DUEY BROTHERS LEAD LIONS AGAINST THE COLONIALS 7-4

Sunday, October 13, 2024

PSU opened the 2024-2025 season against longtime familiar opponent and CHE rival, the RMU Colonials. Last year the Lions lost all three head to head contests with RMU. With each new season brings a new team attitude and thoughts of redemption. The stands were packed and a feeling of a playoff atmosphere was in the air. The Lions would strike three minutes and eleven seconds into the contest when Andrew Duey (from Asante) would score on a breakaway putting the Lions up 1-0. RMU would tie the contest at the seven minute mark. One area of focus from last year was to improve on the power play and penalty kill. Evan Heffler (A. Duey & Pfeilstucker) would once again give PSU the lead on the power play. With a minute remaining in the first period, The Colonials would tally a power play goal of their own. At the end of the first the score was knotted at two. PSU would go back to work on the power play at the beginning of the 2nd period and forty-six seconds into the period Tyler Kearney (A.Duey, Strang)scoring his first ever collegiate goal, would give PSU a 3-2 lead. Freshman Tyler Bruno (Asante) would score his first collegiate goal, then would put PSU up 4-2 with a shot over a sprawling RMU goaltender. The Lions would pick up where they left off in the third period as freshman Cohen Hemminger (unassisted) would also pick up his first collegiate goal after picking up a loose puck from a mad scramble in front of RMU's net and bury the puck in the back of the twine. Tyler Kearney (unassisted) would tally is 2nd of the game with a slap shot from beyond the blue line giving PSU a 6-2 lead. Robert Morris would make it a 6-4 game, before Andrew Duey (Kearney) scored an empty net goal with twelve seconds remaining to secure the win for PSU Altoona. Freshman goaltender Tyler Duey would pick up his first collegiate win turning away 26 of 30 shots in the contest. Duey kept his team in the game with key saves at opportune times especially during the penalty kill. Penn State would go 2 for 6 on the power play. But more impressive the Lions killed off 10 of 11 power plays some of which were 5 on 3 advantages. Notable performances for the Day Andrew Duey (2G, 2A), Tyler Kearney (2G, 1A), Eddie Asante (2A). Curtis Halpin would receive the games MVP Luchador Mask with his stellar performance on the defensive end. Penn State's new head coach David Mueller would notch his first ever collegiate win and had this to say about his teams performance. "It's always nice to start the season off with a win against the defending champions. Regardless, there is still a lot of work to do. As a team we need to be much better with not taking as many penalties. It's about the details, and little things here and there that will win or lose you games throughout the year. It's a good feeling to come out of the gates with a win, but this is only the first stepping stone of a season long process". PSU's next game is Sunday October 13 against Shippensburg at 2:30PM.