Box Score
Postgame Video - Coach Bennett
Postgame Video - C. Stevens

SCHENECTADY, NY – Senior forward Wayne Simpson scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season in the second period, and sophomore goaltender Colin Stevens made 22 saves to lead No. 8/8 Union men's ice hockey (7-2-1) to a 2-0 win over Penn State (6-4-0) in front of 1,815 fans at Messa Rink.

Stevens earned his second shutout of the season in just his third start, making 10 third period saves to help preserve Union's slim margin late in the game.

Junior forward Cole Ikkala added an empty net goal at 19:46 of the third period his first of the season, to seal the win for the Dutchmen, who improved to 24-4-6 in their last 34 regular season home games at Messa Rink since the start of the 2010-11 season.

Penn State freshman Matthew Skoff made 40 saves in net for the Nittany Lions, as Union outshot PSU 42-22 on the night.

Skoff was sharp from the beginning of the contest, making a number of key stops early on to help keep the game scoreless after one period of play. His best stop of the opening frame came at the 11:00 mark of the first period, a right pad save on a shot from the slot from freshman forward Nick Cruice.

Later in the period, with Penn State's Michael Longo in the penalty box for hooking Skoff stopped freshman defenseman Tim Boyle twice from long range on Union's second power play of the opening frame. Union finished the night 0-for-4 on the man advantage.

Union would break the scoreless tie midway through the second period as senior forward Kyle Bodie found Simpson on the right wing at full stride skating into the Penn State zone. Simpson beat Skoff with a low wrist shot to give Union a 1-0 lead at 9:35 of the second period.

Stevens made perhaps his best save of the night later in the period, stopping Penn State's Nate Jensen with a glove save on the goal line, as Jensen tried to stuff in a rebound off a shot from Michael McDonagh at 4:13. The play was reviewed by referees Kyle Allen and Peter Feola on video, and the call was upheld.

In the third period, Stevens came up with another big stop on Penn State's Kenny Brooks, who had a chance from the slot at 7:50.

Ikkala sealed the win for Union with his first goal of the season, taking a two-on-one pass from sophomore forward Max Novak and flipping a backhander into the empty net with 13.5 seconds left to play.

Union will close out the series against Penn State tomorrow afternoon in a 4:00 p.m. contest at Messa Rink.