Icers preparing for critical games

Now, Rhode Island (22-5-1, 15-1-0) will have the shot at payback in a match-up of teams that have combined to win four of the last six national titles.

As for Penn State head coach Scott Balboni, bragging rights would be nice, but he is much more concerned with the postseason picture.

"This weekend is very big," said Balboni, whose team is 4-1 against the ACHA's top-five teams this season. "If we happen to lose one or two this weekend, and then lose one or two the following week against Ohio, we're in trouble."

With the national tournament looming less than a month away, the importance of every game is magnified. If the Icers lose several games down the stretch, it could drop them from the No. 2 or No. 3 seed to as far down as No. 6 or No. 7, which would put them in the less-than-enviable away tier of the bracket.

"We're in a really dangerous position right now," Balboni said. "We really need to come out and play hard, get better and then, in theory, get some wins."

To do so, Penn State will need to avoid the mental breakdowns and lapses that have already been responsible for two losses this semester.

Following last Saturday's 4-3, shootout loss to Duquesne, the coaching staff spent many hours dissecting the Icers' problems and looking for the answers to their surprising letdowns in winnable games. The answer that Balboni and his assistant coaches came up with was that the team was suffering from its youth and lack of experience.

"We're a young team and we're making young mistakes. We're not mentally prepared for people," Balboni said. "We think just because we had an easy night one night, it'll be the same exact thing the next night. That's something you've got learn with experience and we don't have a lot of experience."

For forward Sean Kenney, his team's difficulties stem from its inability to do "the little things" at crucial times.

In Penn State's five wins last month, it stifled opponents by allowing only three goals and recording two shutouts. In the two losses, to West Chester and Duquesne, the team has blown late leads by not making the easy plays and trying to force passes.

"Not doing the little things is going to cost you the game and doing the little things is going to win you a national championship," Kenney said. "That's what we've preached all week. As long as we go out, stick to our systems and do the little things, we'll be OK."

The return of forwards McMullen, Luke DeLorenzo, Frank Berry and defenseman Keith Jordan, who make up four-fifths of the Icers' top power play unit, may help Penn State avoid any costly gaffs, as well as provide an extra boost against a Rhode Island squad that will be out for blood.

"[The Rams] are going to come in here with all guns blaring," Balboni said. "I expect an absolute war."