This article has more details, but it sounds like we might see a video soon.
https://www.abc27.com/news/top-stories/penn-state-hockey-star-gavin-mckenna-charged-with-felony/
key notes:
-allegedly two punches
-released on $20,000 bond
-he might have left (hard to fully know from article) the bar and came back inside to punch him? If this is true, he could be in legit trouble
- from the report “, a man was being treated for a broken jaw and was missing a tooth, police said. Police noted the man “could hardly speak” and had surgery Monday night that will require his jaw to be wired shut for approximately two weeks”
So you're saying he knocked him out and then punched him again? (thus causing the multiple breaks in the jaw)https://twitter.com/jeffplane4/status/2019201474920869962?s=46
A broken jaw in 3 spots and 3 missing teeth doesn’t come from one punch. Not know all the facts and if this is a credible source. Breaking a jaw in 3 spots comes from multiple punches. And I doubt McKenna is a golden glove fighter.
I’d be kinda amazed if there wasn’t a video of this given that everyone has a camera in their pocket.
Idk if we’ll ever know but I’m curious if PSU (or perhaps more likely, some big money guy affiliated with PSU) pays for his lawyer or chips in significantly. It’s not a great look for the university but that might be one way they’d try to minimize the damage.
Also,
I agree with an earlier poster that Penn St will let the situation play out over time before they even consider any type of punishment/suspension. That's just the way they handle, actually just ignore, these type of situations.
I'm sure Pegula has his checkbook out already.I’d be kinda amazed if there wasn’t a video of this given that everyone has a camera in their pocket.
Idk if we’ll ever know but I’m curious if PSU (or perhaps more likely, some big money guy affiliated with PSU) pays for his lawyer or chips in significantly. It’s not a great look for the university but that might be one way they’d try to minimize the damage.
So you're saying he knocked him out and then punched him again? (thus causing the multiple breaks in the jaw)
Dont know all the details. We know very little. All I’m saying most likely he didn’t break the guys jaw in 3 spots in one punch.
There’s so much unknown… Even if McKenna was with his family and underaged, was he drinking. Did McKenna actually try to deescalate or was he chirping back at the person. What started the whole thing in the first place. Not knowing all the facts I’m not buying McKenna was just being a knight in shining armor defending his mom’s honor. And with no creditable sources, I’m not believing some random tweet or two what happened. Plus like @trixr4kids mentioned about no video footage, yet. That’s the first thing people go for now days. Grab their phone and record.
Good thing there wasn’t cell phones with cameras recording 30 plus years ago when I was in high school and college… 😉
Not going to go too far down this, but I don't think this changes a whole lot because the defendant is a potential NHL first rounder-- if anything, it could make it harder because now the prosecutor cannot simply just make an easy deal to get rid of a bar fight.
My (albeit limited) experience in something like this would be that the prosecutor charges high to force a plea bargain low, particularly because bar fights are just not easy to prosecute (alcohol being a major factor in the credibility of witnesses). I would expect that this forces a plea to something like a simple misdemeanor or even less, with most of the other counts getting dropped, together with a fine. The bigger issue here (and I don't know the answer to this) is whether any of these could affect his immigration status and legal employability through the NHL- I didn't have Gavin McKenna as Ogie Ogelthorpe on my bingo card for 2026.
It may mean McKenna is suspended by Penn State during the pendency of this, but then again, they don't have a great track record either as an institution.
So this makes for great headlines, and damages from a civil case could be interesting-- but I would expect a settlement on that would occur and we wouldn't hear any more thereafter. So the only real question in my mind is does he play again for PSU this year.
yeah this doesn't look great and this was what had been circulating on Reddit/Twitter since it broke
New Information: According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained from the office of Magisterial District Judge Casey McClain, officers were dispatched to Mount Nittany Medical Center on January 31 to speak with a patient being treated for injuries from the assault. Hospital staff informed police that the victim had been punched in the face and suffered fractures on both sides of his jaw that required surgery.
