Penn State men’s hockey’s sweep of No. 5 Wisconsin will be remembered for the multiple hat tricks, the comeback wins, and the seven-game winning streak it extended. But inside the locker room, one unexpected visitor helped turn a big weekend into an unforgettable one.

Penn State football defensive linebacker and current Green Bay Packer Micah Parsons was in attendance for Saturday’s matchup at the Kohl Center before joining the Nittany Lions postgame for a locker-room celebration that quickly went viral.

Head coach Guy Gadowsky said Parsons’ presence left an immediate impression on the group.

“It was so cool to meet him. He is such an amazing Penn Stater, like obviously, he’s Micah Parsons,” Gadowsky said. “The words that he said to our team were awesome. His message was awesome. And he just so clearly loves Penn State… I love the message that he had for the team.”

Parsons also took part in Penn State’s signature postgame celebration, grabbing the team’s THOR Hammer and slamming it on a table while firing up the locker room — eventually breaking the head off after his 13th whack.

Gadowsky laughed when asked about the moment.

“It was great. It was awesome. It was fun. It was perfect. And now, it’s fixed. It’s not the first time it’s been broken, but that was the best time.”

Penn State men’s hockey later added to the moment, saying that THOR’s Hammer was “sent overnight to Asgard for appropriate repairs” and is now ready for action.

Happy to report that THOR’s Hammer is back and stronger than ever after being sent overnight to Asgard for appropriate repairs!! #WeAre #HockeyValley https://t.co/5xjrEVYH8E pic.twitter.com/DF2xfHJXOv

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) January 26, 2026

But beyond the laughs and viral clips, Parsons’ impact was felt in a much deeper way.

For the players, Parsons’ message before puck drop stuck with them just as much as the celebration that followed.

Captain Dane Dowiak said hearing from a former Nittany Lion star resonated with the entire room.

“He said throughout his success out of his career, there was no place like Penn State and wearing the blue and white. Before the game, he told us that, and I don’t think anybody looked back. I think we all looked at each other, and we said, ‘we’re gonna get this done.'”

Dowiak added that seeing Parsons in Penn State gear made the moment even more special.

“Just to have him by our side, especially when he plays in Wisconsin, having him by our side wearing that Penn State hockey jersey was really cool.”