Freshman forward Gavin McKenna continues to earn national recognition after being named Rookie of the Month by the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) for his outstanding performances during the month of February.
The Whitehorse, Yukon native produced an exceptional six-game stretch that further cemented his status as one of the top freshmen in college hockey.
McKenna led the nation in scoring during the month, averaging 2.33 points per game with two goals and 12 assists for 14 total points. His point total topped the Big Ten Conference for the month and ranked third nationally while his 12 assists led the entire country.
The freshman also finished February on a five-game point streak and recorded three multi-point performances during that span.
The highlight of McKenna’s month came in an 11–4 victory over Ohio State Buckeyes men’s ice hockey, when he set a program record with eight points and dished out seven assists. The eight-point performance was the most in an NCAA Division I game in 39 years, while the seven assists were the most in a game since Vermont’s Kevin Foster in 1983.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Both totals also stand as Big Ten records since the conference began sponsoring hockey in the 2013–14 season.
McKenna capped off February with a shootout winner against Notre Dame Fighting Irish men’s ice hockey. His 46 points this season rank fourth in single-season program history at Penn State Nittany Lions men’s ice hockey and sit just one point shy of the freshman record.
Additionally, McKenna’s 33 assists have already set a new Penn State single-season record, surpassing the previous mark held by Aiden Fink.
