No. 6 Penn State men's hockey had a dominant night at Pegula Ice Arena, defeating Ohio State 11-4. While it was a long time coming for the true freshman and NHL-level generational talent, forward Gavin McKenna put on a historic performance that solidified his place in Nittany Lion history.
Luke Misa tasked with a big role for Penn State hockey's top line
On the 11 total goals Penn State scored, McKenna was involved with eight of them. He recorded seven assists and one goal, registering eight total points, which is the most in Penn State and Big Ten history in a single game. His seven assists also set a single-game program and conference record in its own separate category.
It was a historic night for Gavin McKenna and Penn State hockey.
— Basic Blues Nation (@BasicBlues) February 21, 2026
"He came to play in a game where we knew we'd need some of our special players to make special plays, and he sure did," Guy Gadowsky said.
📸: @hweikelphoto #WeAre #PennState pic.twitter.com/rACDGHnw05
Gavin McKenna sets Penn State and Big Ten history with eight points on seven assists and one goal
His performance on the ice is indicative of his love for his teammates, After the game, McKenna was asked about his legacy he'll leave behind at Penn State, but it wasn't about numbers and stats for the young forward.
"I don't want to be remembered as a bad teammate or anything," McKenna said as erported by Penn State Nittany Lions on SI. "I think it's pretty easy to gel with guys in that locker room, and it's a group that I'll love forever, my brothers in there. So I just want to be remembered as a good teammate with these guys."
Gavin McKenna hits the Connor McGregor celebration after putting Penn State up 2-0 on Ohio State. #WeAre #PennState
— Basic Blues Nation (@BasicBlues) February 21, 2026
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The Nittany Lions desperately needed a win, bouncing back from a four-game losing streak (including a shootout loss) to Michigan State and Michigan. While the Buckeyes are ranked fifth in the conference, the blue and white need all the wins they can get in order to lock down a secure spot in the NCAA Tournament and potentially one of the four No. 1 regional seeds.
"We wanted to try to find a way to just win a game," head coach Guy Gadowsky said, according to Mark Wogenrich. "It's an important part of the year, and I think that's where our mentality was . . . [McKenna] came to play in a game that we knew we'd need some of our special players to make special plays, and he sure did."
Gavin McKenna says playing the game he loves with Penn State is his happiness during stressful times
Friday night was special for McKenna for other reasons unrelated to setting records.
McKenna was charged with misdemeanor simple assault and two summary counts of disorderly conduct after engaging in an altercation at the end of January. The Centre County District Attorney's Office dropped the additional aggravated assault felony charge. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11.
McKenna expressed his love for the game and how it gives him the ability to put everything else going on in his life on pause and simply enjoy the moment with his teammates. After scoring his goal, he recreated Conor McGregor's "Billionaire Strut" on the ice.
"Being at the rink, being with the guys, it's kind of my getaway and just playing the game I love," McKenna said after the Ohio State game. "So it's been a lot of fun. And anytime you have a game like this, where the team's just clicking, it's a lot of fun to be a part of . . .
"Just emotional. I was just having fun out there. A lot of stuff going on in my life right now. So being out in the rink, being with the guys, that's my happiness. So, yeah, I just thought I’d show some personality."