Winning can disguise problems just as easily as losing can exaggerate them.
Penn State hockey coach Guy Gadowsky understands that distinction, which explains why he wasn’t celebrating too enthusiastically following the Nittany Lions’ weekend sweep of Canisius.
After beginning the season with four consecutive losses, Penn State finally broke through with back-to-back victories.
The results provided some relief, but Gadowsky knows two wins cannot erase the deficiencies that contributed to the program’s difficult start.
“I think we took a step. I think it was a step in a couple of areas, but we’re not close to where we have to be,” Gadowsky said Tuesday.
That assessment might sound overly cautious following a sweep, but the numbers suggest Gadowsky has every reason to remain concerned.
Penn State enters Big Ten play against No. 18 Minnesota with a 2-4 record, having surrendered 23 goals through six games.
Its 3.83 goals allowed per game rank near the bottom nationally, an alarming statistic for a program with aspirations of competing for conference championships and returning to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons.
The Nittany Lions have demonstrated an ability to generate offense.
Their defensive performance, however, remains a significant obstacle.
Consider what happened against Quinnipiac.
Penn State jumped ahead 2-0 in the first period before allowing six unanswered goals in a 6-3 defeat. Four of Quinnipiac’s six goals came on the power play, exposing problems with discipline and penalty killing.
Against Robert Morris, the problems were different but equally concerning.
Penn State surrendered a goal just 20 seconds into the game and found itself trailing 3-0 after the opening period. Despite mounting a comeback, the Nittany Lions ultimately fell 5-2.
Those weren’t simply instances of unfortunate bounces. They were performances in which defensive breakdowns and an inability to manage critical situations proved costly.
Gadowsky understands hockey doesn’t always reward the team playing better.
“Hockey has too many variables we talk about all the time: goaltenders, referees and rubber pucks. So you can do everything right and think you’re at a great spot and then things just don’t work.”
There’s considerable truth in that observation.
Penn State outshot UConn 43-24 in its season-opening 3-1 defeat. Against Robert Morris, the Nittany Lions held a 35-32 advantage in shots but couldn’t overcome their disastrous first period.
The Canisius series demonstrated what happens when those opportunities finally translate into victories.
Penn State outshot Canisius 44-24 Friday, controlling possession and generating sustained offensive pressure in its 5-1 victory.
The Nittany Lions also dominated the faceoff circle, winning 54 of 86 draws.
Those are encouraging indicators, but they don’t necessarily establish that Penn State has corrected its underlying problems.
Gadowsky’s assessment of his defensive group reinforces that reality.
“We haven’t checked off all the boxes yet on that,” he said.
That’s particularly interesting considering sophomore defenseman Jackson Smith’s emergence as one of the nation’s most productive offensive blue liners.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Smith earned Big Ten Third Star of the Week honors after recording four points against Canisius, including Saturday’s overtime winner just 15 seconds into the extra period.
Through six games, Smith has seven points on two goals and five assists.
His offensive contributions have been outstanding, but productive defensemen don’t automatically translate into a defensively sound hockey team.
Penn State must improve its positioning, communication and ability to prevent opponents from generating quality scoring opportunities.
The encouraging news is that the Nittany Lions have demonstrated they can create those opportunities themselves.
Gadowsky specifically praised Shea Van Olm’s performance against Canisius despite the forward failing to capitalize on his scoring chances.
“He played one of the best games I have seen on Friday, analytically. The chances were generated, and the pucks just didn’t go in the back of the net.”
A player generating quality opportunities without scoring isn’t necessarily struggling. Sometimes the process is working even when the results aren’t.
But there’s also a difference between trusting the process and accepting recurring deficiencies.
Penn State cannot continue surrendering nearly four goals per game and expect its offensive production to compensate consistently.
Minnesota presents an immediate test of whether the Canisius weekend represented meaningful progress.
The Gophers are allowing 3.50 goals per game themselves, but enter the series following a sweep of then-No. 3 North Dakota.
Minnesota also possesses a power play converting 28.6 percent of its opportunities, making discipline particularly important for Penn State.
Gadowsky isn’t pretending his team has solved everything.
“I don’t think you’re ever comfortable in the Big Ten,” he said.
Nor should he be.
Penn State’s first two victories were important, especially for a team searching for confidence after an 0-4 start.
But confidence isn’t the same as consistency, and beating Canisius isn’t the same as proving the Nittany Lions can compete against the Big Ten’s best.
Gadowsky recognizes the distinction.
“We have a lot of work to do, but we have taken a step.”
The question now isn’t whether Penn State has improved.
It’s whether that improvement is substantial enough to withstand the considerably greater challenges awaiting in conference play.
Because while hockey might be unpredictable, the standings ultimately aren’t.
And Penn State cannot afford to confuse taking a step forward with having arrived.
