Penn State will be shorthanded at center for the rest of the season, as team captain Dane Dowiak announced today that he will be sidelined for the remainder of the year.
Dowiak said on X that he suffered an upper-body injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season. Despite the setback, he shared an encouraging message for Penn State fans, urging them to keep faith in the team.
“While this is incredibly disappointing, it does not change my belief in this team. What we’re building has never been stronger. I’ll continue to support my guys every step of the way as a captain off the ice, and I know the entire team will elevate its leadership on the ice in my absence. Nothing will get in the way of what we’re building.”
Dowiak also expressed gratitude to his teammates, head coach Guy Gadowsky and his staff, as well as athletic director Pat Kraft, for their support throughout the season and recovery process.
The loss of Dowiak is a significant blow to a Penn State team jockeying for seeding in both the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Dowiak has been Penn State’s best two-way player this season, leading the team in plus/minus with a +16 rating.
Following Charlie Cerrato’s injury, Gadowsky shuffled the lines and promoted Dowiak to a unit with Aiden Fink and Gavin McKenna. The trio quickly became one of the hottest lines in college hockey, with Dowiak recording 10 points (five goals, five assists) in seven games while centering Fink and McKenna.
Penn State will now look to find help at center starting this Friday against Ohio State at Pegula Ice Arena.