Upon arrival, officers observed significant swelling, dried blood, and a missing tooth, and said the victim was in substantial pain and had difficulty speaking. Two friends in the room told officers that McKenna punched the victim twice on the right side of his face after an exchange of words between their group and McKenna’s group.
Witnesses said the assault occurred around 8:45 p.m. in front of the Pugh Street Parking Garage and recalled seeing blood on the sidewalk afterward. They also suspected McKenna and his group had been coming from Doggie’s Pub following a hockey event after Penn State’s game at Beaver Stadium.
Police reviewed State College Borough street camera footage that they say shows McKenna throwing two punches at the victim, causing him to stumble backward. Additional video reportedly captured McKenna leaving Doggie’s Pub shortly before the incident and walking eastbound on East Beaver Avenue before turning south on South Garner Street. In the footage, McKenna was observed wearing a white backwards hat, a puffer jacket, jeans, and white sneakers. Officers also photographed blood at the scene.
The victim underwent surgery on February 2 to repair the jaw fractures and his jaw will be wired shut for approximately two weeks unless further medical intervention is required.
So the only real question in my mind is does he play again for PSU this year.
I said on another social media site replying to a post saying his hockey career is over. I said, he’ll get drafted, but his days at PSU might be done.
Wonder if/when that video will be available. That may not play well in the court of public opinion.yeah this doesn't look great and this was what had been circulating on Reddit/Twitter since it broke
New Information: According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained from the office of Magisterial District Judge Casey McClain, officers were dispatched to Mount Nittany Medical Center on January 31 to speak with a patient being treated for injuries from the assault. Hospital staff informed police that the victim had been punched in the face and suffered fractures on both sides of his jaw that required surgery.
Upon arrival, officers observed significant swelling, dried blood, and a missing tooth, and said the victim was in substantial pain and had difficulty speaking. Two friends in the room told officers that McKenna punched the victim twice on the right side of his face after an exchange of words between their group and McKenna’s group.
Witnesses said the assault occurred around 8:45 p.m. in front of the Pugh Street Parking Garage and recalled seeing blood on the sidewalk afterward. They also suspected McKenna and his group had been coming from Doggie’s Pub following a hockey event after Penn State’s game at Beaver Stadium.
Police reviewed State College Borough street camera footage that they say shows McKenna throwing two punches at the victim, causing him to stumble backward. Additional video reportedly captured McKenna leaving Doggie’s Pub shortly before the incident and walking eastbound on East Beaver Avenue before turning south on South Garner Street. In the footage, McKenna was observed wearing a white backwards hat, a puffer jacket, jeans, and white sneakers. Officers also photographed blood at the scene.
The victim underwent surgery on February 2 to repair the jaw fractures and his jaw will be wired shut for approximately two weeks unless further medical intervention is required.
yeah this doesn't look great and this was what had been circulating on Reddit/Twitter since it broke
New Information: According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained from the office of Magisterial District Judge Casey McClain, officers were dispatched to Mount Nittany Medical Center on January 31 to speak with a patient being treated for injuries from the assault. Hospital staff informed police that the victim had been punched in the face and suffered fractures on both sides of his jaw that required surgery.
Upon arrival, officers observed significant swelling, dried blood, and a missing tooth, and said the victim was in substantial pain and had difficulty speaking. Two friends in the room told officers that McKenna punched the victim twice on the right side of his face after an exchange of words between their group and McKenna’s group.
Witnesses said the assault occurred around 8:45 p.m. in front of the Pugh Street Parking Garage and recalled seeing blood on the sidewalk afterward. They also suspected McKenna and his group had been coming from Doggie’s Pub following a hockey event after Penn State’s game at Beaver Stadium.
Police reviewed State College Borough street camera footage that they say shows McKenna throwing two punches at the victim, causing him to stumble backward. Additional video reportedly captured McKenna leaving Doggie’s Pub shortly before the incident and walking eastbound on East Beaver Avenue before turning south on South Garner Street. In the footage, McKenna was observed wearing a white backwards hat, a puffer jacket, jeans, and white sneakers. Officers also photographed blood at the scene.
