UNIVERSITY PARK – The pep band’s tuba players bobbed up and down while playing “Seven Nation Army,” not unlike they would at Beaver Stadium less than 24 hours later.

The Lion mascot played to the crowd, swatting his own ears the same way he does at Penn State football games.

The school’s familiar fight song was ubiquitous, and the steel bleachers in the student section weren’t touched by a single backside during any point of game action. The students, like they do for the football team, stood throughout.

True, about 100,000 fewer people were on hand for the Penn State hockey team’s inaugural game at the $90 million Pegula Ice Arena on Friday night. Football will always rule in Happy Valley, but on a common chant at different points of the Lions’ 4-1 win against Army shows how far the school’s newest NCAA sport has come.

via Penn State opens new $90 million hockey arena with win over Army | TribLIVE.