Penn State dug itself out of a brutal opening Friday night in Ann Arbor, only to watch a tying goal disappear on video review and see No. 2 Michigan pull away late for a 6-3 win at Yost Ice Arena.
The loss left the Nittany Lions still chasing their first Big Ten victory. Penn State is now 2-8-1 overall and 0-4-1 in conference play, while Michigan moved to 9-1-0 and 2-1-0.
Michigan wasted no time putting Penn State in a hole. The Wolverines struck three times in the first six minutes, with Jack Nesbitt scoring at 1:42, Drew Schock adding another at 3:29 and Malcolm Spence burying a power-play goal at 6:06.
Penn State finally settled in after that, and Justin Poirier got the comeback moving. His wrist shot from the right circle beat Jack Ivankovic on the power play at 8:33, stretching Poirier’s career-best point streak to eight games.
The Nittany Lions kept pressing in the second period. Freshman Shea Busch cut the deficit to 3-2 just 1:23 after the intermission, finishing a pass from Kale Dach. Michigan answered at 10:01 when Aidan Park redirected Schock’s point shot past Josh Fleming to restore a two-goal cushion.
Penn State refused to go away. Reese Laubach pulled the Nittany Lions back within one at 3:47 of the third period, finishing a setup from Lev Katzin.
Then came the moment that changed everything.
Justin Larose appeared to tie the game at 7:06 with a one-timer, but Michigan challenged the play for offside and won the review, keeping its 4-3 lead intact.
Penn State still had chances after that. Poirier rang a shot off the post, but Michigan answered with the decisive push. Nick Moldenhauer scored with 1:59 left, and Ben Robertson added an empty-net goal with 39.8 seconds remaining to close it out.
Fleming finished with 29 saves for Penn State, while Ivankovic stopped 28 for Michigan. The Wolverines held a 35-31 edge in shots, and both teams went 1-for-3 on the power play.
Katzin had two assists and now has seven points in nine games, topping the six points he posted last season.
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Still Waiting On Minnesota Game As Uncertainty Grows
A nationwide ground stop tied to communications problems at regional air traffic control centers rippled into Penn States Week 11 matchup with Minnesota, leaving the Golden Gophers travel plans in limbo for much of Friday. The Federal Aviation Administration lifted the stop after about four hours, but Minnesota still had not finalized its trip by late Friday evening, adding another layer of uncertainty to a game that was already on the calendar and now had to wait on logistics.
The delay was not isolated to one program, either. Other Big Ten teams, including Purdue and Washington, also felt the effects as flights were delayed or altered, a reminder of how quickly a routine football weekend can get complicated when air travel gets disrupted. For Penn State fans looking ahead to Saturday, the game itself remained the focus, but the buildup had an unusual wrinkle as Minnesotas arrival remained unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Lands An Early In-State Recruiting Test Under Matt Campbell
Penn States early work in the 2028 class already has a notable in-state win, with four-star cornerback Deonte Flemings Jr. committing to the Nittany Lions under head coach Matt Campbell. Ranked as the No. 5 player in Pennsylvania, Flemings has become one of the more important local names in the cycle, and his decision gives Penn State an early foothold with a prospect who knows the program well and has built strong ties with the staff.
Flemings has continued to take other visits, but those relationships have kept him steady in his pledge as he looks ahead to his own development. He has spoken about how much he expects to grow as a player before arriving in Happy Valley, and for Penn State, the bigger picture is just as encouraging: landing a highly regarded in-state defensive back this early gives the program a chance to keep building around a player who already seems invested in what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Have A Few Pregame Concerns Before Minnesota Kickoff
Penn States pregame routine got a little more complicated Saturday, but the matchup with Minnesota is still set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET. The Gophers were delayed by a nationwide FAA ground stop, adding an unusual wrinkle to a night game that was already drawing attention because of the latest injury updates on both sides. For fans heading into the matchup, the logistics have become part of the story almost as much as the football.
The broadcast setup also has a different look, with FS1 carrying the game and FOX One streaming it, while Brian Tripp is stepping in for Jack Ham in the radio booth. Between the travel delay, the injury report and the change in the call, theres been plenty to sort through before a single snap is taken. What happens once the teams finally settle in is still the part Penn State fans care about most. [Read more 🡒]