Penn State Harrisburg spotted Rowan University a two-goal lead, then scored five unanswered goals for a 6-3 win Sunday at Twin Ponds Arena. Blake Hanson led the way with two goals and an assist, including a shorthanded goal that tied the game early in the second period. Penn State Harrisburg improved to 5-0-0, while Rowan fell to 0-1-0 in its season opener.
Rowan built its lead in the first period. Nate King scored with 13:05 left, assisted by Kevin Arango, and Carter Callahan made it 2-0 with 5:01 remaining off a feed from Aadan Plank. Justin Yothers, who entered the game with four goals in four games, cut the deficit with 1:11 left in the period, finishing a play set up by Caleb Warfel and Colm Mya.
The second period belonged to Penn State Harrisburg. Hanson tied the game unassisted while shorthanded with 18:28 left. Zach Graby then scored his first goal of the season with 16:09 to go to give Penn State Harrisburg its first lead, and Paul Smith added the eventual game-winner 61 seconds later, assisted by Peyton Smith and Hanson. PJ Marsteller made it 5-2 with another unassisted shorthanded goal with 9:12 left. Callahan answered for Rowan on the power play with 1:56 remaining, his second goal of the night, with assists from Plank and Mercer Acuna.
Hanson closed the scoring with 10:57 left in the third, assisted by Paul Smith and Kevin Zidiak. He entered the game with six points in four games and added three more. Penn State Harrisburg outshot Rowan 53-28. Jason Soule made 25 saves for the win, and Michael Gorzynski stopped 47 shots in the loss for Rowan.
Penn State Harrisburg is still unbeaten, and Rowan will look for its first win after an opener in which its lead slipped away in the second period.
