With forwards Mike McMullen, Luke DeLorenzo, Frank Berry and defenseman Keith Jordan inactive for six of seven games to start the spring semester, the No. 2 Penn State ACHA Division I Icers needed some new faces to grab the headlines.

Enter the unlikely foursome of John Conte, Kyle Mills, Jason Lorenz and Steve Peck.

The quartet has shined in the absence of McMullen, DeLorenzo, Berry and Jordan -- all are representing Team USA at the World University Games in Italy from Jan. 17-27 -- and helped the Icers to a 2-1 start in the new year.

"A lot of the guys knew that they needed to step up, especially with four of our top players away, and they did," Balboni said.

After dropping its first game of 2007 at No. 20 West Chester, 5-4, in a tight shootout last Wednesday,
Penn State rattled off two impressive road wins against Scranton, 3-1, and No. 12 Delaware, 5-1, on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Ironically, the loss to the Golden Rams came with McMullen, DeLorenzo and Berry -- who make up the Icers' highly productive red line -- and Jordan in the lineup.

In the two wins since, Penn State (20-4-0, 18-2-0 ACHA) has received production from guys who don't often find their names on the score sheet.

With only one goal in the first semester, freshman defenseman Conte tallied his second of the season in the first period of Friday night's victory against the Ice Royals. Conte, who also has five assists, has been solid all season for a defense that allows 2.4 goals per game.

The same can be said for Mills, a sophomore defenseman, who also made a big contribution in the win on Friday. When Scranton narrowed the deficit to one late in the third period, it was Mills who nullified any comeback bid with his second tally of the season.

"[Conte and Mills] had great games," Balboni said after the game.

"Both have played well all year and tonight was a reflection of that."

On Saturday, forwards Lorenz and Peck stepped into the starring roles. Lorenz scored his first goal of the season in the second period to break a scoreless tie with the Blue Hens.

"It felt really good, to come back and get one early into the semester," Lorenz said of his first goal.

Minutes later, Peck -- the most prolific scorer of the four -- notched his seventh goal, which proved to the game winner against a familiar opponent.

"We're looking for guys to step up and get goals because we've lost a lot of scoring power," Lorenz said. "We came back and had a tough practice the first day [of the semester], and coach really let us know that we're going to have to step up -- and he got the message across."

News and Notes

DeLorenzo recorded the 100th point of his short, but illustrious, collegiate career in last Wednesday's loss to West Chester. DeLorenzo assisted on McMullen's goal in the third period to give him the century-mark in points after having played only 57 games at Penn State. In the same game, senior defenseman Keith Jordan notched the 99th point of his career ... After waiting for NCAA approval, Penn State will be unable to play NCAA Division I powerhouse University of Denver next season. The Icers signed a contract with the Pioneers, who won consecutive national championships in 2004 and 2005, last semester to play an exhibition game in Denver next season. However, NCAA scheduling regulations restricted the two teams from finalizing the deal.