Prospects Report: McKenna, Penn State ready for outdoor showdown vs. Michigan State

Guy Gadowsky finally has an answer to a question he has been asked for nearly one quarter of his life.

"The start of it happened I think the day I got hired. The question 'when are you guys going to play a hockey game in Beaver Stadium' is the most common question I've had the past 15 years," the 58-year-old head coach of Penn State's men's hockey team told reporters this week.

On Saturday, the outdoor vision becomes reality when Penn State (18-6) hosts Michigan State (19-5) in the university's iconic football stadium.

With the Nittany Lions football team coming off a turbulent year in which it fired its head coach and the hockey team attracting the top recruit in the sport (Gavin McKenna) in the first year of NCAA eligibility for ex-CHLers, the timing is perfect.

More than 65,000 fans are expected for the game, with Penn State asking fans for its traditional White Out. The hockey program is buzzy, with Penn State football legend Micah Parsons stopping by last week to cheer on the hockey team during a game at Wisconsin.

The outdoor tilt is the finale of a huge two-game series between the nationally second-ranked Spartans and No. 5 Nittany Lions. Michigan State carries a four-game win streak into the weekend, while Penn State has won seven in a row.

"Not everybody could pull this off," said Gadowsky, who became the head coach in 2011 when Penn State entered the Division I hockey ranks. "This is being done without the NHL. There's going to be 65,000 people. I've certainly never played in front of 65.,000 people before. It's an incredible event and it shows the power of Penn State."

All eyes will be on McKenna, who has been playing some of his best hockey since returning from the world junior championship with Canada. In a tight race for first-overall pick in next year's NHL Draft, McKenna has six goals and five assists in his past five games.

The Whitehorse native is second on the NCAA freshman scoring list, just ahead of Porter Martone of Michigan State. The Philadelphia Flyers first-round pick, a teammate of McKenna's at the world juniors, has 28 points in 22 games. McKenna has 29 points in the same amount of games.

It also could be a battle between the NCAA's two goalies when it comes to save percentage this season. The undrafted Josh Fleming, who splits time with Ottawa Senators prospect Kevin Reidler in the Penn State net, has a .944 save percentage while Michigan State workhorse Trey Augustine, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, is at .938.

"The bottom line is they're a really well-balanced team. Meaning they're skilled, they're big, they're strong, they're fast, their D are good, their goaltending is excellent, they can score," said Gadowsky, whose team was swept in a pair of games at Michigan State in November.

"They don't have vulnerabilities. They do everything really, really well. They're as balanced a hockey team as we've ever seen. It's not a matter of finding the kinks in the armour because I don't think there are. It's a matter of us playing as good and consistent a game as you can because they don't have any vulnerabilities."

The teams also will have to balance a hectic schedule. The first game is Friday at Pegula Ice Arena at 6 p.m. ET on Friday, while the outdoor game goes at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday.

"Our biggest game of the season is Friday and then we're going to have the quick turnaround and refocus and get ready for Saturday," Gadowsky said.

Big names make commitments

While top CHL players kept their NCAA cards close to their vests early this season, we're starting to see some movement.

ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported this week that Prince George Cougars star goalie and San Jose Sharks prospect Joshua Ravensbergen has committed to Michigan State. With Augustine expected to turn pro after this season, the addition of Canada's No. 3 at the world juniors would give the Spartans a top goalie to fill the hole.

Meanwhile, various reports Wednesday said Chicoutimi Sagueneens star forward and Anaheim Ducks prospect Maxim Masse has committed to UMass. Masse is second in the QMJHL in scoring while playing for the league's top team.

Rangers on rise

Perhaps no CHL team had a better trade deadline than the Kitchener Rangers.

The Rangers' eight-game win streak was snapped with an overtime loss to the Owen Sound Attack on Wednesday, but Kitchener's point streak has now hit 11 games. As a result, the Rangers have climbed into first in the OHL's Western Conference.

The team's highest-profile addition, Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Sam O'Reilly, has been great since being acquired from rival London. The Canadian junior team forward has five goals and seven assists in nine games with Kitchener.

Games to watch

Friday, Jan. 30: Boston College Eagles (13-8-1) at Boston Terriers (12-12-1), 7 p.m. ET

Boston's Tynan Lawrence and Boston College's Oscar Hemming both arrived in the NCAA at mid-season to try to improve their 2026 NHL Draft rankings. The first-round prospect forwards square off here in a Beantown battle.

Friday, Jan. 30: Kamloops Blazers (21-15-5-4) at Penticton Vees (29-9-4-3), 10:05 p.m. ET / 7:05 p.m. PT

The expansion Vees will try to extend their win streak to 15 games. They'll have to hold down WHL scoring leader JP Hurlbert of the Blazers in this one.

Sunday, Feb. 1: Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (29-14-1-1) at Brantford Bulldogs (32-7-6-1), 2 p.m. ET

Canadian junior team goalie Carter George is off to a great start with the Greyhounds (5-0, 1.00 goals-against average, .955 save percentage, one goalie goal) since being acquired in an OHL trade-deadline deal with the Owen Sound Attack. This game pits George against arguably the most talented team in the league.

Sunday, Feb. 1: Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (26-12-5-1) at Drummondville Voltigeurs (27-13-2-3), 4 p.m. ET

These are two of the four teams in an extremely tight race for first place in the QMJHL's Western Conference. The Voltigeurs, Armada, Shawinigan Cataractes and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies entered the week separated by just four points.