No. 6 Penn State Men’s Hockey Survives Ohio State 5-4 In Overtime
No. 6 Penn State men’s hockey (20-9-1, 12-7-1 Big Ten) defeated Ohio State (11-18-1, 7-13-0 Big Ten) Saturday night in Pegula.
Kevin Reidler got the start in the net tonight. The game was back-and-forth and went all the way to overtime until Gavin McKenna continued his banner weekend, winning the game.
How It Happened
Penn State won the faceoff to get the night going. The Nittany Lions were completely in control of the puck to start the game, with a shot coming from Carter Schade early.
Ohio State had a chance to get its offense going, but the Penn State defense was on top of it.
The Nittany Lions were deep in their own zone, showing a lack of control for the first time this weekend, allowing the Buckeyes to get on the board first. Sam Deckhurt was able to get past Reidler easily to make the score 1-0 five minutes into the game.
The Nittany Lions lost their dominant edge quickly after the Buckeye goal. Nolan Collins was able to keep the puck away from the net and avoid trouble for Penn State.
Lev Katzin was bodied in a collision with Christ Able, who was sent into the sin bin halfway through the first period. The referees ended up reviewing the play for a major, but it was confirmed as a minor interference penalty.
McKenna had a chance to continue his banner weekend, but his shot was intercepted and cleared down the ice. Penn State had multiple good looks during the power play but could not find the back of the net on the advantage.
Another penalty was called on Ohio State when Max Montes hooked Katzin. After a whistle was blown, a Buckeye got aggressive with Matt DiMarsico for no reason, but it was not called.
In the last 50 seconds of the power play, the Nittany Lions gave it everything they had to get the puck in the net, but could not find success.
As that penalty trickled down, another was called. Davis Burnside’s play was reviewed for a major after he repeatedly cross-checked Nic Chin-Degraves. Burnside was assessed for a five-minute major. He was done for the night.
DiMarsico’s shot barely missed the net on his attempt, which led to a clear. Unlike Friday, Penn State had not found any luck on the power play so far, even on the five-minute major.
This was until Shea Van Olm took the pass from Reese Laubach and shot it from the corner, past Eberly.
The first period ended swiftly with the game at 1-1.
The second period started with the Buckeyes recording multiple shots toward Reidler. DiMarsico could not beat a Buckeye to the puck, diminishing a chance for the Nittany Lions to take the lead.
McKenna was called for hooking, leading to the first Ohio State power play of the game. The puck was cleared early to start the penalty kill for Penn State. Then came a rebound chance by the Buckeyes, which was picked up by Félix Caron. Ohio State led the game 2-1 four minutes into the second frame.
Less than two minutes later, Broten Sabo was able to slip the puck past Reidler to extend the Buckeye lead by 2 at 3-1.
Ten minutes into the second period, and Ohio State was intercepting Penn State pucks left and right, completely dominating the ice.
Ben Schoen took a hit to the face and left toward the locker room. A moment later, the Buckeyes were called for a tripping penalty on Caron.
Ohio State was able to score a short-handed goal on the penalty kill when James Hong dished the puck to Montes. The Buckeyes led the Nittany Lions 4-1.
JJ Wiebusch was able to cut the deficit in half when he skated into the zone, took the puck from Katzin, and slapped the shot past Eberly.
A spark was ignited in the Nittany Lions after the Wiebusch goal. Luke Misa had an open net but whiffed on the shot. Tensions started to rise between the two teams after Penn State started knocking on the door more than it had all period.
The second period ended with a score of 4-2, with the Nittany Lions showing some fight going into the final frame.
The final frame started with Penn State desperate to get back into the game. Ethan Straky was called for interference, giving the Nittany Lions the break they needed.
Wiebusch struck again when McKenna passed the puck, and he tapped it in.
Moments later, Jarod Crespo tied the game after he shot the puck from in front of the net.
With emotions rising, a hit on Caron by Misa was reviewed for a major penalty. After review, it was deemed a minor, sending the Buckeyes onto the power play. The Buckeyes had a couple of shots on the power play that Reidler was ready for.
After the penalty was killed, Wiebusch was called for diving. On the Ohio State power play, the Penn State special teams were all over the Buckeyes and killed the penalty.
The clock had wound down past the ten-minute mark, and both teams were still battling for the lead. The shots were 31-29, in favor of Ohio State.
Katzin went down in front of the bench after Hong smacked him in the head. The referees reviewed the play for a major, leading to no call.
The Nittany Lions were struggling to get the puck out of their zone with under three to go in regulation.
Casey Aman was called for high-sticking, leading to a Buckeye power play for the rest of the game. The Bukeyes were desperate to end the game before overtime, but were unsuccessful.
In overtime, Ohio State possessed the puck for the first minute. This was until McKenna became the overtime hero and lasered the puck past Eberly to secure the win.
MCKENNA CALLED GAME!!
— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) February 22, 2026#WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/f2xBY6KU1G
Takeaways
- While the game was successful for Penn State, this was a completely different game from the night before. The offense did not look as sharp, and the Buckeyes came to play.
- The injuries were showing in the game tonight. With the team missing Dane Dowiak and Charlie Cerrato, there were some holes that the team still needed to fill.
- The third-period comeback was special and ignited Pegula. It was what the team needed to win and to continue their push in the final weeks of the regular season.
- The Gavin McKenna hype is real.
What’s Next?
Penn State will hit the road against Notre Dame at 7:05 p.m. Friday, February 27, at Compton Family Ice Arena.
Your ad blocker is on.
Please choose an option below.
Purchase a Subscription!
About the Author
Men’s Soccer Takes Home THON 2026 Pep Rally Trophy
Nine of Penn State’s athletic programs took the stage to compete in THON 2026’s pep rally dance contest on Saturday night.
Trace McSorley & Matt Campbell Get THON 2026 Crowd Ready For Pep Rally
The leaders of Penn State football have kicked off THON 2026 Pep Rally.