The victim underwent surgery on February 2 to repair the jaw fractures and his jaw will be wired shut for approximately two weeks unless further medical intervention is required.
assuming the guy was chirping shit at McKenna, what possessed him to do that lol. It’s literally your own team’s guy, who is making your program nationally relevant.
When I was a senior at the U I remember once seeing and recognizing Staudacher, McLaughlin, all those guys at Sally’s during an early happy hour. My fraternity brother grew up with Matt Denman so we all talked some puck and that was that. I literally can’t imagine what McKenna’s victim was thinking when/if he (allegedly) antagonized McKenna like that. Of course maybe it’s different at Minnesota where every kid who plays hockey grew up a Gophers fan.
The video will surface, only a matter of time.
I've read comments, mostly by social media idiots, that have lauded McKenna for "defending his mother's honor," or "it's just a bar fight...happens all the time." Well, luckily those erudites have little to do with shaping laws, save for serving as future legal precedents.
I have a good friend who lost his nephew in a fight outside a college bar. He didn't even know either party and was there only to help desculate the situation. Unfortunately, someone coldcocked him from behind and he ended up dying from his injury. It can happen.
From what has been pieced together, I think it's going to come down to who found who outside. If the kid was waiting for McKenna to leave the bar, then it's a nothing story. If McKenna and his boys went looking for the kid, it's going to cost him a lot of money.
This has very little impact on his NHL future, and I would be surprised if it even affects this season. Worst case I see is he pleads down to a much lesser charge and cuts the kid a check.
I've read comments, mostly by social media idiots, that have lauded McKenna for "defending his mother's honor," or "it's just a bar fight...happens all the time." Well, luckily those erudites have little to do with shaping laws, save for serving as future legal precedents.
It hurts my brain reading lots of these comments on social media. People are clueless and are fine with vigilante justice.
I have a good friend who lost his nephew in a fight outside a college bar. He didn't even know either party and was there only to help desculate the situation. Unfortunately, someone coldcocked him from behind and he ended up dying from his injury. It can happen.
Sorry to hear this. More times than not, it’s an innocent person who becomes a victim.
That post starts with "Funny Story". I must not have a sense of humor.
https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/47851034/felony-charge-top-nhl-prospect-gavin-mckenna-dropped
Aloha!
UMD beat the Fighting Whioux last night
Aloha!
How can the Gophers have the best PP in the NCAA and the worst PK in the NCAA?
Aloha!
You go up and grab the ball off the rim when it comes off, and then you grab it with two hands, and you come down with it, and that’s considered a rebound.
Another week, another PSU ejection
Well at least this time the cops weren’t involved 😆
For those who don't know, HC at Brown Brendan Whittet is stepping away due to family issues after 17 years at his alma mater. He had this to say last week about the state of college hockey.
"Brown will be fine," Whittet said. "I just tried to guide the ship the right way. Sometimes, it looked great, sometimes it didn't. With the landscape, it has become harder and harder. There is a lot that goes into this. I was a young head coach here and had to learn as I went along.I am just trying to appreciate the end that is coming."
"It is hard," said Whittet of the current environment in college hockey. "Some of the other stuff that other teams can do, the Ivy league teams cannot. It is a little bit of a battle for us. That is not to make excuses, but the landscape is ever-changing. Amateur hockey is a farce, it isn't amateur hockey anymore. It is minor pro sports, professional sports and players getting paid."
Whittet of course had many challenges over the years. There probably could have been some better years, but the transfer bug bit hard. Whittet has never been one to shy away from an opinion on the lack of loyalty in today's hockey and went away saying the same things he has for years.
"I don't think it is a good thing that the loyalty (has gone away), so has the beauty of going to a school for four years and the beauty of graduating with your class," Whittet said. "If you don't feel the sense of home and you're just a hired gun, if you move from place to place, do those places mean what Brown means to me or what a college would mean to anyone else?
