Penn State's six-year win streak at the Nittany Lion Invitational Tournament (NLIT) may have been in jeopardy, but it responded with a game-winning goal in Saturday's championship game.

Three times.

After two scores were controversially waived off against Towson, assistant captain Brett Wilson found the back of the net to break a 4-4 tie and record the elusive victory.

"We talked to the ref about the [waived-off goals]," Wilson said. "They didn't know it had gone in and come out."

The No. 2 Penn State ACHA Division I Icers captured their sixth straight NLIT championship after rolling past No. 16 Mercyhurst on Friday and edging No. 19 Towson 5-4 in the closing seconds of Saturday's emotional contest.

With 16 seconds remaining in the game -- and two seconds left on the power play -- Wilson grabbed the quick rebound after Luc Walker took the strong initial shot.

"I just went to the net with my stick down. I was sitting there, and I swung about the same time I got tackled," Wilson said. "I didn't even know it was in until I was behind the net laying in a lump."

According to some of Wilson's teammates, it almost seems as if he was in shock.

"I thought he was dead," Walker joked. "I was like, 'Willie, get up or do something.' He didn't even smile the whole time."

Towson coach Jaynen Rissling wasn't smiling either -- but for a different reason.

The Tigers are three spots away from earning a berth in the national championship tournament. A win against Penn State in the Greenberg Ice Pavilion would've nearly cemented Towson's status as a contender.

Instead, the Tigers are in a proverbial limbo of sorts.

"We haven't played them that close in four years," Rissling said of the lost opportunity.

Saturday's game wasn't without controversy, however.

One phantom score and two goals that were waived off were among the arguable calls. And, as luck would have it, all three calls went against Penn State.

With 2:07 left in the second period, the Icers' Dan McKeen slipped the puck past the Tiger goalie. It slid along the red line -- but no goal was called. Several seconds later, the same thing happened to Teague Willits-Kelley -- with one exception.

The alarms went off to signal a score after the referee ruled it a goal. The crowd erupted, and the Icers celebrated -- but the premature excitement was put to a halt after the decision was overturned.

"Twice it went in. Everybody that was down there said it was in," coach Joe Battista said. "And don't blame the referee, the ref called it a goal. The linesman came in and overruled him.

"How does a linesman 60 feet away make a call on a three-inch diameter black speck against a black pad?"

Strange as it was, the same thing happened yet again in the third period with Mike Carrano. The goal wasn't as evident, but the Icers still felt cheated.

"That was tough, especially the last one," Wilson said. "You just kinda take it because there's nothing you can do about it."

As far as the phantom goal, Towson's Erik Dixon tied the game with 3:33 left in the final frame. The problem: the left post was off its mooring for at least 10 seconds prior to the shot.

Goalie Paul Mammola attempted to sway the officials, but to no avail.

Regardless, Mammola turned in a solid performance as he stopped 34 of 36 shots over the weekend. He replaced Chris Matteo against Towson after Matteo allowed three goals in less than two periods of play.