This is when the real season starts. Those other 30 games didn't mean as much.

Think of them as a practice for the real deal.

The Penn State Ice Lions will begin a stretch of three weeks of playoff hockey. Up first for the No. 3 Ice Lions (24-6) is the Super East Collegiate Hockey League (SECHL) tournament. Penn State has the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the six-team tournament.

"Over the past seven years, the No. 1 team entering the playoffs has only won the playoffs three times," SECHL Commissioner Bill Kamp said in a press release. "I have every reason to believe the 2004 playoffs will once again be filled with close and exciting games."

During the regular season, Penn State went 11-3 in the SECHL. The three loses came against two different teams: Siena College beat the Ice Lions twice and SUNY-Stony Brook won one. Both of those teams will play Friday, which means there is an outside chance that Penn State won't have to play them in the tournament. But if Siena wins, Penn State would get a rematch.

Siena has an incredible power play, so if Penn State can stay out of the penalty box, they can give Siena a good run for its money.

Westfield State, who draws Siena tonight, could also be a tough, physical game. It lost to the Ice Lions in a game that counted for four points, rather than the normal two because of scheduling difficulties. They were not happy with the result of the overtime loss and have revenge on their minds, should they beat Siena.

"They are a few players short of being one of the best teams in the Super East," Ice Lions coach Mo Stroemel said.

SUNY-Stony Brook split the season series with Penn State. It is a fast team through the neutral zone. The key to beating SUNY-Stony Brook is to slow the game down.

Stroemel said he knows how to beat NYU, the No. 2 seed, but isn't going to share that with anybody just yet.

This is Penn State's first season in the SECHL and the comments of Kamp have no effect.

"We aren't going to pay attention to history," Stroemel said. "We have every intention of taking the tournament."