2021-22 Penn State Nittany Lions

[ZedLeppelin]

Like yesterday, after the first period it's 1-0 St. Lawrence. Penn State leads the shots on goal 10-6. Also like yesterday, the first half of that period was an unfamiliar Penn State team, but late in the period they finally started looking somewhat like last season's team. They finally started going after rebounds, finally (a few times) got some traffic at the net. They need players at the net more consistently, ready to dig for rebounds, but at least it started happening. Still a lot of hockey to play, but there were glimpses of the team everyone expects this team to be.

[ZedLeppelin]

After two, it's St. Lawrence up 2-1, with a Penn State goal on a deflection by Olivia Wallin on a shot from freshman Karley Garcia. St. Lawrence has 3 penalties to Penn State's 1, but luckily for them Penn State has absolutely no powerplay. Shots on goal are 20-13 for Penn State. So far, yesterday and today, Kiara Zanon has been invisible...it's players like Olivia Wallin, Alyssa Machado, and Julie Gough (and others) who are doing the hustling.

Penn State still isn't playing the very aggressive "front of the net" game they played last season, and they need to do that. They're also getting beat on the boards, unlike last season. I'll just stop there.

[Oldtimer]

So nice to see the ECAC put a sock in all the
blather from WCHA/Big 10 rooters who seem to feel PSU and OSU are entitled. Go St Lawrence

[ZedLeppelin]

After three, we're going to 3-on-3 OT, tied 2-2 after a goal from Natalie Heising.

[ZedLeppelin]

And the game ends in a 2-2 tie after OT, where Penn State spent half of the OT on a 4-on-3 powerplay but couldn't score. The third period was all Penn State, and they went 37-12 for shots on goal, but it was too little too late. See ya later, national ranking...it was fun.

Takeaways:

Penn State has no powerplay whatsoever. There isn't even enough there to talk about - there just isn't a powerplay. Opposing teams are going to feel free to take penalties if there's no danger coming on a penalty kill. Ugh...come on, Kampersal.

Penn State defense - good as always when strictly playing defense, not good when handling the puck. Goalie Josie Bothun has a better clearing pass than the defense does. I'm a broken record, but Jessica Adolfsson left a huge hole in this defense that nobody is even close to filling. She played big, played smart, and could do something with the puck.

Over the series, Penn State played five periods of plodding hockey and one period (the third period tonight) showing flashes of the team they were last season. They need to get players in front of the net, and aggressively like last season. Right now, individual players will enter the offensive zone with some steam and then have nobody around the net to make something happen or fight for rebounds and dirty goals. They also need to be a lot more aggressive just getting to the puck along the boards, not to mention battling for the puck when they get there.

I love this program, but in this series they did none of what made them so good last season. The talent is there, and I don't just mean Natalie Heising and Kiara Zanon (who was ineffectual for the whole series)...there is talent all over this roster, but they need to watch videos of last season and play that way.

[ZedLeppelin]

The Penn State game recap:

https://gopsusports.com/news/2021/9/...ns-hockey.aspx

The St. Lawrence game recap:

https://saintsathletics.com/news/202...enn-state.aspx

And a couple from the Daily Collegian:

https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports...ock_id=1035497

https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports...ock_id=1035497

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

So nice to see the ECAC put a sock in all the
blather from WCHA/Big 10 rooters who seem to feel PSU and OSU are entitled. Go St Lawrence

OSU is legit...PSU...Not so much.

[Reddington]

Not the start I was expecting. BTW did Adolffson make Team Sweden because I can't find her on the roster.

[ZedLeppelin]

Not the start I was expecting. BTW did Adolffson make Team Sweden because I can't find her on the roster.

I can't find anything about the current Swedish national roster - I know Adolfsson is back home in Sweden playing for Linkoping, and I'd be pretty surprised if she didn't make the national team roster for the next Olympics.

