With five key forwards out of their lineup for at least one game this weekend, most of them due to injury, the No. 1 ACHA Div. I Icers needed their other players to step up and score.
That's exactly what happened, as the Icers (24-4-1) defeated Niagara (6-9-5) 10-2 on Friday and claimed a 6-1 victory against Western New England College (3-16-0) on Saturday.
Penn State's top forward line of Glenn Zuck, Neal Price and Kevin Jaeger was by far the Icers' most productive scoring line this weekend. The red line registered 20 points on the weekend, and Jaeger moved into third place in points on the Icers with 34.
Zuck, Price and Jaeger are now one, two and three on the Icers in both points and goals as Zuck has 55 points and Price is close behind with 53. Zuck has scored 23 goals, while Jaeger has 22 and Price has 15 on the season.
"We work well together," Zuck said. "We always kind of know where one another is."
The red line's chemistry was evident on the Icers' first goal on Friday. Jaeger, skating down the right side, passed the puck to Zuck at the left circle. Zuck fired a slapshot on Purple Eagles' goalie John Zdunkiewicz, which Price rebounded into the net as the puck sat in the crease.
"We're always trying to put the puck on net and crash the net for rebounds," Zuck said.
"We just go out there and play our best," Jaeger said. "I didn't expect our line to be more of a contributor than anyone else. I think everybody contributed to this weekend."
After Niagara forward scored to tie the game at one, the temporary Icers' forward line of Paul Crooker, Ryan Tocicki and converted defenseman Curtiss Patrick provided some support for the red line, as scored the next two goals.
Patrick, who played one of his strongest games of the year, took the puck from the red line to the top of the left circle and fired a wrist shot into the top right corner of the net to give the Icers a 2-1 lead.
"Their forward was backing in and I beat him," Patrick said. "Then I saw a lane and made a couple of moves. Their goalie kind of slid over and I lifted the puck into the top corner."
Tocicki got credit for the Icers third goal, as a Scott Curry shot from the point deflected off Crooker and Tocicki before it trickled into the net.
Battista said his decision to move defensemen Joe Sheridan, Sean Waters and Patrick up to forward came out of necessity because of injuries that have sidelined forwards Kyle Jordan, Bobby Pate, Joe McArdle and Jack Weber.
"He (Patrick) is going to be reliable on defense," Icers coach Joe Battista said. "He has got good hands and a great shot. I'm just happy to be playing forward," Patrick said. "There's a lot more hitting and it's easier to score. I don't get a lot of chances to do it (score) on (defense)."
After Tocicki's tally, five different Icers combined to score the next seven goals for the Icers to finish out the game.
On Saturday, the red line accounted for four of Penn State's six goals.
With forward Bill Downey back from the one-game suspension he served Friday, Patrick played with Crooker and Downey.
However, it was Tocicki's line with Sheridan and Garrett Divins that knocked in the remaining two goals. Tocicki made a great pass to set up Divins down low for the goal that made the score 4-0.
"We have a lot of guys out and it's important for some of those guys who maybe haven't been playing much all year to really step up and contribute," Zuck said. "We'll take that going into nationals and hopefully it will help us."
