By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
It’s one thing to think you can compete with the best; to believe – without having tangible evidence – that you’re capable of not just holding your own with, but also defeating, top-ranked teams.
It’s an entirely different animal to go out and do it.
Which is why Saturday night’s 1-0 victory by unheralded Rochester Institute of Technology over eighth-ranked Penn State University was so meaningful to the Tigers.
While they had believed they could play with anyone, while they wanted to say the best of the Big Ten and Hockey East didn’t frighten them, they had no way to know for sure.
Now they do. With sophomore goalie Jakub Krbecek playing at his absolute best in making 44 saves, and with his teammates determined to do whatever it would take to make the necessary play, the Tigers (11-8) upset powerhouse Penn State at the sold-out Gene Polisseni Center (4,233 fans).
It’s just the fourth win against a Top 10 team in RIT program history.
“It means a lot to all the boys in the room,” senior captain Tyler Mahan said. “We know we can compete with anyone.”
Freshman winger Evan Konyen scored 6:28 into the first period and it turned out to be the only goal the Tigers needed. Krbecek played with imposing confidence while the Tigers kept second chances and in-tight Grade-A chances to a minimum.
“A lot of their shots were exterior shots and our system gives that up,” RIT coach Matt Thomas said. “Our goaltender did not give up second chances; stuff stuck to him.
“And when they had to get into key areas, I thought we did a good job of taking away time and space.”
That’s not to say Krbecek wasn’t tested often. He definitely was, especially in the first period when the Nittany Lions (11-6) fired 19 shots on goal.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a goalie play better on a team I’ve been on,” Konyen said.
Said Mahan: “He bailed us out so many times.”
Of course, when you’re playing a Top 10 team, a team with five NHL draft picks in Saturday’s lineup, you’re going to be under siege at times.
“When you’re trying to beat a team like that, you need a goaltender to play like that,” Thomas said. “And when your goalie is making those saves, guys are willing to block shots, to get pucks deep, to do whatever.”
Like in the 15th minute of the first period, when Mahan’s stick-lift at the top of the crease denied a sure goal by Penn State’s Dane Dowiak.
Like in the sixth minute of the second period, when defenseman Kevin Scott made a sliding breakup of a Penn State two-on-one rush and seconds later Philippe Jacques blocked a high-danger shot at the top of the slot.
Like in the 12th minute of the second period, when defenseman Mason Croucher swatted away Matt Dimarsico’s pass off a two-on-one.
And late in the third period, when Reese Laubach had dangled free at the right edge of the crease and was ready to put the finishing touches on the tying goal, only to be bowled over by Tigers defenseman Ben Roger.
“All the guys were doing whatever it takes,” Mahan said.
Especially Krbecek, who matched a career high in saves while posting his first collegiate shutout. He obviously knew there was big-time skill on the Penn State roster but said his approach was no different than if the game was part of a weekend in Atlantic Hockey.
“The mindset is still the same: keep stopping the pucks, that’s my job,” Krbecek said.
The Tigers probably didn’t face the best Penn State can offer. The Nittany Lions hadn’t played in 42 days, and five players and coach Guy Gadowsky returned to the U.S. this week after they helped a team of American college players to a runner-up finish in the Spengler Cup in Switzerland. That said, it was still Penn State.
Konyen scored the only goal – his seventh of the season – by converting a goal-mouth feed from Austin Brimmer 6:28 into the game. The duo ended up two-on-zero below the circles after botched coverage by the Nittany Lions.
With all five Penn State defenders above the circles, linemate Zach Wigle swatted a loose puck down to the corner and seconds later Brimmer was setting up Konyen.
“That gave us a lot of momentum,” Konyen said. “It’s always better to play with the lead.”
Both teams failed to capitalize on Grade-A chances in the second period, when the Tigers were outshot 10-8.
Two of Krbecek’s best saves came seconds apart in the 14th minute. First he stopped Ben Schoen’s shot from the slot, then he was able to deny Luke Misa’s rebound try.
He was tested again at 16:01 – and aced the test – when he moved out to stop and smother Charlie Cerrato’s one-timer from the right of the slot off a fast-break rush.
Penn State ramped up the pressure in the third period – outshooting the Tigers 15-4 – but again failed to score.
The Nittany Lions then pulled goalie Josh Fleming in favor of a sixth attacker with 2:28 remaining but they managed just one shot on goal as the Tigers pestered, pressured and frustrated Penn State’s attackers.
“Guys were diving into the puck, blocking it; they never stopped trying to keep the puck away from me,” Krbecek said.
When the clock hit 0.0, the Tigers celebrated their first signature victory since a 3-0 victory over Notre Dame in the 2023-2024 Brick City Homecoming game.
“It’s big, and it’s probably even bigger because we haven’t been finding a way to win these games,” Thomas said. “It’s a good boost to the ego. We know we can win against a Big Ten opponent.”
Notes: RIT is 3-12-1 all-time vs. teams ranked in the Top 10, and 1-9-1 during the regular season. That includes 6-1 and 3-1 losses to Penn State in 2022-23. The victories came against No. 2 Denver in the 2010 East Regional (2-1), vs. No. 1 Minnesota-Mankato in the 2015 Mideast Regional (2-1) and vs. No. 9 Clarkson in the 2020-21 season opener (8-5).
Penn State freshman star Gavin McKenna, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft, did not play. He is with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship.
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