The No. 1 Penn State ACHA Division I Icers (28-7-0, 25-5-0 ACHA) arrived in Youngstown, Ohio yesterday to begin preparations for a run at the national championship.

Even with the top 16 teams battling for the title of the ACHA's best, it is a lesser-known name, Robert Morris (Pa.), that is the focus of all the Icers' attention at the moment.

As the No. 1 seed in the tournament, Penn State will play Robert Morris, the No. 16 seed at 4 p.m. today in Youngstown's Ice Zone. Despite entering the game as the prohibitive favorite, the Icers are not overlooking their opening-game opponent.

Penn State did not face Robert Morris this season, but while the Icers were routing Maryland last Friday, assistant coach Matt Bertani was scouting the Colonials. The team will try to learn all it can about Robert Morris in the time leading up to its first-round matchup.

"It's a single-elimination tournament, and that's the only way you can look at it," Icers forward Mike McMullen said. "We're just trying to prepare for our first game and take it from there."

Penn State coach Scott Balboni considers this to be the most competitive tournament he's seen in his time with the Icers. It includes past champions Rhode Island, Ohio and Illinois and some dark horse teams that could make a run at the title.

"There's always a bunch of sleepers out there that could steal their way into the finals," Balboni said. "In this set up, all you have to do is win one game to keep advancing."

Penn State has played in nine consecutive national championship games, winning five, but the thirst for a title is especially strong this year since the Icers have been runners-up since 2003, when they last won it all.

Balboni admitted that only six teams -- Penn State, Ohio, Illinois, Rhode Island, Oklahoma and Iowa State -- appear to be contenders, but the last thing he wants his team to do is underestimate teams like Robert Morris, as it has done earlier in the year.

He feels that his team holds an advantage in conditioning, though, which will play a crucial role this week. To win the championship, Penn State will have to play four times in five days, an arduous task after a long season.

"We prepare physically all year," Balboni said. "We prepare our guys now for playing four in five days. The way we systematically go through things at nationals is geared around that method. Anyone can win one game in one night, but to win four in five days is an awful hard road."

The Icers' success this year has put them in position to grab and eighth ACHA crown. The team is not underestimating the challenge that lies ahead of them, but its confidence is not lacking.

"I don't want to say that nobody can beat us," Penn State forward Steve Peck said. "But ... we're good."