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MEN'S ICE HOCKEY GOAL ORIENTED Forward Casey Bailey gives the Nittany Lions' offense a lift Penn State Athletic Communications BUCK SEASON Bailey had a big game in Penn State's 5-4 victory over Ohio State, scoring two goals and adding a pair of assists. | asey Bailey knows he was recruited all the way from Anchorage, Alaska, to give the fledgling Penn State men's ice hockey team a big, physical presence at forward. "When I came here, I wanted to be one of the high-end scoring players and to be producing how I am," he said. "It feels good. I know that is one of the reasons I was brought in here – not the only reason, but one of them." Bailey is only a freshman – one of 11 on Penn State's first Division I hockey team – but as of mid-January he was tied for the team lead in both goals (10) and assists (eight). One of his goals made history. In the second period of the Nittany Lions' opener Oct. 12 against American International University, he redirected a shot into the net for the first goal of Penn State's varsity era. "Casey is phenomenal," captain Tommy Olczyk said. "He is a very smart player who is skilled, and we're lucky to have him." Bailey is quick to return the compliment, attributing his success to his C teammates. "I have been getting good bounces and passes from line mates," he said. "And the puck's going in for me." The puck's been doing that for quite a while. Before coming to the Nittany Lions, Bailey spent a season with the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League and two seasons with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the British Columbia Hockey League. During those three seasons, he amassed 68 goals and 74 assists. One of Bailey's assets is his physical style of play. He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 195 pounds. Head coach Guy Gadowsky said that because of Bailey's size, physical play comes naturally to him. "He has played consistently pretty well," Gadowsky said, "so he has met my expectations." Bailey is focused on the team's success. Following a 3-2 overtime loss to Neumann on Jan. 15, Penn State stood at 8-12 on the season. In nine of their losses, the Nittany Lions found themselves trailing after one period. Through 20 games, opponents had outscored Penn State 19-14 in the first period. Bailey knows the team can't continually play catch-up if it hopes to finish the season strong. It cannot play lackadaisically in the first period and then expect to scramble in the second and third periods and prevail. Overall though, Bailey has been pleased with the team's performance this season and thinks that the Nittany Lions have impressed people with their wins. "Yet we need to be more consistent and stay consistent with the way we play," he said. "We also need to do the little things right." Of all the players on the Nittany Lions' roster, he is the farthest from home, and going back and forth can be an ordeal. "Traveling back home safe for Christmas wasn't the most fun thing ever," Bailey said. "But no matter what, it is going to be a hassle to get back home for me." The East Coast is one of college hockey's hotbeds, so he knew that no matter where he chose to enroll, he wasn't going to be seeing much of his native Alaska. That's OK, he said. "I'm happy where I ended up, for sure."

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