Hockey is the fastest paced of all major sports because its players rush to complete the game before the ice field melts into vinegar. Enjoy the acidic thrill of competition with this GrouponLive deal to see the Three Rivers Classic at Consol Energy Center. For $14, you get a one-day ticket for seating in sections 104, 105, 109, 110, 114–116, 120, 121, or 122 on Friday, December 28 (up to a $31.25 value, including all fees). Doors open at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are good for the following games:
- Robert Morris University vs. Penn State at 4:30 p.m.
- Ohio State vs. Miami University at 7:30 p.m.
Long a dream of Penguins president David Morehouse, the inaugural Three Rivers Classic starts an annual hockey tradition in Pittsburgh, with four top NCAA Division I teams converging for a weekend of on-ice face-offs. At 4:30 p.m., Robert Morris’ squad looks to doom Penn State's frozen dreams with rink play directed by ninth-year head coach Derek Schooley. Coming off back-to-back winning seasons in the AHA, the squad silences opponents with the imposing barrier of senior goalkeeper Eric Levine, whose season-starting .932 save percentage puts him second in the conference. Now in his second year as head coach, Guy Gadowsky and his lineup of blade-top warriors angle to better their 29–5–0 2011–12 season.
After an ice-clearing pause, Ohio State and Miami University take the rink at 7:30 p.m. for a CCHA showdown. Ohio State's puck slappers look to Brady Hjelle’s 1.45 goals-against average and .950 save percentage, which place him comfortably atop the conference's current crop of net blockers. On Miami University's side, underclassmen forwards Riley Barber and Austin Czarnik hold the title of the CCHA's top scorers with a combined 29 points on the ice and jaw-dropping triple-word-score play of "xylophone" in intramural Scrabble.