"Everyone just seems to be in a rush these days to find the next best thing, your foot is always out the door and I personally don't like that. I get frustrated about it and I think it is a very hard environment for me because I am old school. I appreciate the days, not too long ago I might add, that you could develop a team, a culture and you instill the right values in kids. Sometimes the grass isn't greener elsewhere."
https://twitter.com/HobeyBakerAward/status/2023472664216478079?s=20
Hahaha. I knew the Hobey was a joke after Fantilli won, but this is a new low. "Excellence on and off the ice" 🤣 🤣
https://twitter.com/HobeyBakerAward/status/2023472664216478079?s=20
Hahaha. I knew the Hobey was a joke after Fantilli won, but this is a new low. "Excellence on and off the ice" 🤣 🤣
Fantilli had the best season why shouldn’t he have won? I didn’t realize this was controversial
https://twitter.com/HobeyBakerAward/status/2023472664216478079?s=20
Hahaha. I knew the Hobey was a joke after Fantilli won, but this is a new low. "Excellence on and off the ice" 🤣 🤣
Fantilli had the best season why shouldn’t he have won? I didn’t realize this was controversial
it isn’t except to a subsection of the fan base who thinks it should’ve been Knies due to fantilli picking up a pair of DQs and there being that aspect to what the Hobey cites being about (sportsmanship).
That’s so silly
https://twitter.com/HobeyBakerAward/status/2023472664216478079?s=20
Hahaha. I knew the Hobey was a joke after Fantilli won, but this is a new low. "Excellence on and off the ice" 🤣 🤣
Fantilli had the best season why shouldn’t he have won? I didn’t realize this was controversial
Joke might have been the wrong word. To me, it was the only award that wasn’t supposed to just be who had the most goals or points, it was about sportsmanship and being the best leader for their team. If it’s just who has the most points, there’s no point in it being a voted award
The throwbacks that Michigan State are wearing really remind me of the 🤮. Ick.
The throwbacks that Michigan State are wearing really remind me of the 🤮. Ick.
their uniform choices are odd to me, they’ve also shown up to their outdoor games in their regular aways the last 2 years which looks kind of weird and almost a low-budget move when all the other B1G teams in outdoor games are rocking special sets made for the occasion
At least they aren’t the Spar-ans tonight. 😆
I remember when they had the kelly green colors. I do like the current color scheme much better for sure.
Becky up on the ugly helmets 3-1 after 2. 😳
psu up on osu 4-2 but still looking like they are sh***ing themselves. 😆
Am I the only one torturing myself watching big ten hockey tonight? 😬
4-1 wisco beats mich.
11-4 fighting McKennas over the nuts; he had a goal and 7 assists (a B10 record I think).
Am I the only one torturing myself watching big ten hockey tonight? 😬
4-1 wisco beats mich.
11-4 fighting McKennas over the nuts; he had a goal and 7 assists (a B10 record I think).
You could be like me and watching Jan Brady beat the pioux in a SO
Am I the only one torturing myself watching big ten hockey tonight? 😬
4-1 wisco beats mich.
11-4 fighting McKennas over the nuts; he had a goal and 7 assists (a B10 record I think).You could be like me and watching Jan Brady beat the pioux in a SO
Yeah that’s definitely torture. 😂
Long post coming ahead for those that are interested because I need to distract myself from Gopher sadness and at least try appreciate that its another year of enjoying college hockey no matter what happens
Even though this is depressing, getting to the time where seasons go up in smoke for many a team. The NPI (for those who want to look at it, there are some very interesting variations around the bubble if you use the PWR instead of the NPI) is starting to get locked for multiple teams. The Predictor matrix isn't perfect yet because the tourney brackets, but 9 teams are effectively locked
MSU, MI, UND, WMU, PSU, Prov, QU, UMD, Denver with Cornell, BC, and Dartmouth probably only needing 1-2 wins to do the same (Cornell may need 2 because of playing mediocre teams in the ECAC playoff; Dartmouth just probably needs to beat Princeton or win their quarterfinal ECAC games pending opponent)
Thoughts overall on the tourney are pretty interesting when one looks at NPI vs KRACH with a lot of love pushing up the AHA in NPI, NPI first then KRACH, with Bentley 25 vs 32, RIT 36 vs 42, Sacred Heart 33 vs 38 getting bumps but holding back some teams that would be around the bubble otherwise (WI would be a lock at 10 in KRACH, OSU would be 21, SCSU 16, Miami 19, amongst others). It'll be interesting to see if there are tweaks that come out in the future (for example, MN currently has the highest QWB in the country at 0.618 with Michigan the next highest at 0.516; lowest in the field is Dartmouth at 0.137. Basically meaning, Dartmouth racked up wins versus bad teams and got in, but MN has beaten better quality opponents over the year. Do you want to reward teams more who do that or ones that have a high winning percentage? Is part of why the Gophers, just beating Tech and LIU move up 9 spots). Home/road weighting always gets brought up and I do think it deserves some publicity, but they also need to look at their win % vs teams' opponents NPI, particularly given we no longer have any PWR comparison tool (so you cannot overcome someone based on H2H like you used to).
