Ohio State, Minnesota and No. 2 Michigan State all fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, leaving Penn State (22-13-4) as the final team remaining from the conference in the tournament. After their miserable start in conference play, the Nittany Lions proved it isn’t how you start, it’s how you finish.

An overtime goal by sophomore forward Matt DiMarsico propelled Penn State past UConn, 3-2, and into the Frozen Four for the first time in program history — and it’s much more than 13 seasons if you include the years of club-level success and support that set the foundation for the varsity program.

The Nittany Lions, which played just three hours from campus as regional host, went through a pair of Hockey East teams to make their first Frozen Four.