Bent exhaust valve

I have a Craftsman Snow Thrower with an 8 HP engine (12E114-0268-E1) After using it a few weeks ago when it ran fine, I let it cool and placed a tarp over it. All snow was cleaned off the thrower. A week later I tried to start it on a cold day below freezing and it seemed locked up. I continued to try and broke the rope starter pawls. I used the electric starter with no luck. I waited until we had a day above freezing. I could get the engine spinning using the electric starter but it would not fire. Lots of backfiring and compression lock up. I disassembled almost everything and checked out the function. carb and spark seemed OK. I removed the exhaust and to my surprise found a lot of water in the muffler housing and in the cylinder head around the exhaust valve. There was at least three tablespoons total. I dumped it out and blew out the exhaust port. There was no water in the crankcase. I then removed the valve cover and discovered a bent exhaust valve push rod. My theory is I bent it when I tried to start the engine in freezing temperature and ice from the water accumulated had frozen the exhaust valve in place. As a trial I put the good intake push rod into the exhaust valve guide and it seemed to function properly. So... can I expect to be able to get the engine running again by replacing the exhaust push rod only? What is likelihood that the bent rod is the only damage? Anyone know why water in this large quantity collected in the exhaust port after I stopped the engine when it was hot? Seems like normal condensation would not explain all this water.

Bent exhaust valve