Rust.

It's what hockey players want to avoid after a long layoff between games.

After defeating No. 8 Kent State 9-1 at home on Dec. 7, the ACHA Div. 1 Icers shook off the rust that had accumulated during a four-week layoff, on their way to 4-3 and 3-0 victories Friday and Saturday at No. 12 Arizona.

Though Icers coach Joe Battista said his team's timing was off against Arizona, one aspect of the game where the Icers excelled was in their penalty killing. Penn State killed all 16 Icecats power plays including two five-minute majors this weekend.

Battista said penalty-killing forwards Kyle Jordan, Robert Pate, Paul Sealock, Neal Price and Jack Weber all played well and logged heavy ice time.

"All those guys deserve a big hats off," Battista said.

Battista added that goalie Scott Graham was outstanding in the third period of Friday's win and that the junior was the difference in Saturday's shutout victory.

After jumping on top of the Icecats 3-0 in the first period Friday, the Icers surrendered three goals to Arizona in the second frame.

Icers assistant coach Mike McNeill said that his team showed signs of rust on defense in the second period.

Left wing Paul Crooker scored the game-winning goal with about a minute and a half to play in the third period. Forward Dustin Martin chipped the puck to Crooker, who one-timed a shot into the upper corner of the net past Icecats' goaltender Bryan Aronchick.

On Saturday, freshman forward Garrett Divins scored his first goal as an Icer to give Penn State a 2-0 lead in the first period.

In the second period, fellow freshman Kevin Jaeger made an outstanding play, beating a Wildcat defenseman and Aronchick to give the Icers a three-goal cushion. "Jaeger scored the goal of the weekend," Battista said of the play.

Battista's forward lines were stretched thin this weekend as Glenn Zuck and Justin DePretis didn't travel to Arizona. Zuck had an impacted tooth that kept him out of action and DePretis did not play and will be out of action this semester because he is academically ineligible, Battista said.

Pate missed the second and third periods of Saturday's game after he suffered a bruised chest muscle, and a virus affected forward Joe McArdle's play, Battista said.

On the plus side this weekend, Weber and defenseman Josh Mandel returned to the lineup.

To close out the fall semester, the Icers routed Kent State 9-1. It was the second Icers victory over the Golden Flashes this season after Penn State trounced the Golden Flashes 7-0 on the road on Oct. 27.

Forward Bill Downey earned his second hat trick of the season, scoring two power play goals and one shorthanded goal, and adding an assist in the triumph. Pate contributed one power play and one even-strength goal as well.

The major difference between the Icers and the Golden Flashes in the game was on the power play, where Penn State went 5-for-9 on opportunities and Kent State went 1-for-9.

"Our special teams are playing really well," Battista said after the game.

However, on the flip side, Battista added that his team needs to take fewer penalties. "We took some bad penalties," he said.

Overall, Battista and Downey were happy with the victory over Kent State and with their play in the first semester.

"We had a great first semester," Downey said after the game. "This win gives us momentum."

During the break, the Icers carried their momentum over from the victory against the Golden Flashes and started this semester strong against Arizona.