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Sunday, November 13, 2011

An Imperfect Ten

It wasn't pretty, but the Penn State Icers maintained their unbeaten record (10-0) with Friday's 7-0 whitewash of the West Chester Golden Rams.

Unfortunately, this one deteriorated into an old-style, penalty filled ACHA game. It's been a few years since the penalty side of my scorebook came close to being filled.

After just three minors called in the first period, it went steadily downhill in the final forty minutes. A total of twenty-two penalties were called in the final two periods.

The Icers went 4 for 9 on the power play, while holding West Chester off the board in their three power play opportunities. To top it off, Mike McDonagh scored a highlight reel short-handed goal.

Brandon Russo made his first appearance as an Icer and made quite an impression.

Russo sprang Taylor Holstrom on a breakaway for his sixth of the season to make it 2-0. Brandon made it 6-0 in the third with a blast from just inside the blue line.

With West Chester in the rear view mirror, the Icers now have to focus on this weekend's home-and-home series with the fourth-ranked Delaware Blue Hens (14-1). M. F. Schurman's team has won eleven in a row since dropping a 4-3 decision to Arizona State at the ACHA Showcase on October 8.

A new ranking will be released on Friday, so it's not inconceivable that by the time the puck is dropped at the Rust Arena this could be a series between the top two teams in the ACHA.

There are some out there that think this weekend could be a preview of the national championship game. That may be a possibility, but there is a lot of hockey to be played between now and March.


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