Anyway
The bubble is going to get pretty interesting. Those initial 9 and the AHA lock as an auto bring us to 6 bids up for grabs.
By conference; In all likelihood, I'd expect there are 3 autobids. AHA for sure. CCHA by all intent is going to be an auto with whoever wins it by getting hot down the stretch thus getting all the way in or who just wins it (very realistic chance you see say like UST as a 14 playing someone outside with a loss dropping them to 15 or getting bounced by the team they lose to). HE seems probable with their tourney structure (all single elim with only Providence and BC likely to be locked and getting teams they've lost to as early as the quarters such as BC getting say BU or Maine as well as some plucky teams like UNH who beat MSU this year). So I'd say you probably need to get to 12 to feel safe.
Independents are all out
AHA: 1 auto-bid league done and dusted.
B10: MSU, MI, PSU locked; WI is the only reasonable bubbler and really helped themselves beating Mich last weekend. Win 2/3 and they'll lock in. Go 1-2 with a 1st round loss and it's going to get dicey for them. Go 0-3 and it's probably over if the autos get to more than 2 (more on that in a second). I guess go PSU. Still an outside chance the Gophers could see them but we should know the odds of that after this weekend as OSU goes MSU-ND and MN goes MI-MSU so realistically probably going to need to see the Gophers see some if so.
ECAC: QU locked, Dartmouth and Cornell are near locks (man HE really shit the bed this year compared to years past). Dartmouth has QU and Princeton this weekend. Even with losing both games, they'd be in 14th (barely) and could save themselves in winning a game or two in the ECAC. Win one and they lock in. Cornell with SLU and Clarkson. If they lose both, they're out outside winning the ECAC tourney. Win one and they're fine unless things get weird. Feel like this is another of those leagues I always wonder if we'll get an autobid and then it never pans out that way. Even less likely this year with it likely being a 3-bid league.
HE: Providence locked, BC is really close and only not because HE also has a bunch of games left. Win 2 games (all comers) and they're in for sure. Realistically, UConn is really the only other bubbler and it's tenuous. Likely have to win 3/5 to lock in. UMass I guess could get there but probably has to win out and then get to the HE title game. Ditto Maine.
NCHC: UND, WMU, UMD, DU are all locked. Everyone else is an autobid. Kind of wild its locked this early. Bummer for Miami who thought maybe they had a shot then shit all over themselves and lost 5 straight. I'd be pretty surprised if there's an autobid here given the top 4 seem much better and they play 3 game quarterfinal series
Ready for the real fun one? If you want to watch essentially playoff hockey now, The CCHA is an absolute cluster fuck with 15 UST, 16 Augie, 17 Kato, 18 MTU, 20 BG all right there with the highest most can reasonably get being right around 12. Given that, let's start playing some pseudo-elim games now. BG goes to MTU this weekend. Any loss for either of them and they're in autobid lock territory. Kato has NMU at home. Lose either and they'll be in autobid territory. Joy for them is even if they sweep, they get to do it again next week in a best of 3 where if they lose 1 of those games, they probably again fall into autobid territory (they maybe could drop 1 to BG but it gets hairy; anyone else and that's that). UST goes to BSU this weekend. A loss in either of those games and they're likely in autobid territory as well. Unfortunately for them all, even wins this weekend are not going to be enough. If you see UST win their next 4, they probably can get themselves in as the last AL if all goes ok, but Augie is pretty damn close to being fucked if they lose any game from here on out. Basically for all 4 of those bubble teams, the next 2 weekends mean any loss is you're needing the conf title to get in. Should be a wild time.
