Kam Hendrickson's 42 saves steal UConn's Ice Breaker opener from Penn State

Kam Hendrickson made 42 saves on Friday night, and that's the whole story of UConn's 3-1 win over Penn State. Penn State played the better hockey for long stretches, controlling possession and the faceoff circle, but UConn had the better goalie, and in October that's usually enough.

The sophomore was named first star of the Ice Breaker opener at Toscano Family Ice Forum. Penn State had 10 shots in the first period to UConn's two and won 37 of 56 faceoffs.

Hendrickson faced 16 shots in the second period and 16 more in the third, which is a lot of rubber for a sophomore. It was the second win of his college career, and he played it with the calm of a veteran.

UConn did just enough offensively, converting the few quality looks it generated. Will McIsaac scored from the right circle at 9:11 of the first. Kale Dach answered at 6:39 of the second with his first college goal, a backhand set up by Maine transfer Justin Poirier.

Then senior captain Joey Muldowney buried a one-timer from the left circle at 15:35 off a cross-ice feed from Alexandre Blais. Kaden Shahan added the empty-netter.

Penn State thought it had tied it with 7:03 left, when Poirier slipped a rebound in at the far post. UConn challenged for goaltender interference, and the goal came off the board. Big call from the UConn bench, and the right one, with the whole building holding its breath.

My read on Penn State: life after Gavin McKenna looks like a team that can drive play and is still learning to finish. Justin Larose had seven shots and nothing to show for it, and the Nittany Lions generated plenty of second-chance opportunities without a finish. They'll be fine, though the film session this weekend won't be much fun.

The number: 2-4-1. By our count, that's Hockey East's record against everybody else on Friday. Alaska won 3-2 at No. 11 Boston College.

Bentley shut out Vermont 3-0. No. 6 Quinnipiac edged Maine 2-1, Clarkson beat UMass Lowell 3-2, and No. 18 UMass tied RIT 2-2 and is still looking for its first win. No. 9 Providence was the only other winner, 6-2 over St. Lawrence.

That's why this one matters beyond Storrs and the Connecticut campus. No. 16 beat No. 17 in the USCHO poll, and Hockey East's NPI case gets built in October against other leagues. A home win over a ranked Big Ten opponent is exactly the kind of result the selection math remembers in March.

The Ice Breaker champion is decided on tournament points accumulated over two nights. Penn State plays Sacred Heart at 7 p.m. Saturday in Fairfield, and UConn gets Bowling Green, which beat Sacred Heart 3-2 on Friday.

Kessler's call: UConn wins the Ice Breaker. Hendrickson doesn't need 42 again. He needs half of that and one more Muldowney one-timer.