Monday, Jan. 27, 1997

Despite occasional snags, Coyne continues to produce

By MICHAEL PALM
Collegian Sports Writer

Friday night was an exception for Icer defenseman Don Coyne. He didn't have any points in Penn State's 11-2 win over Buffalo in the Icers' first game of the Nittany Lion Invitational Tournament.

Icer Don Coyne skates the puck away from University of Buffalo defender Anthony Pane during the Nittany Lion Invitational. Coyne has accounted for much of the team's offense and defense. (Collegian Photo/Laura Chiles - click for full size image)

After his first 19 games, Coyne shared the team lead in points (29) with forward Jeff Adams. But Buffalo's slow-down tempo stymied Coyne, who felt frustrated with his performance.

"Sometimes you don't score, sometimes you do. Nothing was really going good for me," Coyne said. "You just have to work through it."

That's exactly what he did on Saturday when the Icers played Towson State in the championship game of the NLIT. He recorded two assists en route to earning a spot on the all-tournament team.

His hard work has paid large dividends, not just on the ice but also in the classroom. A sophomore kinesiology major, Coyne made the dean's list in the fall.

"He's had a terrific year, playing solid defensively and also contributing significantly on offense," Icer coach Joe Battista said. "He had a fall semester that was just incredible."

"He's had a terrific year, playing solid defensively and also contributing significantly on offense."

- Joe Battistamen's
ice hockey coach

That "incredible" season is continuing, as Coyne has racked up eight goals and 23 assists in 21 games, as well as posting a +29 in the plus/minus area. Those points don't mean much to him if the defense is allowing goals.

"The first priority is to keep the puck out of the net, and if I get some points offensively it's just a bonus," Coyne said. "I wouldn't consider myself a threat, but if I get a chance I can score."

The scoring prowess of Coyne may come from his days playing offense, which he did until eighth grade. Or maybe it's from his ability to read the play or his passing or his shot from the point.

Whatever the source, Coyne and fellow sophomore defenseman Jason Zivkovic have formed a potent source of offense on the point. The two played together with the Cleveland Junior A Barons, helping both adjust to the rigors of collegiate hockey.

"Right off, we knew what each other was going to do," Coyne said. "We could bail each other out."

They haven't had to bail each other out much because the Icers have been successful. That success brought Coyne to Penn State.

More specifically, Penn State's success against varsity teams lured Coyne to Happy Valley. Two years ago, he ventured to Erie to see the Icers play Mercyhurst, then the No. 1 team in NCAA Division II hockey. Though the Icers lost, 5-4, they won Coyne.

When Coyne got here in the fall of 1995, he set some goals for himself.

"I wanted to be one of the top defensemen," Coyne said. "I wanted to play in the crucial situations, be on the power play and penalty kill, help out offensively as much as I can."

In this case, Coyne has done just that.