Penn State Hockey: Nittany Lions Sweep Michigan in Big Ten Tournament

Penn State advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals and likely clinched a bid to the NCAA Championships.

Penn State forward Charlie Cerrato (15) celebrates a penalty goal in the third period vs. the Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten Tournsment. / Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

Penn State, the best story in men's college hockey, likely secured a spot in the NCAA Championships on Saturday night. The Nittany Lions continued a magical 2025 run with a 5-2 win over Michigan to sweep their best-of-three series in the Big Ten Tournament. Penn State followed a 6-5 win over Michigan on Friday with another offensive outburst to reach the Big Ten semifinals.

Penn State, on a 12-2-3 run over its last 17 games, advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals for the ninth time in 12 seasons under head coach Guy Gadowsky. The fifth-seeded Nittany Lions scored their first Big Ten Tournament sweep and became the first Big Ten team to sweep a road tournament series since the conference began its current postseason format in 2018.

Penn State will learn its semifinal opponent Sunday, as the other two series face decisive Game 3s. Third-seeded Ohio State hosts No. 6 Wisconsin, while No. 2 Minnesota hosts No. 7 Michigan. If both lower seeds win, Penn State would host the single-elimination semifinal game at Pegula Ice Arena on March 15. That would be quite a moment for Penn State, which began the Big Ten season by losing four consecutive series and eight games overall.

The Nittany Lions (20-12-4) also appear solidly in place to earn a bid to the NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament in a spot close to home. Allentown's PPL Center will host an NCAA regional event March 28-30. Penn State is 12th in the most recent PairWise Comparison Ratings.

The one that won the series!! 🏒🚨🧹 #WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/7YRWGw7M6M

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) March 9, 2025

Penn State gave up the first goal just 1:23 into the game but responded 14 seconds later, as freshman Nic DeGraves scored to the game. The Nittany Lions seized control from there, getting a pair of goals from Ben Schoen and Carson Dyck to take a 3-1 lead. After Michigan cut its deficit to one, Penn State scored the game's final two goals. JJ Wiebusch, who scored the overtime game-winner Friday, gave the Nittany Lions a 4-2 lead early in the third period. Twenty-six seconds later, Charlie Cerrato scored on a penalty shot for the final margin of victory.

Noteworthy

• Penn State goaltender Arsenii Sergeev made 31 saves in earning his 17th win of the season.

• The Nittany Lions improved to 18-0-1 this season when leading after two periods.

• Penn State held a 37-33 lead in shots and scored on its only power play. The Nittany Lions' penalty kill was successful on two of three opportunities.

• Dyck scored his second career goal and first since Dec. 4, 2021.

• Cerrato had a goal and an assists, giving him 36 points on the season.

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