The puck squirts free from the crowd of bodies hovering around the net. But there he stands, isolated near the blue line. He quickly approaches the puck like a predator stalking his prey. Icer forward John Farrall makes the kill.

Farrall's two goals and one assist this weekend helped Penn State demolish Maryland 12-3 Friday and Buffalo 9-1 Saturday, extending the Icers' winning streak to six games.

"It was nice to win these two games," Farrall said. "We have an excellent winning streak going right now, and I think we're all having a lot of fun out there."

The forward has 14 goals and 22 assists, but he brings much more to the team than just points. Farrall is one of the more enthusiastic Icers, always urging others to perform at the highest possible level.

"John is the type of player that can really spark the team," captain Mark Cervellero said. "He hates to lose, and I think that type of attitude rubs off on people around him."

Cervellero points to one particular incident which typifies Farrall's commitment to success. In the Nittany Lion Invitational championship game, Penn State trailed Towson State 1-0 midway through the first period.

But Farrall helped transform the team into a focused and intense group, snapping the Icers out of a lethargic daze and eventually scoring the goal to give his team the lead en route to a 9-3 win.

"John plays the game with a lot of enthusiasm," Coach Joe Battista said. "I play him on offense and on defense, and I think he'd probably play goalie if I'd let him."

Although goaltending may not be in the cards, Farrall was moved to defense in the middle of Friday's game. Defenseman Larry O'Byrne left the game with an ankle injury, and Farrall moved to defense, filling in admirably.

"I'll definitely play anywhere Coach wants me to," Farrall said. "As long as I can contribute and help the team win, I'm happy."

Farrall has also been a crucial part of the power play's recent success. Working with forwards Brad Russell and Mark Konchar, the trio has formed a potent scoring threat. But the junior is quick to distribute credit for his proficiency to his teammates around him.

"We've spent a lot of time on the power play in practice," Farrall said. "I think we've been moving the puck well and I think we are all working very well together."