Blue White Illustrated

I n the week leading up to Penn State's NCAA tournament rematch against Denver, the questions were unrelenting: How would the Nittany Lions contain their first-round opponent's big-name players? Ideas were floated. A strong forecheck would be crucial, and the Lions would need to stay out of the penalty box, too. When the puck finally dropped on March 24 at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., none of those ideas panned out. Denver's top line of Troy Terry, Henrik Borgstrom and Jarid Lukosevicius scored four goals in a 5- 1 rout that ended Penn State's season. But after the game, coach Guy Gadowsky wasn't focused on the Nittany Lions' failure to engage their forecheck, nor did he dwell on the power play goal that his team surrendered in the second period. To Gadowsky, Penn State's long night at the rink was symptomatic of a broader problem. "I think we knew what to expect a little bit more and prepared for what they did," he said. "What we lacked, at least in my mind, was a better commitment and ex- ecution of what makes us really good. And I think that's what makes it a little bit frustrating." Gadowsky's high-flying team had out- raced opponents and lit up the shot counter all year. But against Denver, those Nittany Lions were nowhere to be found. When Penn State was able to sneak into its offensive zone, it missed the net 21 times. In addition, Denver blocked 18 shots. As a result, the Nittany Lions only managed to put 27 pucks on the Denver net. Penn State usually feasts on rebound opportunities, but the Pioneers were air- tight around their net. "I think we never showed our best," said sophomore forward Liam Folkes, whose third-period goal – Penn State's only goal of the evening – came well after the out- come had been decided. The feeling was all too familiar, as this was the second consecutive season in which Denver sent the Nittany Lions packing. It was also the second year in a row in which the Lions were smothered offensively, unable to play their brand of hockey. And it was the second consecu- tive year in which they were unable to compete at a high level against a team with the kind of championship pedigree that Penn State's six-year-old varsity program has been trying to develop. This past season, the Lions dictated the pace against some of the best teams in college hockey. They went 2-1-1 this sea- son against Ohio State, which earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and advanced to the Frozen Four with a 5-1 victory over Denver two days after beat- I C E H O C K E Y Stymied again, PSU seeks 'better commitment' | GADOWSKY Penn State junior forward Andrew Sturtz will forgo his senior season after signing a two-year entry-level contract with the NHL's Ottawa Senators. A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Sturtz signed with the Senators following a junior sea- son in which he led the Nittany Lions with a career-high 40 points on 14 goals and 26 assists. With neither Ottawa nor its American Hockey League counter- part, the Belleville Senators, in position to make a postseason run, Sturtz will continue to attend classes to earn his bachelor's degree in recreation, parks and tourism management. "We are extremely proud of Sturtzy. He's an honors student who is going to graduate with his degree from Penn State, and he's signing an NHL con- tract," coach Guy Gadowsky said. "He made this program a heck of a lot better and he will always be an integral part of Hockey Valley." Earlier this season, Sturtz became Penn State's all-time leading goal- scorer and only the second Nittany Lion to reach 100 career points. In March, he earned the first postseason accolade of his career by claiming honorable men- tion All-Big Ten notice. Sturtz is only the third Nittany Lion to register at least 40 points in a season, joining Casey Bailey and sophomore Denis Smirnov, who set PSU's single- season record with 47 points last season. "This is a childhood dream come true," Sturtz said. "Five or six years ago, I didn't even think I would be playing Di- vision I hockey, and then [assistant coach] Matt Lindsay found me in Car- leton Place and brought me to Penn State. Being a part of this university and hockey program has opened my eyes to something bigger. The hockey program here is certainly going in the right direc- tion, and I think I left it better than I found it." Another Nittany Lion standout, senior defenseman Trevor Hamilton, has signed a one-year contract with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. The Griffins are the AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. Hamilton was named Big Ten Defen- sive Player of the Year this past season after totaling 29 points on six goals and 23 assists. He led the nation in blocked shots with 109. During his two seasons at Penn State, Hamilton blocked a school-record 216 shots. ■ Scoring leader Sturtz signs with Ottawa

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