The long offseason is over, and it is finally gameday for Penn State men’s hockey. The Nittany Lions play the UConn Huskies Friday at 7 p.m. in the Ice Breaker Tournament.

Head coach Guy Gadowsky told the media that the energy in Pegula Ice Arena during game week is pure excitement.

“When it’s game week, everything just sort of feels good,” Gadowsky said. “I enjoy the adrenaline part of it. You just feel a little bit different. Thursday’s coming, and that’s when you’ve got to get ready to go.”

The roster has a lot to do with the excitement.

Year two of the CHL rule change brought a wave of talent to Happy Valley, including OHL Goaltender of the Year Ryder Fetterolf. He joins returners like Columbus Blue Jackets first-round pick Jackson Smith, who already holds the program record for goals by a defenseman.

Expect a different look from last season, too. Instead of leaning on a powerhouse like Gavin McKenna, Gadowsky wants to roll four and score “by committee.”

That has made practices fiercely competitive. Nobody knows exactly where they’ll end up, and that’s the point.

“Everyone wants to fight for the most ice time,” sophomore Shea Van Olm said. “We say a lot, ‘Iron sharpens iron.’ That’s the whole basis of pushing each other. Healthy competition is awesome to have in any sport.”

Van Olm is one of the returners Gadowsky expects to make a leap this season. After a big second half last year, Van Olm spent the summer working on his skills. He said he and teammate Luke Misa have talked about “taking that next step together.”

In addition to Van Olm, Gadowsky thinks that Misa could also have a breakout season.

“If you look at his expected goals, [they were] fantastic,” Gadowsky said. “He hit a lot of posts. If he finishes on a lot more of the plays than he did last year, he’s going to have a heck of a year.”

With the transfers and freshmen this season, they seemed to be fitting in quickly.

Reese Laubach — named a captain alongside Dane Dowiak — said the incoming class has been “great for the culture.” He added that a lot of the team lives together and hangs out every day.

“The younger guys have been great. They fit in well, all the transfers as well,” Laubach said.

Laubach also knows how little room for error there is in a season. With CHL talent spreading across college hockey, he said every game is “a coin toss either way.”

“In college, you only play 34 to 36 games before tournament stuff starts, so there really are no nights off,” he said. “It’s made it a ton of fun, though. Every night’s a battle, every night’s a grind.”

For the freshman, this week is a first taste of it all.

Some grew up watching from the student section. Fetterolf said he and his friends used to come to games when he was younger and see the Roar Zone in action.

“The other guys know what it is,” he said. “All the freshmen are super excited to see what it is. Can’t wait.”