The Penn State Ice Lions dominated the undefeated Slippery Rock Pride at the Greenberg Sports Complex by a score of 6-1 on Saturday night.

Both teams seemed evenly matched in the first period as they skated into the first intermission with a 1-1 tie, but the Ice Lions scored four goals in the second period and one in the final period to devastate Slippery Rock.

The Ice Lions (5-3) took a modest approach on the victory, and felt that they didn't play their best game.

"We were running around a lot tonight," Ice Lions head coach Mo Stroemel said.

"We weren't really playing our positions. We were just chasing the puck around."

Penn State drew first blood midway through the first period when junior forward Tim Cavanah scored off an assist from linemate Mark Jenkins to make it 1-0.

The Pride responded 25 seconds later on a goal by center Mark Runco to tie the game at a goal apiece.

The Pride outshot the Ice Lions 14-8 in the first period, but their play unraveled completely after the first intermission.

The Ice Lions quickly broke the tie 42 seconds into the second period when sophomore forward Doug Marsteller fired the puck cleanly into the lower left corner of the net off a slick pass from freshman forward Mike Zajko to put the Lions up 2-1.

Less than two minutes later, Ice Lions defenseman Adam Quinones scored the first of his two goals with a breakaway shot that he let fly from just inside the blue line to increase the lead to 3-1.

"Coach had been telling us all night just to throw it on the net, so I just put it up there," Quinones said.

Penn State goaltender Brian Gratz was a virtual brick wall in the second period as he made a highlight reel worth of saves to keep the Pride off the board, even when they fired open breakaway shots on him.

"I am just looking for him to make the first move," Gratz said. "Once he commits, I just read and react."

Gratz's strong play in goal was key in keeping Slippery Rock out of the game.

"I thought he was a little shaky in the first period, but I think he had a tremendous second period," Stroemel said.

The Ice Lions went up 4-1 with 6:42 remaining in the period when freshman forward Chris Stoehr blasted the puck past Slippery Rock goaltender Chuck Kubit on a breakaway. Marsteller struck again with just 37 seconds remaining in the period with a goal that broke the back of the Pride.

He used great puck handling to sweep the puck past two defenders and the goaltender as he was falling down in front of the net.

"I saw their offense scrambling in real quick down low, and I just pulled around the one guy and fired away," Marsteller said.

The Ice Lions took their 5-1 lead into the final period and added another goal when Quinones scored to give the Lions a 6-1 victory. Even though they still feel they have a long way to go, the Ice Lions notice that as a team they are really starting to put it together.

"The important thing for the players is to understand their role," Stroemel said.

"Everybody has a role to play, and if they all do it, it ends up being key."