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ALLENTOWN -- The Frozen Four is no longer a distant dream for the Penn State Nittany Lions ice hockey team. For the first time in program history, Penn State is bound for this year's Frozen Four in St. Louis, Mo., from April 10-12.
Penn State's Matt DiMarsico scored with 2:04 left in the first overtime to beat UConn, 3-2, in the Allentown Regional Final Sunday night at the PPL Center.
Charlie Cerato assisted on the winning goal, after the Huskies had missed on a flurry of opportunities throughout the extra session. Nittany Lions goalie Arsenii Sergeev, who transferred from UConn after last season, stopped 44 of 42 shots and came up big in the third period and OT, which were dominated by the Huskies.
Kai Janviriya came closest to winning it for UConn, but his shot from the left circle hit the post.
The Huskies (23-12-4), in their first ever NCAA appearance, advanced with a win over Quinnipiac on Friday, but Penn State (22-13-4), the No. 4 seed in the regional, knocked off No.1 Maine and No. 2 UConn to reach St, Louis, site of the national semifinals in two weeks.
Penn State will face Boston University, who edged Cornell to win its regional, on Thursday.
UConn coach Mike Cavanaugh had been alternating his goalies all season, when both were healthy. But here he chose to stay with freshman Callum Tung, who was solid in the conference semifinal win over BU and even better in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Quinnipiac.
Tung kept UConn in the game despite a fusillade from Penn State in the first period.
The crowd, as anticipated, was a Penn State crowd, with thousands coming to Allentown from 2 1/2 hours away. The Huskies were taken aback by the huge Maine crowd in the Hockey East final, but appeared ready for the environment Sunday.
The Huskies' first line created the first good opportunity, and Joey Muldowney, one of the top scorers in the nation, drove it from the top of the right circle past former teammate Sergeev and, lower left and into the back of the Nittany Lions' net, 3:09 into the game. Jack Richard, who kicked the puck out from the corner, picked up the assist.
Penn State went on a power play seconds after the goal, but UConn killed it. Tung didn't make a save over the first 17 minutes against Quinnipiac, but Penn State put far more pressure on the Huskies net.
Tung made 11 saves over the first 11 minutes; he got a break when one shot hit a post, but was otherwise up to every Lions' rush. The defense blocked seven shots over that span.
Still swarming around the crease, Penn State got one past Tung with 6:33 left in the period, Dane Dowiak getting the puck in the slot after two teammates worked it out from behind the net. The game was tied at 1-1 after the first period despite outshooting them, 17-6.
The second quarter was a much more even in volume and quality of shots, and UConn mounted an attack to take the lead with 8:33 left, but it didn't last long.
Tabor Heaslip scored for UConn, but within 30 seconds JJ Wiebusch answered for Penn State at the other end.
The Huskies couldn't cash in on their first power play opportunity, and the teams were tied heading into the third.
The Huskies began to control the puck and mount more consistent offensive pressure in the third period, but could not get one past Sergeev. As regulation expired, Penn State still held a 34-30 lead in shots.