In the thick of a competitive Big Ten slate with playoff hopes on the horizon, the only thing expected of the Nittany Lions on their bye week would be rest, recovery and relaxation; but that's the last thing on their minds.
Rallying the Hockey Valley community over the shared love of the sport, the Nittany Lions gathered to support a cause greater than itself, as Penn State hosted its second-annual sled hockey classic at Pegula Ice Arena on Saturday, February 3rd.
The Nittany Lions, with efforts led by junior forward Dylan Lugris, fully planned and facilitated the sled-hockey classic for the second consecutive season, with the goal of raising money to support the State College Coyotes. With the funds raised, the Coyotes can help cover travel and equipment expenses as a team so they too could continue on with the sport they love at a competitive level.
The Coyotes are a competitive sled hockey team based out of State College, Pennsylvania. Proud members of the NESHL, a league providing opportunity for competitive and sportsmanlike hockey amongst a community of those with disabilities, the Coyotes compete in a six-month-long season against other teams in the Northeast region, ranging from Maryland to Ohio to Maine.
Eager to make a difference during his time in Hockey Valley, Lugris found himself in a unique position to raise awareness and give back to a community that has graced his team with so much love and support.
Soon after arriving in Hockey Valley, the Buffalo, New York native got involved with the Coyotes, excited to learn more about the organization and its athletes. Lugris felt inspired and wanted to use his resources at Penn State to raise awareness and support for the sport of sled hockey.
Proposing the idea of a sled hockey fundraiser to benefit the State College Coyotes, head coach Guy Gadowsky and his teammates backed him and helped facilitate his efforts to make it a reality.
All aspects of the event are completely facilitated through the locker room, from participating in the scrimmage, to coaching the teams, running the scoreboard and announcing the game, each player contributed to the event in their own unique way.
"Everybody bought in, and it's a Saturday morning on our bye week, but they all wanted to be here and be a part of it, and I think that says a lot about our culture and the group we have," emphasized Lugris.
The Nittany Lions, extremely talented at their craft when it consists of two skates and one stick, rose to the challenge of taking on the Coyotes in their area of expertise, on one sled with two sticks.
The Coyotes welcomed a special guest to their roster, Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky. The two teams battled it out through the matchup, pressing a tie game in the waning minutes, forcing overtime for the second-straight season.
It didn't take long for Gadowsky to redirect a shot past sophomore defenseman, playing goalie, Dylan Gratton for the overtime game-winner as chaos erupted, and the Coyotes extended their undefeated streak in all-time matchups with the Nittany Lions on their home ice.
"Having Gads score the game winner was probably the most disgusting thing I've ever seen… I mean I was sickened," exclaimed Lugris, which is hockey talk for saying it was the perfect way to end a spectacular event.
Pegula Ice Arena, always graced with the passion and excitement cultivated by the Roar Zone, got a taste of what being the visiting team feels like. Hockey fans in Happy Valley flooded the Roar Zone at 9:45 on a Saturday morning to torment the Nittany Lions, and cheer on the Coyotes as the home team.
Smiles and positive vibes lit up the arena following the event as the Nittany Lions welcomed the fans to a free skate with the team. All efforts coming together to facilitate the weekend fully embodied Penn State's pride and the culture in and out of the locker room, as they look to close out the remainder of the season.
The Nittany Lions are back on the road this weekend to take on the eighth-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers.
