff, Carter Bickle put a shot on net, and Noah Serdachny got the rebound but was met with the left pad of Fleming.

McKenna entered the zone from the left side and ripped a shot towards the cage, but was met by the glove of Duris. The final 30 seconds of the Sharks’ power play ticked down as they added one more shot to their power play total.

With just under five minutes remaining in the opening period, Nolan Collins looked to dump the puck in deep, but after the puck took a ricochet off the boards, it sailed right through Duris’ crease with him behind the net.

LIU took a bench minor for too many men on the ice with 4:02 remaining. The Sharks cleared the zone a total of three times before the Nittany Lions got a shot on net. Aiden Fink sent it down low to Cerrato, who circled up to the point and found Jackson Smith, but Smith’s pass to Reese Laubach was just out of his reach.

The Nittany Lions maintained control in the zone, and after multiple shots reached the net, Perdion found himself on another breakaway, also sending his second attempt wide left of Fleming, killing off the final seconds of the minor penalty in the process.

Jarod Crespo entered the zone with under twenty seconds to go and toe-dragged around the defender to get off a shot, but it was turned aside by Duris. LIU won the faceoff and let the final seven seconds of the first quarter tick down.

Penn State won the draw to start the second period. Wiebusch entered the offensive zone on the right side, fed a behind-the-back feed to Matt DiMarsico, who hit Cerrato for the five-hole finish, giving Penn State a 2-0 lead just 22 seconds into the second period.

I mean it's just unfair at this point, this trio is like a videogame!!#WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/xAlJ6ODR5t

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) October 18, 2025

Noah Serdachny took down Crespo near the Penn State student section, and in retaliation, Smith cross-checked Serdachny. Smith was assessed a two-minute minor for cross-checking, and after review, Serdachny was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. Onni Leppanen was sent to the box to serve the penalty 2:23 into the middle frame.

The two teams skated 4-on-4 for the next two minutes before Penn State went on the man advantage. Once on the power play, Fleming sent an outlet pass down to Fink to get set up in the offensive zone. The Nittany Lions generated multiple chances on the power play — two shots from Cerrato and one from Smith — but were unable to add to the existing lead.

Heath Armstrong found himself all alone with Fleming looking to go five-hole, but was met with the pads. The play was stopped shortly after due to the net coming off its moorings. Chin-DeGraves was given his second minor penalty of the game, this time for tripping at 8:52 of the second period. Simultaneously, Chad Muller was called for goaltender interference, sending the game to 4-on-4.

Gadowsky mishandled the puck on the LIU dump-in, resulting in a chance for Isaac Lambert and the Sharks. He cut to the net with the puck, but the shot was turned aside by Fleming.

Both teams returned to even strength shortly after, until Wiebusch was called for roughing at 11:43. The Sharks put together three shots on goal on the power play, but were unable to generate any grade-A scoring opportunities.

Wiebusch caught the puck on his way out of the box in stride and took it towards the net. His shot was turned aside by Duris, but Leppanen was given a two-minute roughing penalty 13:59 into the second. The Nittany Lions were unable to convert on the power play, with the best chance coming shorthanded off the stick of Casey McDonald for LIU, but his tip-in attempt went just wide of the net.

Tensions would rise with just over three minutes to go in the period. Chin-DeGraves was shoved down by Muller, sending Penn State back on the power play after incidental head contact was called on Muller. The very next play ended with a mayhem between Cerrato and Casey McDonald behind Fleming’s net, with the shoving match ending in a Cerrato penalty.

The teams would skate four aside for 1:47 before Penn State killed off the remaining 13 seconds on the Cerrato minor. DiMarsico and Cerrato made one final push before the second period expired, but the top-line pair ran out of time.

Just 2:37 into the third period, the Nittany Lions would go back on the power play after the Sharks were called for a second too many men on the ice bench minor. Smith fired a wrister from the left circle just over a minute into the power play, but the shot deflected up and out of play into the netting.

With 14:34 remaining in the third period, a multitude of penalties were called. Perdion was given a two-minute minor for slashing, with Jaden Dyke and Shea Van Olm each handed two-minute minors for unsportsmanlike conduct, sending Penn Satet back on the man advantage.

After tripping on a stick in the left corner, Fink found Laubach cutting hard to the net, hitting him for the tap-in goal — his first of the season — extending the Nittany Lion lead to 3-0 at 7:41 of the third period.

The powerplay gets one!! Six-straight games with a PPG to open the season!!#WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/64fWBIWrlx

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) October 19, 2025

With 11:58 to go, Collins was assessed a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. Luca Leighten was assessed a two-minute minor for roughing, and McDonald got two minutes for slashing — all coming 7:02 into the third — resulting in a Penn State power play. Fink saw back-to-back opportunities on that power play, but couldn’t put either attempt past Duris.

Nick Fascia was given a two-minute minor penalty for holding with 9:08 remaining in regulation. Moments later, Laubach was called for slashing. Penn State killed off both penalties, only giving up one shot on goal while shorthanded.

Collins would return to the box for a second time in the period after being called for interference. On the power play, Jennersjo was robbed point-blank by Fleming, keeping his shutout intact.

The Nittany Lions killed off the penalty, and tempers would rise one more time before the final buzzer. Multiple players from both teams were sent off after their respective scrums. Penn State walked away with the 3-0 victory.

Takeaway’s

• After allowing the first goal in its last 4 games, Wiebusch got Penn State on the board first Saturday night, jumping out in front just 5:14 into the game.
• The game was overall very choppy, with countless offsides, icings, and penalties committed by both teams, along with plenty of extracurriculars after the whistle.
• A combined 97 penalty minutes between the two teams were handed out in the chaotic game.

What’s Next?

Penn State will have five days of rest before hosting Stonehill University at 7 p.m., Friday, October 24, at Pegula Ice Arena. The game will be streamed on BTN+.