If defense truly does win championships, then the Penn State Division I ACHA Icers have been showing recently they have what it takes to contend for an eighth national title.

It may be the offense that gets most of the glory at times -- especially when the team scorched last weekend's opponents with 17 goals in two games -- but the defensive play
has been stifling lately, including the goaltending of sophomore Nick Signet.

"The whole team played good team defense, they came back to help keep the shots down. When they did give up opportunities, [Signet] made good saves," Penn State head coach Scott Balboni said.

In the last six games, the Icers have let up only two goals. Signet has blanked the opposition four times this season, including an active shutout streak that has now reached 173 minutes and 11 seconds. As a result, the team hasn't lost since Oct. 20, when it was defeated by Oklahoma, 5-3.

Signet does not put much stock in individual accomplishments, though. He is more concerned that the team is winning. He also attributes much of his success to the guys in front of him, since the Icers have routinely out-shot their opponents, letting Signet see only 27 shots total last weekend.

"Things are coming together real well," Signet said. "The team's playing real well and it's just kind of snowballing from there. We have a lot of young guys playing defense, and the way they are keeping shots to the outside and keeping them far away is great. I'll take 27 shots any weekend."

According to Balboni, good team defense is a product of hard work from every position. Not only have the defensemen been performing their duties, but the forwards are getting back to help out, too. The team play is allowing the Icers to reap the benefits at the other end of the ice, which was a big part of the recent offensive outpouring.

"[The defense] is moving the puck up to the forwards and taking shots away from their guys, blocking shots," forward Matt Schwartz said.

Early in the season, the team worked on defensive zones during practice. Through the first few games, the players were still adjusting to the new system, but now things are beginning to click.

"They're starting to really gel. Even the guys that don't get in as much can step in and do the same thing," forward Lukas DeLorenzo said.

In the past six games, Penn State has beaten its opponents by a combined score of 33-2. The team won't have that kind of scoring margin against the ACHA's top squads, so tough defense will be an important factor in keeping the Icers competitive in the long run.