UConn beats No. 17 Penn State 3-1. Hendrickson stops 42 of 43 shots.

UConn beat No. 17 Penn State 3-1 Friday in its season and home opener. Kam Hendrickson made 42 saves. The Huskies scored once in each period, but the result was not a three-period territorial win.

Penn State finished with 43 shots on goal to UConn's 25. Hendrickson stopped 42 of them, a .977 save percentage when rounded to three decimals. The 18-shot deficit explains why the goaltender belongs at the center of this result, rather than behind the list of scorers.

The lead needed more than three goals

William McIsaac opened the scoring at 9:11 of the first period. Kale Dach tied it at 6:39 of the second. Captain Joey Muldowney restored UConn's lead at 15:35, leaving the Huskies ahead 2-1 entering the third.

Penn State then put 16 shots on goal in the final period. Hendrickson stopped them all. UConn's recap says a potential late equalizer was overturned for goaltender interference after the Huskies challenged. Kaden Shahan's empty-net goal at 18:26 settled the scoring.

Our read: a ranked opening win is worth celebrating without treating it as proof that every part of the team is settled. UConn protected a narrow lead with goaltending and enough timely finishing. Generating more of the shot volume is a reasonable next test, not a reason to dismiss the result.

Bowling Green is next

Bowling Green visits Storrs on Saturday, October 10, to close UConn's Ice Breaker Tournament weekend. The Huskies list a 6 p.m. start and ESPN+ streaming. Check the official schedule before traveling or choosing a stream. This report describes Friday's completed game, not Saturday's result.