Penn State tops Connecticut in OT, reaches men's Frozen Four for first time

ALLENTOWN – Matt DiMarsico’s overtime goal helped Penn State continue its run through the NCAA men’s hockey tournament as the Nittany Lions edged Connecticut 3-2 Sunday at PPL Center.

The victory pushes Penn State, in its 13th season of Division I hockey, into the Frozen Four for the first time in program history.

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Penn State goaltender Arsenii Sergeev, a transfer from Connecticut, stopped 42 shots with 28 coming in the third period and overtime.

The teams traded goals through regulation as the Huskies struck first at 3:09 of the opening period on a Joey Muldowney marker. The Nittany Lions replied at 13:27 with Dane Dowiak’s tally, with help from Tyler Paquette and Keaton Peters.

The exchange happened again within 30 seconds during the second period with Connecticut going ahead 2-1 on Tabor Heaslip’s goal at 11:27 as Penn State got an answer from J.J. Wiebusch at 11:57.

Charlie Cerrato, who assisted on the Wiebusch goal, also set up DiMarsico’s game-winner at 17:56 of the overtime period.

Defenseman Casey Aman, a native of Johnstown, is on the Penn State roster having skated in 33 games prior to the tournament.

The son of Terry Aman, who was on the former Johnstown Chiefs medical training staff in the ECHL, had one goal and seven points prior to Penn State’s 5-1 first-round win over Maine on Friday.