Kathy Maglaque made a promise to her son Joe that she wasn't going to cry at his last home game as an Icer.

But in life, things happen, emotions take over, and sometimes it's hard to keep a promise.

As it stands, she didn't hold up to her end of the bargain. In fact, she broke down before the game during a special ceremony held for the team's seven graduating seniors.

But what else would a mother do?

"It was very emotional knowing this is the last time he'll play here," Kathy Maglaque said. "We've always been together because of hockey."

It's true, they have.

In all, 22 Maglaques were scattered throughout the Greenberg Ice Pavilion on Saturday as they watched their Joe skate in a home game for the last time in his career.

Often, it's easy to look past the families of players on senior day. But just as it ends for those who perform on the ice, it ends for those who work pretty hard off of it, too. And maybe, just maybe, mothers feel the grunt of the loss a little more than everyone else.

As the first period is about to start, Kathy Maglaque hurries back to her seat. If she can help it, she doesn't want to miss any of the action.

"I hope you can handle me," she says.

At the 6:23 mark of the period, the Icers score their first goal of the game against Washington & Jefferson. It's scored by freshman Paul Zodtner, assisted by Kevin Jaeger who, at the time, only needed two goals to break the Icers all-time scoring mark. Oh, by the way, Joe received the other assist on the play, too.

How's that for irony?

"These young kids coming up will be really good," said Kathy, the scout.

"Zodtner, McMullen, Jordan, Kenney, Joe really likes Kenney," she said, rattling off Icers teammates Paul Zodtner, Mike McMullen, Keith Jordan and Sean Kenney.

In case you were wondering, she knows all of Joe's teammates on a first-name basis, too.

She knows their names because the Maglaque family takes an active interest in not just their son, but in Penn State hockey as a whole. Why? Because they haven't always been a part of an organization that's been quite as close as this one.

*****

Joe was a sophomore at Fairfield University when he received news that would alter his life completely.

"It was a big disappointment. The kids had no idea. They were at practice and Joseph called me. They were crying," Kathy said.

Due to budget reasons, Fairfield University dropped its football and hockey programs at the end of Joe Maglaque's sophomore year.

Joe was devastated.

He proceeded to go online and contact different hockey coaches from across the country, telling them what happened. He was invited by Icers coach Joe Battista to come and visit.

When he arrived, he met with Icers defenseman Josh Mandel. Kathy said Mandel's influence on Joe is a major reason why he decided to come to Penn State. Fairfield is a small Jesuit school with no more than 4,000 students. Joe wanted to attend school somewhere bigger. Penn State seemed like the perfect fit, and his family backed him.

"Whatever he wanted ... you want them to be happy because if they're not happy they're not going to do well," Kathy said.

"As parents you support your kids as much as possible."

And they haven't looked back since.

"Transferring schools is definitely one of the biggest decisions I've made so far and they were behind me every single second that I wanted to come here," Joe said.

Maglaque fit into Battista's scheme quickly as a junior. Oddly enough, there have been times in the past when Battista has said Joe Maglaque plays the game similar to the way he played in college. A defenseman with a nose for scoring.

*****

As the game begins to become intense, Joe is seen tussling with a Washington & Jefferson player in the corner. Mom knows that as a defenseman it's important to be physical with the opposition, just not at the expense of drawing a penalty -- especially in a close game.

Said Kathy Maglaque the coach: "Don't be stupid."

She likes the fact that her son is vocal out on the ice. She said it's important that Joe communicates with his teammates, that once the younger players realize this, they'll be fine.

With more than a minute to go in the second period, the Icers lead 2-0. It looks as if they'll be on their way to another easy victory, conceivably because they'd just beaten the Presidents 11-0 the previous day. But on this day everything would have to be earned.

The Presidents score two quick goals in the final minute of the period to tie the game heading into the third.

But mom isn't upset; she smiles and applauds the players as they leave the ice. Something that indicates she's been down this road before.

According to her, when Joe played junior hockey, the games would always be close. She recalls numerous occasions when her son's team would either be trailing or tied late in a game, but they'd somehow find a way to win.

"You never know. It could be the crappiest team but you just don't know," she said.

At the 2:57 mark of the final period at home for Joe and six of his teammates, Jaeger scores the go-ahead goal, giving the Icers a 3-2 advantage. The crowd erupts.

You start to wonder what mom is thinking.

Joe is an economics major and he promised his mother he'd attend graduate school to obtain his masters in finance. His younger brother Kurtis is a senior in high school and wants to attend Arizona State. Mom thinks Arizona is too far from South Plainfield, N.J., where the Maglaques live. Joe is strongly considering going out west to look after his younger brother.

"They think they're so grown at 18," Kathy said.

The Icers appear to be on their way to sweeping the Presidents, but still have only a one-goal advantage. An insurance goal would be sweet, especially on senior day.

With 6:43 left Joe delivers on a one-timer past goalie Andrew Torchia: 4-2 Icers.

The Maglaques go nuts. "I'll take it," mom says as she cheers in approval.

The scene was "poetic," as Battista described the moment.

And so this is where it ends for now. Nationals still await the Icers in Illinois next week. Mom and the crew will surely be in attendance for that.

"Hockey makes them grow up to be really good young men," she said.

"I'd do it all over again."

You can write that promise down.