A week after having their entire team healthy for the first time all season, the No. 2 Penn State ACHA Division I Icers were engaged in their most physical battle of the year.

On the road against their fiercest rivals, the Ohio Bobcats, the Icers gained three points in the standings with a 2-0 win Friday night and a shootout loss 7-6 Saturday at Bird Arena in Athens, Ohio.

The Icers (22-1-4) played two tough contests, which showed Saturday night as it led to an increase in goals and scoring opportunities from fatigue.

"The games were as chippy as we expected," Penn State junior forward Brandon Rubeo said. "The reffing was a bit sketchy, but you just have to finish off your hits and know that most of the penalties taken are inadvertently. It's hard to get into the flow of the game with players coming on and off the ice for penalties."

Saturday's affair included 12 goals, 76 shots and 42 minutes worth of penalty time. Twice during the game the Icers found themselves down by two goals but forced overtime thanks to stellar goaltending from Teddy Hume and back-to-back goals by Rubeo.

"They're a veteran team with a lot of heart, and they showed what they're made of tonight," Penn State coach Scott Balboni said. "They went out there without their best game but dug down deep for a great effort and got away with a point."

For the second time this season, Ohio (17-10-0) disposed the Icers in a shootout, as Bobcat goalie Paul Marshall saved all four shots he faced, enabling Ohio to win the shootout 2-0.

The play was more open after a 2-0 victory for Penn State Friday night, when the Icers were outshot for the first time this season, 29-21.

Icers goaltender Nick Signet had his third shutout of the season.

"The defense made them shoot a lot from the outside and gave me the lanes to see everything," Signet said. "They also got the rebounds and got them out of the zone quickly to prevent second-chance opportunities."

Balboni also praised the defensive play in the game, but he credited the victory to Signet.

"He made five or six unbelievable saves that kept them off the board," Balboni said. "It was his best game of the year."

Despite the loss Saturday, the Icers came away with three points on the weekend and confidence that they are never out of a game, especially in a hostile arena.

"Bird Arena is the hardest place to play in the ACHA," Rubeo said. "Coming back like that twice [Saturday] shows tremendous character for everyone on the team."