On the Terps military appreciation night, the Terps would start conference play against a stingy Penn State team coming off an upset loss to Marquette last weekend.
To start things off, Penn State would win the opening face-off. On the first possession, TJ Malone would get the scoring going for the night for Penn State off a jump shot to make it 1-0 early on. Luke Wierman would then win the ensuing face-off to give the Terps their first possession of the day. After a long possession and a failed clear by Penn State, the Terps were still not able to counter the Nittany Lion score before giving the ball back. After a Penn State turnover, the Terps would finally get their first goal of the game thanks to a goal from Zach Whittier off an assist from Braden Erksa. The Terps would get the ball right back thanks to a face-off win by Wierman but would turn it over to Penn State. On just Penn States third shot of the day, Brian Ruppel would make the save. Off of the save from Ruppel, the Terps would go on the fast break clear and Eric Kolar would give the Terps their first lead of the day to make it 2-1. Penn State would win the next face-off and on their next possession, Donte Trader would end up committing the first penalty on the day with a 30 second hold. After just a couple seconds on the man up, Jack Traynor would take advantage of the man up and even the score for Penn State to make it 2-2. Wierman would get another face-off win but would end up giving the ball back to Penn State after losing a ground ball off of a deflected shot. Penn State would then take the lead back off a goal from Jack Traynor for his second on the day coming off of the ground ball win. Wierman would get yet another face off win and Eric Spanos would tie the game up for the Terps off a spin move with just under a minute left in the first quarter. Not even 15 seconds later, Trader would score another goal for the Terps wight off of another face-off win from Wierman to make it 4-3 Terps. Off of another Wierman face-off, Kyle long would double the Terps lead off of a speed dodge with just three second left in the first quarter to make it 5-3 heading into the second quarter. Wierman would go seven of nine from the face-off that quarter having him hit the 500 face-off win milestone of his career.
Just where the Terps left off, they would score right off yet another face-off win by Wierman thanks to Trader getting his second goal on the day. On the ensuing face-off, the Penn State face-off man would commit his third violation of the half giving the Terps a 30 second man up. On the man up, Daniel Kelly would score his first goal of the day off an assist from Owen Murphy. With the Terps on a 5-0 run, Penn State would wind up calling their first time out of the first half. Wierman with another face-off win that would lead to another goal for the Terps. This time thanks to Kolar who would score his second of the day to make it 8-3. Penn State would finally win another face-off and end Wierman’s hot streak. Penn State would stop the bleeding and would stop the Terps 6-0 run thanks to a goal from Kevin Winkoff. Wierman would win the ensuing face-off but the Terps would turn it over right away giving Penn State another possession. The Terps defense would stand tall and give the ball back to the offense. Penn State would go to a ten man ride but would commit their second flag of the day for an offsides giving the Terps 30 seconds man up. Murphy would then take advantage of the man up and join the scoring party making it 9-4. Penn State would get the ball back after a rare face-off win. And on the next possession, Matt Traynor would dig into the Terps lead for the Nittany Lions to make it 9-5. After the goal, Trader would commit his second penalty on the day off of a cross check. Wierman would win the ensuing face-off giving the Terps the chance to kill the Penn State man up opportunity. Penn State’s goalie would wind up making a save but would turn it back over to the Terps on the clear. However, the Terps would give it right back to Penn State and give them another opportunity to cut into the Terps lead. Ajax Zappitello would cause yet another turnover from Penn State and Trader would clear the ball and give it back to the Terps offense. Off of a shot that would go wide from the Terps, Penn State would get the ball back and Malone would take advantage and make it 9-6 Terps with just under five minutes left in the game. Penn State would win the next face-off and would cut into the Terps lead once again off a goal by Mac Costin making it 9-7. Penn State’s backup face-off an would win another face-off and they would keep their hot streak going and add to their goal tally off a goal by Jack Traynor. Head coach John Tillman would call his first time out of the first half to try and quiet down the Penn State bench and lose some of their momentum. Off the time out, Penn State would commit another penalty to give the Terps another man up opportunity for 30 seconds. The Terps offense however would not be able to capitalize on the man up and would cough it up and give the ball back to Penn State. On the ensuing possession, Penn State would cough it up and give it right back to the Terps. Off the turnover, the Terps would end the Penn State run and make it 10-8 with time winding down off a goal by Jack Koras.
Through one half, the Terps were led by Trader and Kolar offensively off of their fast break goals. Ruppel had a rough first half however with just three saves. Wierman had a very strong half going 15 of 20 from the face-off. The Terps defense was not playing as well as they usually do. Penn State was starting to win their matchups against the Terps short stick defensive midfielders in the second quarter which was how they cut the Terps lead down to two at halftime.
To start the second half off, there would be a wild scramble off the face-off and the Terps would come out with the ball but would give it back to Penn State off a save. Right off the clear, Jack Traynor would get the second half scoring going making it 10-9 within the first minute of play. Off the ensuing face-off the Terps would get the ball back and Koras would add a second goal to his tally on the day off a nice assist from Jack Brennan. Penn State would commit another penalty giving the Terps a minute man up, however, Wierman would commit a violation on the ensuing face-off and would give Penn State the ball and the chance to get it back to even strength without the Terps touching the ball. Penn State would cough the ball off right after killing the penalty and the Terps would give it right back to the Nittany Lions off a crease violation. After some back and forth play by both teams not allowing a score, Penn State would commit yet another penalty due to a slash giving the Terps another minute long man up opportunity. However, right away once again the Terps would cough the ball up and let Penn State kill yet another Terps man up. Both defenses would settle in and both teams would keep getting back and forth possessions. However, neither team would be able to hit the back of the net for the rest of the third quarter making it 11-9 heading into the fourth and final quarter.
Penn State would get the first possession of the fourth quarter, but would give the ball to the Terps off of a crease violation. The Terps would also cough the ball back up and give it right back to Penn State extending the games 15 plus minute long goalless streak. After a couple more empty possessions by both teams, the nearly 18 minute goal drought would finally be snapped thanks to a bouncing shot by Kyle Long, extending the Terps lead to three making it 12-9. Both teams defesnes would keep up the strong play without giving up any goals. With about seven minutes left in the game Kolar would commit a substituition violation and woul give Penn State a 30 second man up but the Terps would cause a turnover right away giving it back to the offense letting them kill the penalty time. Once the penalty was killed, Koras would score his third on the day making it 13-9 with 5:30 left in the game. Koras’ hat trick would keep the Terps streak of having a player with a hat trick alive at 65 games. The Terps defense was keeping up their intensity keeping Penn State’s goal drought for 26 minutes before tey would finally give up another score by Minkoff making it 13-10 with just under three minutes left. Wierman would win the ensuing face-off and would left coach Tillman call a timeout to set the Terps up so they could kill time and finish the game on top. The Terps offense would commit a shot clock violation but would get the clock down to just over a minute left. Penn State would then get a shot off but Ruppel would make the save giving it back to the offense for them to kill the rest of the clock. Penn State would commit yet another turnover which would give the Terps the man up for the rest of the game letting them kill off the rest of the clock and winning the game 13-10.
Ruppel would have six saves in the second half helping the Terps defense shut down Penn State to just two goals the entire second half. Koras finished the day with the Terps only hat trick leading the team in goals but tied for first in total point with Long who had two goals and an assist. The Terps will stay home next week where they will take on Michigan and hope to stay undefeated in conference play.
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