Happy hockey watching all.
If I were picking, I'd take the above 9, Cornell, BC, Dartmouth as my pretty damn sures. I'll go with Augie in the CCHA because go Raboin, Bentley in the AHA (but that whole league looks pretty damn bad this year).
So with the last 2, think we get an extra auto out of HE (I like Maine or UConn, but any of UMass, NE, or BU plus those 2 wouldn't surprise me) and then I think WI greases out the last spot.
It'd be one thing if this team didn't get absolutely throttled by Tech in that 2nd game lol. Second game of the year with a lot of new faces and all but I wasn't exactly surprised with anything I saw later in the season after that game. The LIU game was kinda unlucky but this team's lack of finishing/scoring talent was more the issue there (and a rough day for Luca).
It'd be one thing if this team didn't get absolutely throttled by Tech in that 2nd game lol. Second game of the year with a lot of new faces and all but I wasn't exactly surprised with anything I saw later in the season after that game. The LIU game was kinda unlucky but this team's lack of finishing/scoring talent was more the issue there (and a rough day for Luca).
yeah this team has been bad enough you really can't complain that they are where they are. have gotten what they've deserved over the course of the year
Jeff Jackson's Baby Fully Grown : College Hockey News
Jeff Jackson with a really good interview over on CHN in the post-Olympics stage about the NTDP and future of college hockey, ranging from junior the issues with NIL and recruiting now. Can't say I really disagree with anything he says
Tracks with a lot of what I've heard talking with kids families who are playing Jr, at the NTDP, and elsewhere in their approach to things too.
Commentary: Get Rid of Home-Road Weighting? : College Hockey News
This is 0% surprising watching the games and I'd 100% be supportive of removing home/road weighting. Agree with Wodon's premise that it doesn't matter much in conference, except that it does because you get extra skew if you say go 1-1-2 vs a team and all home/road schedules aren't balanced (HE and ECAC) or should you get extra super punished for losing an extra game because it was at home instead of on the road?
Additionally, should be extra ammo to say move regionals back to home rinks.
For those wondering, Gophers move up 4 slots if you remove home/road weighting
It's coming...
From Mike McMahon
— Omaha appears to be the first college hockey program, to my knowledge, to announce a jersey-patch sponsorship for next season. The NCAA recently voted to allow jersey patches beginning next year, and Omaha will feature a “Control Services” logo on its hockey jerseys.
Looking down from my High Horse
Morality Police
Not very objective
It's coming...
From Mike McMahon
— Omaha appears to be the first college hockey program, to my knowledge, to announce a jersey-patch sponsorship for next season. The NCAA recently voted to allow jersey patches beginning next year, and Omaha will feature a “Control Services” logo on its hockey jerseys.
Nooooooooooo. 🤬
Although I’m surprised it’s taken this long.
Agreed. On both counts.It's coming...
From Mike McMahon
— Omaha appears to be the first college hockey program, to my knowledge, to announce a jersey-patch sponsorship for next season. The NCAA recently voted to allow jersey patches beginning next year, and Omaha will feature a “Control Services” logo on its hockey jerseys.
Nooooooooooo. 🤬
Although I’m surprised it’s taken this long.
Weird shit happening tonight in the CCHA with the possibility of five teams having a chance to win the McNaughton Cup. If St. Thomas, Michigan Tech, and MSU all win tonight they could tie for it. If they all lose with Bowling Green winning over Tech, BG would tie with Augustana for it. tDon will need a time machine to be in three places tonight to present the trophy. 
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
Anyone know what Nightengale had his undies in a bunch over last night after their game when he was chewing out the refs? Had it on the phone and couldn’t hear and was only casually watching the third period. Was there a bad call or was he just blaming the refs for losing so badly?