With 18 days left until Penn State hockey’s next game, I thought I would run a midseason report card this week, with the forwards today and the defensemen, goaltenders, and coaching staff on Thursday.
Penn State’s 11-5 start has been solid, though wildly inconsistent and leaving the fanbase wanting more as we enter the second half of the season. The forwards have mirrored that sentiment, with outstanding performances on some nights and struggling on others.
Charlie Cerrato: A
It is still my steadfast belief that Charlie Cerrato is the best center Penn State hockey has ever had. His point production has regressed back to the mean after a white-hot start, but he has been the team’s best playmaker all season. Cerrato is tied for 8th in the NCAA in assists, and all of the players above him have played at least two more games.
JJ Wiebusch: A
Wiebusch has not scored a goal in the last six games, so his white-hot start is carrying most of the weight here. His shooting percentage stands at 25% for the whole season, an unsustainable rate. Still, it is hard for me to give him anything lower than an A with over a point per game.
Matt DiMarsico: A
DiMarsico has also been scoreless since the Ohio State series, but he has done a solid job of driving play on the forecheck and creating scoring chances all season. Despite the slump from the top line, all three players are still over a point per game this season, and they should find their groove again in the second half.
Aiden Fink: B–
Fink had only two goals in the first nine games, but his absence was felt on the power play after his injury on October 30. His goal-scoring struggles knock him down to the B range, but Penn State is a completely different offense without him.
Gavin McKenna: B-
This may have been the most difficult grade to give. McKenna is over a point per game and scored a critical power play goal in the dying minutes against Arizona State to earn the sweep. He has struggled without the puck, especially on defense and through the neutral zone, but he is 17 going up against much older players. He will find his game eventually.
Reese Laubach: B
Laubach has been quiet for most of the season after being moved off of Aiden Fink’s line and spending more time in the bottom six. He scored three goals in a two-game span against Michigan and Minnesota to give the struggling offense a boost. I want to see more from him, but constantly having a different place in the lineup can’t be easy for him.
Dane Dowiak: B
The captain has been solid but not too flashy, with four goals so far. He had a red-hot finish to last season and has not been able to replicate it thus far, but there is still a long way to go.
Ben Schoen: C
Schoen has had a difficult season offensively, with just two goals (both in the same game). He did score a vital shorthanded goal against Clarkson to swing the momentum. He’s reliable in the bottom six but his lack of offense bumps him down to a C.
Nic Chin-DeGraves: C–
Chin-DeGraves has only 8 shots on goal this season. He has been an offensive black hole for most of the way, but his two goals- a shorthanded tally against Arizona State and an empty-netter to seal the win over Michigan on November 15- were both significant.
Shea Van Olm: C–
Van Olm’s debut season has been mildly frustrating, with just two goals so far. He has created many high danger scoring chances but has only converted twice. Hopefully the second half brings not only more scoring, but more disciplined play. Van Olm leads the team with 43 penalty minutes.
Luke Misa: C
Like Van Olm, Misa has had some bad shooting luck (6.1%), but his line has been about even at 5v5 this season. Solid bottom six player, but he has more offensive upside than he has shown so far.
Lev Katzin: D+
Katzin is a ball of energy, but he only has one point in 16 games and just 18 shots on goal. He has 38 penalty minutes as well, second on the team behind linemate Shea Van Olm. I did not expect him to be a top scorer, but I was hoping to see him on the scoresheet a few times.
Braedon Ford: D
Ford is the only forward who has played multiple games without a single point. He can fill a bottom six spot in Fink’s absence, but when Fink returns, he will likely be bumped out of the lineup.
Alex Servagno: Incomplete
Servagno has only played one game, rendering an incomplete grade. We are unlikely to see him too much the rest of the way barring catastrophic injuries.
