Flashback to Nov. 14 on the No. 1 Penn State ACHA Div. I Icers Web site and one would see a 7-1 loss next to the opponent's column, followed by a little asterisk next to the score.
Just below that is another asterisk next to the words "overturned by ACHA to a 1-0 forfeit win due to an ineligible player." Who was the opponent that day? Delaware, the same team that will be in town to take on the Icers this weekend.
Despite the reversal of fortunes, don't think the Icers (24-2-0) have forgotten.
They'd almost rather not forget.
"None of us counts that as a win in our minds. They beat us because we played awful and they played a great game," Penn State Icers coach Joe Battista said. "But I can also tell you we haven't forgotten it and certainly our guys are ready."
The player in question was Blue Hens sophomore Howard Kosel, who was suspended after receiving two game-disqualification penalties against Washington & Jefferson.
Under ACHA rules, the rule for multiple disqualifications is progressive when it comes to receiving them in the same game, meaning Kosel needed to sit out three games for his actions. Unfortunately for Kosel and former Icers coach and current Delaware coach John O'Connor, he sat out just two games.
Since then, the Icers and No. 14 Blue Hens (12-11-2) have gone in opposite directions, with Delaware dropping seven of its last 11 games, including a 2-0 loss to Penn State, leaving the Blue Hens sitting on the outside looking in for the national tournament.
Meanwhile, the Icers have rolled, minus the weekend in Ohio a month ago, taking 15 of their last 17 games.
More than anything, they are back to playing the way Battista likes with defense first, outscoring their opponents 46-6 over the last six games.
If revenge wasn't enough motivation for the Icers, then certainly the No.1 seed at the national tournament in less than a month certainly should be.
"We keep working on defense," Battista said. "Part of it is getting ready for Delaware and part of it is getting for the national tournament."
However, O'Connor will likely once again have something up his sleeve this weekend for the Icers, something similar to the varying forechecks his Blue Hens threw at them back in November -- not that the Icers have forgotten.
"We're expecting," Battista said, pausing, "the unexpected."