[zambonidriver]

Was at both games frustrating to say the least Zed hit it right on the head. To much individual play. Huge wake up call. Coach was tinkering with the Lines all weekend. I think that will continue through the first couple of weeks. Still a really young team and for two classes first time on a nearly normal campus. Saw some sensory overload as the players were really getting their first taste of what it is to be a student athlete post covid. Exams, practice, social, etc. Will be interesting to see what happens next week. SLU had a great game plan and the girls didn't really adjust. The biggest thing I saw was on the power play no one on the first unit was willing to get dirty everyone was on the perimeter especially on the five on three no leader on the back end. Freshman had deer in headllights play for sure on Friday night better on Saturday. Mya Vaselet is going to be really good. All the preseason BS is over, time to perform. The other big takeaway from this weekend was the lack of chemistry especially with 19 returning players I was surprised about that. I didn't see the hustle that was there last year. I lost count how many times Zanon had to beat multiple players alone without line mates help. She will dish the puck but no one was with her. Also it wasn't until the 3rd of the 2nd game did they start creating turnovers like last year. SLU is a quality team that may not win the ECAC but will have a say in who does.

[Reddington]

The St Lawrence goalie must have been red hot. A shutout and 40 saves in the second game. You can't fault the PSU goalie in a 1-0 loss as the offense needs to score.
Giving up two goals in the first 9 shots will normally kill you, but it was nice the team bailed out the PSU goalie. Limiting SLU to only 16 shots in regulation is something to build on. I'm glad to hear Kampresal was not married to his lines and changing things. This is a big roster, I think it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Heising to the rescue once again.

[Lindsay]

Are Heising and Zanon on same line? Did they play together last year? Not sure if both centers. I remember 2 years ago watching Heising try to do it all alone.

[Cornholio]

Related to Penn State and maybe their future conference affiliation but assuming the CHA does not add a 6th member and goes away, do they end up with their B1G friends in WCHA? The CHA seems very weak this year (PSU not performing this weekend, Lindenwood and RIT throttled, Hurst too-close-for-comfort wins over RPI, Syracuse up next on the Colgate sacrificial block?) and that has got to impact the program's prestige. How would this team really do in the WCHA?

[Cornholio]

Sorry jumped ahead - Cuse does not have to meet the Colgate deities until a few weeks. SLU is next. Will be a good litmus test for the CHA.

[ZedLeppelin]

Coach was tinkering with the lines all weekend. I think that will continue through the first couple of weeks.

That was completely understandable, with new players to add into the mix. I like seeing Rachel Weiss on the top line - she's a hustler, and I think if Kampersal keeps her there and lets some chemistry build with Heising and Zanon, that could be a troublesome line for opponents to handle.

The other big takeaway from this weekend was the lack of chemistry especially with 19 returning players I was surprised about that. I didn't see the hustle that was there last year.

Nothing looked the same, for sure. For me, it was the lack of aggressive play that stood out. Last year they played like they were offended that any other team wanted to touch the puck - in this series, it was like they were playing a scrimmage.

I'm glad to hear Kampersal was not married to his lines and changing things. This is a big roster, I think it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Heising to the rescue once again.

I'm sure he'll keep switching players around next weekend against BC, and I like that, too. There's a lot of talent to spread around...everyone knows Heising and Zanon, but there's a lot more to Penn State than just those two.

Are Heising and Zanon on same line? Did they play together last year? Not sure if both centers. I remember 2 years ago watching Heising try to do it all alone.

Yes, they're both on the top line, like last season. Zanon is a center and Heising is left wing.

Related to Penn State and maybe their future conference affiliation but assuming the CHA does not add a 6th member and goes away, do they end up with their B1G friends in WCHA? The CHA seems very weak this year (PSU not performing this weekend, Lindenwood and RIT throttled, Hurst too-close-for-comfort wins over RPI, Syracuse up next on the Colgate sacrificial block?) and that has got to impact the program's prestige. How would this team really do in the WCHA?

Up until now, I would've said Penn State couldn't keep up with WCHA teams, because they've never been a speedy team until this current group came along. What's different, though, is that the CHA teams have mostly played a chippy physical style of hockey (sometimes with speed, if available), whereas the WCHA plays a lot faster game. If the CHA folded and some teams were absorbed into the WCHA, the former CHA teams would have to alter their games, I think, or be left in the dust.