When Andrew Strasser first joined the Icers three years ago, he was the center of an international incident. On a bus ride ride back from Ontario, a long trip was made even longer when the bus was delayed at the border.

When the U.S. customs official boarded the team bus and asked, "Is everyone here a U.S. citizen?" Strasser, a Canadian native, promptly spoke up. Carrying only four pieces of identification -- some Canadian paperwork and his Penn State ID -- the customs official escorted him to a small room.

Strasser laughed while he vividly recalled his time in the room with one chair at a small table and the light hanging down from the ceiling. How could he possibly forget the room -- he was interrogated there for 45 minutes about his intents for leaving Canada.

"She looked at me like I was a little suspicious," Strasser joked.

Now only opponents -- like Buffalo State last weekend -- look at the junior forward suspiciously. By playing more aggressively in front of the net, Strasser racked up 31 points in 28 games going into this weekend's playoffs.

However, much like the Montreal Canadians' center Guy Carbonneau, after whom Strasser patterns his play, he appreciates a defensive-minded style of hockey. His fierce forechecking in the attacking zone generates scoring opportunities, while his back-checks stuff attackers along the boards.

"He is a very solid two-way player," Battista said. "He's played on our checking lines since the day he got here and he does a great job of penalty killing."

His determination to succeed carries over from the rink to classes, with Strasser devoting as much time to his grades as he does his game. The general arts and sciences major said studying in a foreign country poses no problems for him. In fact, friends say he takes everything in stride.

"He's real easy going," goaltender Dennis Magulick said. "He just kind of hangs out, goes with the flow."

Rarely one to mix-it-up during games, he sees himself as personable and quiet. Yet, roommates forward Matt Cavrak and Magulick agreed that he talks "a lot" on the ice and especially away from the rink.

"He'll always talk to you," Cavrak said laughing, "even if it's on something he has no idea about. If you're down or there's something on your mind, he tries to help you out."

Helping out others comes naturally to someone who helps himself. His independent thinking makes him very ambitious. When making up his mind about an issue, he always follows through with his decisions.

"I wanted to go to a large university and there were none back home," he said, telling about the small Nova Scotia town where he grew up, "so I hopped in a car, drove 27 hours, and showed up at University Park."

Following suit with his relaxed personality, No. 35 follows no pregame rituals. His superstition is to have none. He simply focuses on his opponents, while visions of plays run in his head. Then he executes his plan on the ice.

He enjoys reminiscing about the past. Strasser's most memorable moment came when he scored in his first game as an Icer against Duquesne. He said it gave him the chance to realize his hard work had paid off and his parents' support had contributed to his accomplishments.

"They always supported me and took me to the rink for 6 a.m. practices," Strasser said. "They'd stand by the boards drinking coffee, trying to stay warm.

"But I think they also taught me that if there was something I wanted to do to not be afraid to reach out and do it," he added. "They've always been supportive without pushing me in any direction because it's my decision to do anything."