TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Gavin McKenna had two first-period assists in his Penn State debut Friday night, and the Nittany Lions trailed Arizona State 3-2 after two periods.
Expected to be the No. 1 pick next year in the NHL draft, the 17-year-old McKenna set up Aiden Fink’s power-play goal with 9:05 left in the first and assisted on Charlie Cerrato’s goal in the final minute.
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Arizona State rallied with three goals in the second period.
McKenna left the Western Hockey League champion Medicine Hat Tigers to play for Penn State after the NCAA lifted its ban on Canadian Hockey League players.
From Whitehorse, Yukon, McKenna is a member of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation. He was the WHL’s player of the year last season, finishing with 41 goals and 88 assists in 56 regular-season games.
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