Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/787374
I t's been a season full of pleasant sur- prises for the Penn State men's ice hockey team. Riding a wave of contri- butions from a talented group of under- classmen, the Nittany Lions have exceeded all expectations and emerged as one of the most talented teams in college hockey. One of the most important components of the Lions' breakout season has been the play of freshman forward Denis Smirnov. Before Smirnov arrived on campus, Guy Gadowsky predicted that he would be "a very entertaining player to watch." The Nittany Lions' head coach was right. Through 26 games, Smirnov was lead- ing Penn State in total points (34) and was second in goals (14). He ranked fourth in the country in points per game (1.31) and was first among freshmen. "I'm not the biggest guy on the team, so I have to be quick to go around big guys," said the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Smirnov. "But you've just got to think faster. I think there's more physicality in this league, but we get a lot of shots so it's always fun to play on a team that gets a lot of shots and plays fast." Because of his speed, Smirnov is perfect for the type of hockey that Gadowsky wants to play. "It's a tough game to play. It's a very fast, high-tempo game, and you can't take time off," Gadowsky said. "If we don't have a very high-level work ethic, we don't look good. To play the way we play, we have to be flying." For such a young player, Smirnov is also an excellent passer. He says setting up a teammate is often more satisfying for him than scoring a goal himself. "I think when I make a good pass I get more excited than when I score," he said. "Passes, great assists, get me excited." Smirnov's pass-first attitude and his affinity for the Lions' system helped him break the Penn State record for points as a freshman with nearly half of season still ahead of him. Arguably more remarkable than Smirnov's early success, though, is the path that he took to Penn State. Born in Moscow, he played competi- tively in his native Russia until the age of 14, when he was cut from his team and decided to try his luck overseas. He restarted his career in Scranton, Pa., playing 46 games for the Wilkes- Barre/Scranton Knights of the Atlantic Youth Hockey League. There were some difficult times, but his transition was made easier by the pres- ence of his family. "My sister moved there," Smirnov said. "She went to Bing- hamton University, which is not far away, and she made it a lot easier. Then my par- ents were there a lot. It was difficult, but it was fun at the same time." Smirnov emerged as an elite prospect when he transitioned to the United States Hockey League. He played one season with the Indiana Ice and two seasons with the Fargo Force, scoring 62 goals over that span. He committed to Penn State in January 2014, drawn not just by the university and the hockey program, but by the Nittany Lions' enthusiastic fan following. "School spirit is awesome," he said. "The hockey facility, I don't think any- thing gets better than this. The coaches LIFE IN THE FAST LANE Denis Smirnov bedevils opponents with his quick skates and quick thinking | BIG STICK In his first season at Penn State, Smirnov leads the team in total points. Photo by Craig Houtz/Penn State Athletics I C E H O C K E Y