Role identification has become a common theme inside the Penn State men’s hockey locker room as of late.

With injuries continuing to plague the lineup and only four games remaining in the regular season, the Nittany Lions have had to make major adjustments. Line combinations have been shuffled, and as bodies have gone down, players have been asked to embrace whatever the moment may ask.

“Everyone on our team is willing to play whatever role,” Lev Katzin said. “It’s good when you have that service.”

And it has shown up in how Penn State has approached the ice recently. Rather than forcing offense or trying to do too much, head coach Guy Gadowsky talked about the emphasis he’s put on structure as the season winds down, with players focusing on executing their new responsibilities.

“We’re not just going to fire wagon, because we don’t have the bodies,” Gadowsky said. “I think a lot of it has to do with the role identification.”

The added focus on structure has been evident in the way certain players have handled their expanded roles. Shea Van Olm, who scored three goals last weekend while also staying out of the penalty box entirely, is a perfect example.

“Coach has been cycling some guys through that have been on some other lines, and I think me and Ben [Schoen] have adjusted to that quite well,” Van Olm said, “I think playing with different line combinations comes with maturity… I think it’s been working pretty well for us to grab a guy like Gavin [McKenna], or JJ [Wiebusch], or [Matt] DiMarsico, or [Aiden] Fink.”

The adjustments haven’t just been about who’s playing where, though. Behind the constant line changes is the reality of the Nittany Lions’ thinning bench, and that’s been one of the toughest parts.

“Anytime someone goes down, it’s next man up mentality,” Katzin said. “I mean, it’s hard watching all these guys get hurt, like [Braedon Ford], [Dane Dowiak], [Charlie Cerrato], [Alex Servagno] — all important to our team in different ways, but you can’t dwell on it, and the next guy’s got to be ready.”

Casey Aman has become another example of the flexibility the Nittany Lions have, serving as one of those players Penn State can rely on wherever he’s needed.

“So, for one, Casey Aman is a very valuable guy because he’s so good at both,” Gadowsky said, referring to Aman’s ability to play both forward and defense. “That’s a very difficult thing to do… So he’s the one that we really rely on when it has to do with not only different lines, but different positions.”

We first saw that approach take shape last weekend against Ohio State.

“I think the lines of Katzin, [Nic] Chin-DeGraves, Casey Aman, and then playing Schoen and Van Olm with someone else… those two lines just played so, so well, so much of a great role game,” Gadowsky said. “And I honestly think that they’re [a huge reason] why we had success Saturday night.”

It doesn’t just fall on the players to adjust, though. Gadowksy acknowledged that the responsibility extends behind the bench as well, taking responsibility for Penn State’s poor bench management during its series in Ann Arbor earlier this month.

Following the adjustments made over the past few weeks, Penn State now has its eyes set on its upcoming series against Notre Dame, where those lineup changes will be tested once again.